Corner workers do not have the authority to throw a red flag, only the chief
steward does. A waving flag means SLOW DOWN, there's IMMEDIATE DANGER!!!
Obviously some drivers are just oblivious to yellow flags!
Phred
SCCA Racer
and Vintage list lurker
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From: FHammett@aol.com[SMTP:FHammett@aol.com]
Reply To: FHammett@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 1999 4:38 PM
To: brian@uunet.ca; pmeis@bgsm.edu
Cc: vintage-race@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Reflections on a racing incident
In a message dated 09/14/1999 12:20:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
brian@uunet.ca writes:
> I saw the
> >yellow track lights come on and the corner worker was waving the yellow
> >flag. I assumed a full course yellow with some incident ahead. I backed
off
> >the throttle and allowed more room between me and the car ahead and
thought
> >"be watchfull". As I eased right at the top of the hill suddenly the
> problem
> >was all too obvious. Several cars had hit and spun, the track was blocked
> >and it was hidden from view until one came over the crest of the hill.
> >Because of the tight armco on either side of the track, there was no place
> >to go. I locked up the brakes and stopped my car befor the cars blocking
> the
> >track, but my rear engined car spun because of the turn in and I wound up
> >next to the armco on the right side, facing back up the track. The engine
> >had died and didn't re-start easily. Suddenly I was horrified to see an
MGC
> >coming at speed. He locked up his brakes crashed into my right front, and
> >caromed off me into the other cars. I had felt a terrific blow, but undid
> my
> >belts, climbed out of my car and over the trackside armco
The think to learn is that some corner workers need more instuction. A red
flag should have been given, NOT a yellow flag.
If the track was blocked , all cars should pull over immediately and the race
stopped. A red flag would have saved you a lot of money.
Frank
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