In a message dated 1/22/01 2:16:48 PM, lwdent@fwi.com writes:
<< The Stewards thought that was reasonable, and the crew promptly put in a
couple of quarts of oil, 22 gallons of gas and rolled over 4 new tires,
all mounted up on the mag wheels. Only problem is each tire was filled
with water, not air.
NOW THAT WAS CHEATING. >>
Cheating is a pretty strong word. Let's not rush to judgment. Did the
rules specify the chemical composition of substances to used in the filling
of tires? Did the rules preclude the use of substances other than ambient
air, such as nitrogen, helium, hydrogen, pure oxygen or various
hydrogen/oxygen compounds (H20)?
It seems that the rules must have been silent on this point and, as
interpreted by the inspectors themselves permitted the use of fresh tires
without specifying composition of the tire "filler".
I submit that, absent any clear language on the subject of tire inflation
compounds, the defendant was properly within the rules as they were written
and interpreted by the officials.
Douglas J. Meis "Attorney at Speed" (J.D. 1990 Wake Forest University)
|