[Land-speed] Hans Device and Safety

[Doug Odom]

There are some new head and neck movement limiting products coming on the 
market soon that will work a lot better in some of the type cars we run. I'm 
going to wait till after the SEMA show and look around a lot before I buy 
anything myself. If your helmet movement restriction is mounted to the seat 
and not the roll bar and they have to use the jaws of life to lift you out 
of the car your shoulders are going to be wider than the helmet so they will 
also have to cut that off.

Doug Odom in big ditch


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Romero" <delsolid at gmail.com>
To: <lsr_man at yahoo.com>
Cc: "lsr list autox" <land-speed at autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2008 11:34 AM
Subject: Re: [Land-speed] Hans Device and Safety


> Some rambling thoughts on my Hans.
>
> I have had a Hans for a couple of years but this Speedweek I stopped
> using it. The combination of the new lateral head restraint and the
> Hans just didn't work in my case. It was the old "10lbs of shit in a
> 5lb box" in my situation. Despite my seat being Hans compatible and
> always being fine before the lateral head restraint was installed, the
> added stuff on top of my shoulders just put me over the limit. The
> lateral head restraint blocked my normal exit path, moving my exit
> path a bit forward, (as I am sure it has affected everyone). This
> required a bit if gymnastics with my helmet that i simply could not do
> with the Hans on. I strongly suggest before buying one that you try
> one out with your full suit on and fully strapped in. Mine didn't
> become "over the edge" until I did so and tried my exit drill. I was
> amazed at the increased difficulty in exiting with the new side
> restraints and Hans device. In short, I couldn't exit my car without
> taking off the helmet and Hans. If my cars on fire I am NOT going to
> take off my gloves, then my helmet so I can exit. The Hans device on
> my shoulders prevented me from scrunching down my head/helmet to clear
> a roll bar and no scrunch meant no exit.
>
> I am looking into the R3 device. It is the one that runs down your
> back and does not use your shoulder straps to secure it.I am not
> knocking the Hans. I think it is *excellent* and it was the right
> choice for my previous setup buy my current interior configuration is
> pushing me in another direction. I am not comfortable running without
> something, even in the 175-200 mph range. If the Hans will physically
> fit in your situation then I highly recommend it.
>
> I have practiced some more with the Hans and I may again use it in the
> future but I am still not sure. In the safe environment of my shop I
> can now exit the car quickly with it on but it takes concentration and
> a very specific and precise set of movements, most of which I fear
> will abandon me in the panic of a fire.
>
> John