Circuit Safety in NZ

[Goat Boy]

Since this conversation seems to be spread over several threads, I thought I'd start a new one and see if Woolley would do us the favour of moving all those comments into here, then we can argue about it in one place!

[NZSTfan]

Good call GB. Seems to be a hot potato this one...

[nistfan]

Originally Posted by NZSTfan

Good call GB. Seems to be a hot potato this one...

Circuit Safety Always is

[NZSTfan]

C'mon Woolley, please get a wiggle on

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Since this conversation seems to be spread over several threads, I thought I'd start a new one and see if Woolley would do us the favour of moving all those comments into here, then we can argue about it in one place!

Will do - will be later in the week when I've got time to go through them all.

[Mr Revhead]

One thing I think might be good to keep in mind is every now and.then a car does something weird and ends up where you least expect it.
That doesn't mean the safety was lacking, it just means something unplanned happened. It doesn't automaticlly mean the track is unsafe. But it also doesnt mean it doesnt need to be looked at.

[smokin'joe]

Originally Posted by smokin'joe

looks like we better ban rallying or bulldozes a "safety net" into every piece of road in case some one looses their brakes on stage

FFS, it's motorport, not tiddly winks, how often has racetrack safety been in the gun after MECHANICAL failure has caused a major issue/incident ????

'nuff said for now.

[Club racer]

Originally Posted by Mr Revhead

One thing I think might be good to keep in mind is every now and.then a car does something weird and ends up where you least expect it.
That doesn't mean the safety was lacking, it just means something unplanned happened. It doesn't automaticlly mean the track is unsafe. But it also doesnt mean it doesnt need to be looked at.

First time I can say I agree with you 100%. It doesn't matter what you ultimately do, by it's very nature it is dangerous. When an issue is highlighted though, act on it. That's what I don't get about lots of the posts. I'm amazed the 'well it has a license so it's as safe as it needs to be' attitude. I honestly, genuinely cannot get my head around that, and I guess to me John's crash just highlights huge gains that could be made from small improvements. In other words, an opportunity to learn.

Still amazed by Bill's comments.

[harcey]

Originally Posted by Club racer

First time I can say I agree with you 100%. It doesn't matter what you ultimately do, by it's very nature it is dangerous. When an issue is highlighted though, act on it. That's what I don't get about lots of the posts. I'm amazed the 'well it has a license so it's as safe as it needs to be' attitude. I honestly, genuinely cannot get my head around that, and I guess to me John's crash just highlights huge gains that could be made from small improvements. In other words, an opportunity to learn.

Still amazed by Bill's comments.

Tyre companies these days are so desperate to get rid of old tyres which they pay a premium to dispose of they would probably deliver for free and help the track to bundle them to save some dosh.....probably takes a couple of phone calls and boom....action.

[Martin Collins]

Originally Posted by Club racer

First time I can say I agree with you 100%. It doesn't matter what you ultimately do, by it's very nature it is dangerous. When an issue is highlighted though, act on it. That's what I don't get about lots of the posts. I'm amazed the 'well it has a license so it's as safe as it needs to be' attitude. I honestly, genuinely cannot get my head around that, and I guess to me John's crash just highlights huge gains that could be made from small improvements. In other words, an opportunity to learn.

Still amazed by Bill's comments.

There is an offical process that will be followed up after this incident, the paperwork is in place and it will be reviewed.

[Bill Brown]

Originally Posted by harcey

Tyre companies these days are so desperate to get rid of old tyres which they pay a premium to dispose of they would probably deliver for free and help the track to bundle them to save some dosh.....probably takes a couple of phone calls and boom....action.

I wish it was that simple

[Bill Brown]

Originally Posted by Martin Collins

There is an offical process that will be followed up after this incident, the paperwork is in place and it will be reviewed.

As it is with every injury accident

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by Bill Brown

I wish it was that simple

Okay, so tell us why it isn't that simple??

[smokin'joe]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Okay, so tell us why it isn't that simple??

i beleive the tyres need to be uniform in diameter and density ?
getting the tyres isn't the only issue, it's also the $1000's woth of nuts, bolts and washers........... as well as the manhours to assemble them.

strapping them together would only create further delays of the bundles separate ??

[Goat Boy]

Time for some local suppliers to step in and donate I reckon.

[Old_Bob]

Originally Posted by smokin'joe

i beleive the tyres need to be uniform in diameter and density ?
getting the tyres isn't the only issue, it's also the $1000's woth of nuts, bolts and washers........... as well as the manhours to assemble them.

strapping them together would only create further delays of the bundles separate ??

As far as I know, both H.D & Teretonga share the same 'bolt together' bundle technique. Costs a bit for the correct bolts & washers, but Tyres are free as are the P.D Guys to connect them together after they have been checked for consistency. These bundles work well when used in conjunction with sand traps & can be added too as new danger areas are identified & time permits.

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by Old_Bob

As far as I know, both H.D & Teretonga share the same 'bolt together' bundle technique. Costs a bit for the correct bolts & washers, but Tyres are free as are the P.D Guys to connect them together after they have been checked for consistency. These bundles work well when used in conjunction with sand traps & can be added too as new danger areas are identified & time permits.

Nicely put, jeepers if I was down there I'd volunteer to help put them together! How about that student army down there...

[flyingduck]

Have to say I heard Lloyd from Ruapuna on the radio yesterday and he said they were going to do an investigation and talk with Johnny Mac about the track and improvements to turn one.

I say good work and I hope positive things happen,

Now on to the correct nuts and washers for the tyre bundles could you not get someone who was going to pay for the disposal of the tyres to pay for the nuts and washers.

Also I love the idea of PD workers doing the job!!!

[HD_TR]

Originally Posted by flyingduck

Also I love the idea of PD workers doing the job!!!

Well in Hampton Downs case, it isn't so much Periodic Detention, as medium to long term incarceration. For those of you not from the Waikato, Corrections has the Springhill facility across the road.

The erstwhile home of ex-politicians and current domicile of Finance company directors, along with some other low to low-medium security roommates.

Still as you say, nice to see our tax dollars being useful.

[Evomike]

Originally Posted by smokin'joe

i beleive the tyres need to be uniform in diameter and density ?
getting the tyres isn't the only issue, it's also the $1000's woth of nuts, bolts and washers........... as well as the manhours to assemble them.

strapping them together would only create further delays of the bundles separate ??

What about the thousands of dollars of parts on the race car and the manhours to assemble them?.....

[Bill Brown]

Originally Posted by Goat Boy

Okay, so tell us why it isn't that simple??

I will give you a brief explanation which is probably touching the tip of the iceberg.

We employ 2 full time staff their job primarily is to maintain the property. Probably in excess of 3800 hours per annum, on top of that we use PD workers and club volunteers extensively.

The work by our staff includes a lot of time maintaining the circuit proper. What is not obvious to all and sundry is that the although track appears not to change that tyre barriers a continually being replaced and rebuilt as they degrade. Along with this there is always work to be done after each track inspection including extra tyre bundles were accidents have happened. Along with the barriers there are sometimes new judder bars to be built, pea gravel pits to be extended or rebuilt. Track edges to be repaired. And just in case we havent got enough to do we are 2/3 of the way through a 1 million dollar plus track reseal.

The point I am really trying to make is that we consume every available tyre we can get our hands on which is probably 1000's annually and use every possible man hour keeping everything up to scratch or better.

I can assure you that it is not just a matter of doing the minimum, we take pride in our facility.
I am sure that the other circuits do the same.

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by Bill Brown

I will give you a brief explanation which is probably touching the tip of the iceberg.

We employ 2 full time staff their job primarily is to maintain the property. Probably in excess of 3800 hours per annum, on top of that we use PD workers and club volunteers extensively.

The work by our staff includes a lot of time maintaining the circuit proper. What is not obvious to all and sundry is that the although track appears not to change that tyre barriers a continually being replaced and rebuilt as they degrade. Along with this there is always work to be done after each track inspection including extra tyre bundles were accidents have happened. Along with the barriers there are sometimes new judder bars to be built, pea gravel pits to be extended or rebuilt. Track edges to be repaired. And just in case we havent got enough to do we are 2/3 of the way through a 1 million dollar plus track reseal.

The point I am really trying to make is that we consume every available tyre we can get our hands on which is probably 1000's annually and use every possible man hour keeping everything up to scratch or better.

I can assure you that it is not just a matter of doing the minimum, we take pride in our facility.
I am sure that the other circuits do the same.

Nice reply, thanks!

[DRIFDY]

Originally Posted by Bill Brown

I will give you a brief explanation which is probably touching the tip of the iceberg.

We employ 2 full time staff their job primarily is to maintain the property. Probably in excess of 3800 hours per annum, on top of that we use PD workers and club volunteers extensively.

The work by our staff includes a lot of time maintaining the circuit proper. What is not obvious to all and sundry is that the although track appears not to change that tyre barriers a continually being replaced and rebuilt as they degrade. Along with this there is always work to be done after each track inspection including extra tyre bundles were accidents have happened. Along with the barriers there are sometimes new judder bars to be built, pea gravel pits to be extended or rebuilt. Track edges to be repaired. And just in case we havent got enough to do we are 2/3 of the way through a 1 million dollar plus track reseal.

The point I am really trying to make is that we consume every available tyre we can get our hands on which is probably 1000's annually and use every possible man hour keeping everything up to scratch or better.

I can assure you that it is not just a matter of doing the minimum, we take pride in our facility.
I am sure that the other circuits do the same.

Teretonga is the same.
New tyre bundels and sand trap installation/improvements can be hard to see some times. Thay just blend in and look as if thay have always been there unlike big ticket items like control towers.

I Know over the last year or so 10s of thousands have been spent on moving tyre walls back, building new and extending old gravel beds and installing 6 pack tyre bundles in high risk areas .

They are also going to a great deal of effort and expence to prepare the track saftey wise for super trucks and spectators this January

[Bill Brown]

Originally Posted by DRIFDY

Teretonga is the same.
New tyre bundels and sand trap installation/improvements can be hard to see some times. Thay just blend in and look as if thay have always been there unlike big ticket items like control towers.

I Know over the last year or so 10s of thousands have been spent on moving tyre walls back, building new and extending old gravel beds and installing 6 pack tyre bundles in high risk areas .

They are also going to a great deal of effort and expence to prepare the track saftey wise for super trucks and spectators this January

It is a never ending saga.

Then you get the cocky who decides to have a burnoff at the wrong time and takes out 3-400 meters of barrier. The fire dept used $8000 of foam to put it out. AND then you get the vandals when they got sick of smashing the toilets decide to set another barrier on fire.

When these sort of things happen they have to be fixed before the next hire to maintain the track licence.

Oh to have the luxury of concrete walls!!

The only thing that sucks money faster than a race car is the circuit that it races on.

But its all good fun really.

[Goat Boy]

Originally Posted by Bill Brown

It is a never ending saga.

Then you get the cocky who decides to have a burnoff at the wrong time and takes out 3-400 meters of barrier. The fire dept used $8000 of foam to put it out. AND then you get the vandals when they got sick of smashing the toilets decide to set another barrier on fire.

When these sort of things happen they have to be fixed before the next hire to maintain the track licence.

Oh to have the luxury of concrete walls!!

The only thing that sucks money faster than a race car is the circuit that it races on.

But its all good fun really.

If there's one thing I can't stand more than anything it's vandalism. I reckon if they get caught they should be made to repair all their damage, and then some!

Then the locals can give them a good kicking if they don't do a good job