Paddock security

[Moosehead]

Seemingly every week we hear of someone becoming a victim of theft in our paddocks, isn't it about time we started taking some form of action?

I believe the main problem is that no-one likes to challenge someone dragging a trolley jack or carrying a tool box as it could be a legitimate team member. So surely the first thing we can do is identify team members. Why not get event organisers to issue security wristbands that are mandatory to all team members. I'm sure most of us have some idea of how many people that will be attending a particular meeting that will be handling equipment on the day. And by team members lets include kids with their bikes etc, in fact anyone connected to the team. There should be no limit to the wristbands per car (within reason) as I know, myself included, that some turn up with an entourage. As the wristbands are purely for team id and not an entry pass I cannot see any problem with that. In an ideal world the wristbands would be numbered so that when they are sent out they can be registered to the competitor.

Anyone then found not wearing the wristband and wheeling around a trolley jack would then have some explaining to do. Of course this 'system' would require some input from us in actually challenging someone in the first place but I personally would not have a problem if I knew every legit person would be wearing a band.

A quick google found wristbands available from £10 for 250 so lets say add £5 to the entry fee that would easily cover the cost. Of course the more enterprising event organisers could offer the wristbands as sponsor space ad make a little more income.

This problem isn't going to go away so we need to take action. Its very easy to say ''make sure you lock everything away etc'' but in the real world and in the heat of the moment its not always possible to do that in the paddock.

Thoughts??

[Stuart H]

That sounds like a good plan!!

[RPD Motorsport]

Completely agree with the problem, and a solution would be good.

But not sure this would work in real life. As you say, it requires people to stop others not wearing a band. TBH if mine had come off in the mornings shower and I had failed to replace it, I wiold not take well to being stopped (and then trying to prove who I was...) when rushing to pull the guts out of our car in Parc Ferme.

Most people wear team uniform, and I think people would refrain from stopping people in uniform in most cases. In some national series it is a requirement for team personel to have team uniform. Mabey this could be extended? Im sure more people would ask questions of Mr. Bloggs in jeans and t-shirt if all the teams were identifiabe?

Great idea - just can see people being stopped all the time!

[MartinSmith]

We used a wrist band system at 360 for the drivers and parades so that anyone who went out on the track had to have a wristband. We also had seperate wristbands for the drivers lounge entrance.

Problem with the paddock is that on most race meetings the general public are encouraged to be there. The system would be better I think if there was some sort of check point when LEAVING the paddock area whereby the equipment was checked out. If we could as organisers limit the vehciles entering the paddock to purely competitors support cars etc, then someone taking a trolley jack out of the paddock would be quite easily questioned. problem is that security for clubby events is limited, and also some paddocks are very very open, it is an additional cost and will add to fees..also, if a another team has done the swiping (AND PLEASE DONT THINK IM HAVING A GO AT COMPETITORS) it would make it very difficult unless the items were easily marked and identified to their relative teams etc ..that said, perhaps we could use some way of identification to the tools to their resepctive teams, big plant such as stands and trolley jacks etc could be identified, but, you are not going to easily and cost effectively do that per spanner unless you do it yourself.

I hate the idea of putting an event on only to find some horrible git has used it as a way of nicking someones goods and if there is a way of stopping it, Im all for it.

[midgetman]

Moose, not a snowball's chance in hell of this working. I can see the threads now:

"An extra FIVER? For a paper band?"
"More ruddy beaureaucracy, any more of this and I'm jacking it in, pointless"
"I just want to go home after my race, I don't want to faff around proving I own my own goods"
"Strewth, I've got enough to worry about with my own gear, never mind someone else's!"

Sadly, it's just a case of keeping things locked up and being vigilant over one's own kit.

[JohnD]

Not a chance of working, sorry!

At Classic Le Mans, you are required to wear, and present for inspection, plastic credit-card sized tickets that hang around your neck. The paddock is a popular place to go, and is 'tickets only'. My mate and I both wear proper 'Classic Le Mans' white overalls, but I am tall, went to a public school and look posh. He isn't, didn't and doesn't.

I can just walk into any paddock, no concierge will bother to ask to see my tickets. Mate is stopped, every time.

So if you LOOK official, even to an official, let alone a punter, you are official and could walk off with any bit of kit, as long as you aren't seen actually picking it up.

John

[flagwaver]

I hate to say it but things like trolley jacks are more likely to be nicked by another competitor than a member of the public.

As for things like mountain bikes and computers. keep them under "lock and key"

[Moosehead]

And there-in is the problem, no-one can be a***d to do anything about it. We already know that onsite security personnel are useless at anything but hassling competitors so I was trying to think of ways where we can help/monitor the system ourselves. Obviously thats asking too much

[RPD Motorsport]

I dont think thats it has anything to do with people not being bothered. I care very much if a £2000 wheel gun goes missing.

But I think any solution must not hinder people in their normal work. People will get wound up quickly with that.

Also I think this may be more of a problem in club/lower budget series, as in national/international formula all kit/garages/awnings are always attended.

For the reason mentioned above, any solution also needs to be cost effective & people need to have the time/guts to follow it through as there are very few security about as you said.