Why Did Ralf's Ambulance do a Full lap

[darcym]

I was watching a video of the USGP this year. I noted Ralphs ambulance went off around the track and then slipped off into the pits. The accident was near the pit lane, once it picked up Ralph is could have backed up say 200 meters and gone into the pits ??

Was there a reason for this ?

[Sheila M]

Probably just for ease of access to the Med Centre. Don't forget they were transporting a (now confirmed) neck injury, so they wouldn't want to go over any bumps.

[Kicking-back]

It turned off at a shortcut after the first few corners I think.

And safety vehicles are not allowed to drive the wrong way on the circuit.

A pit crew member was killed at the 1973 Indy 500 by a safety truck going the wrong way along the pit lane.

[darcym]

Just the answers I was looking for.

thanks guys !

[Sheila M]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
And safety vehicles are not allowed to drive the wrong way on the circuit.

In some circumstances they are, but they require specific authority to do so from the Clerk of the Course or Race Director, and only after competing vehicles have stopped circulating.

[Ralf]

What was the ambulance's lap time?
Was it quicker than a Minardi?

[73_Gstock]

Originally posted by Sheila M
In some circumstances they are, but they require specific authority to do so from the Clerk of the Course or Race Director, and only after competing vehicles have stopped circulating.

I was telling the guys next to me that you never ever go counter race on the race track.

Of course, as soon as the race was over and all those cars in the turn 1 through turn 6 area needed collecting, I see two wreckers come counter race down the back stretch. Fortunately Tim didn't notice. But just to back up my earlier statement, it was after all (still competing) cars were in the pits. I think there were 7 cars to collect, too, in all.

[gttouring]

poor ralf
did the spinal injury he had confirmed later in Europe, happen during the transport-removal from the car, or travel to europe...? is it confirmed to have happen at the track.
i have seen a million xrays, and a fracture of signifigance is not hard to miss, what gives? this sounds fishy, what quack was attending him or are the "fractures" like hot coffee (of course they were there and the hospital records state them but the recommended treatment was the same as a concussion) a small hairline that only common sense rest and taking it easy, should fix (he did fly backwards into a concrete wall after all-something had to be fractured)

[EvilPumpkin]

Um as I understand it, from conversations with doctors who specialise in trauma, fractures (spinal or otherwise) are difficult to identify if there is membrane swelling around the area of the fracture, which is why there will usually be further x-rays done as much as a week after the injury. Can anyone confirm this?

As for "something had to be fractured", I've seen some truly horrible incidents where I was convinced we were going to be dealing with very serious injuries, only to have the driver hop out of the car cursing. Ditto with bike accidents. The rule of thumb is that if an accident looks like it should have injured someone, you treat them as injured until conclusively proven that they're not (which will almost never be at the trackside!). This certainly seemed to have been done at Ralf's incident?

[gttouring]

and spinal injuries could be CT scanned or MRI for better accuracy, avoiding soft tissue swelling interference- i don't understand this missed fracture at all..
i guess ralf doesn't either

[Airhead]

CT yes MRI for bone injury no...

The thing is he had/has no symtomology to go with the injury, the two fractures of his back are more than likely just of the spinal process. Hence the two to three months recovery.

Shouldn't have been missed in ER though. Especially with such a high profile patient.

[Kicking-back]

Originally posted by AMoffat


Shouldn't have been missed in ER though. Especially with such a high profile patient.

I would hope that anyone would get the same treatment in hospital - regardless of how high profile they are.

[Morris 1100]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
I would hope that anyone would get the same treatment in hospital - regardless of how high profile they are.

You haven't been to moffs hospital then!

[GTRMagic]

Originally posted by Ralf
What was the ambulance's lap time?
Was it quicker than a Minardi?

It was quicker in a straight line, because the aero was more streamlined, not being totally house brick shaped!