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18 Mar 2003, 14:41 (Ref:540165) | #1 | ||
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Features that can improve safety?
I've just been karting today with some friends and while we were in a single file,the guy infront of me spun(I was in the middle.I managed to avoid him but the guy behind me wasn't so lucky.He hit the stranded kart's right rear wheel and went air-borne.The kart then flipped in the air and he got thrown out.This incident set me thinking if there were any features that could be added to a kart to make it safer?Any suggestions?Thanks.
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18 Mar 2003, 15:25 (Ref:540224) | #2 | ||
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Lee Yue, yes there is!! A wider rear bumper! I assume he had the normal width bumper that leaves the rear wheels exposed. I have a photo of what I'm talking about on my site:
www.kartfinder.com/bumper.htm Tom Stephens www.kartfinder.com |
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18 Mar 2003, 15:34 (Ref:540234) | #3 | ||
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Thankfully really serious injuries are rare in karting, but I would reckon being thrown out of the kart once it starts to, shall we say 'rotate', would be the better option. I would rather take my chances away from the kart, since the thought of having 100+kgs landing on top of me does not appeal...
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"The job of a racing driver is to lead, not to follow!" Jackie Ickx. |
18 Mar 2003, 16:04 (Ref:540249) | #4 | ||
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Webslinger, I agree!!! But I have seen wayyy too many pictures of upside-down karts coming to rest on top of drivers
Last edited by yelodwg; 18 Mar 2003 at 16:04. |
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18 Mar 2003, 16:37 (Ref:540274) | #5 | ||
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I have always said, whatever the speed, if i am turned upside down i would much rather fall out and perhaps have some broosing etc. than having a VERY heavy Rotax Max land on me, could easily brake your back. I always wera a neck protector too
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18 Mar 2003, 20:45 (Ref:540502) | #6 | ||
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Yeah, yelodwg, over the years I have also seen a few too many as well. Man and machine do seem to have a magnetic attraction for one another when things go wrong...
Like speedy king, I have tried a neck protector, but it does seem to restrict blood flow in my neck? I tend now to go without the neck protector, although I do wear a body belt to protect my back and ribs. The last time a damaged by lower back a couple of years ago, it took 9-months of physio and pain killers to put right again. It is not something that I am not too keen on repeating. |
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"The job of a racing driver is to lead, not to follow!" Jackie Ickx. |
18 Mar 2003, 20:57 (Ref:540509) | #7 | ||
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Webslinger, I also wear a neck protector, but I don't even notice it while driving. I race 100CC HPV, so maybe you run something with more power, where you might feel the neck protector more?
I actually did notice it a few months ago, when a guy spun in front of me and I hit him as I was trying to scrub off speed by spinning sideways. My head moved to the left, but my neck collar stopped my helmet's movement Tom |
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18 Mar 2003, 21:25 (Ref:540545) | #8 | ||
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Ye, neck protectors can also save your colour bones, it's not impossible for the edge of your helmet to brake through your colour bone, however wearing a neck protector minimises that risk dramatically.
The only problem i have ever had with mine was when i first wore it and found i couldn't have as much movement in my head, but i got used to it, i now can't bear not wearing it, it makes me feel un safe |
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19 Mar 2003, 03:43 (Ref:540841) | #9 | ||
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I wear the belt to and it is a feeling of doing something if nothing else. WhenI designed my new kart I had just these types of incidents in mind and designed it with a low front bumber and a high rear one. I also incorporated a small rollbar in the rear headrest that might absorb some of the blow if I wear to ever roll it. I race enduros, so The steering wheel makes it less likelyt for me to get thrown
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I refuse to let fact get in the way of my opinion |
19 Mar 2003, 06:29 (Ref:540875) | #10 | ||
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Yes.It is definitely better to get thrown out then to have a kart land on you.When I posted the question,I was asking more about features that can be incorporated into the kart like the wider rear bumper that Yelodwg suggested.
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19 Mar 2003, 13:38 (Ref:541158) | #11 | ||
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uk and europe racing karts all have wider rear bumpers as
you's would say,but these are fitted as standard regulation safety requirements.no driver would be aloud to race with those that some other countries seem to odopt..I've seen them they fit between the rear wheels.not good..some of you must have been rear-ended by another driver(hey!that's racing)where did you land,what damage to your kart,how many bruises,.get the wider bumpers fitted a.s.a.p if you are worried about the extra wieght diet for a wee while.lol!!lol!! be safe... |
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stephen.murray |
19 Mar 2003, 16:53 (Ref:541312) | #12 | ||
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Lee Yue, if you can't find a wider rear bumper in Singapore, you can have one fabricated, or you can try to locate some dealers in the UK who may sell the type of kart you are racing. And since the UK requires the wider bumpers, the dealers will carry them. Watch out for the shipping costs, though...ouch!
Oh, one more thing, different chassis manufacturers have different specifications for the bumper specs, for example, the distance between the chassis end tubes can be different. Tom Last edited by yelodwg; 19 Mar 2003 at 16:58. |
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17 Apr 2003, 15:40 (Ref:572198) | #13 | |||
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Quote:
No, sorry, just realised which forum this was in. But, more seriously, do you not worry more about being run into than having 100kgs (is a kart really that heavy? ) land on you. Both bad news but some of the nastiest incidents I have dealt with (as a marshal/rescue crew member) have involved vehicle/people contact, not driver/road. I am assuming that this is because of the angle of impact is ususlly much less for driver/road, i.e. there is an element of sliding, which is, comparatively speaking, better than impact and sharp stop. So if you are out of the kart more of you is more exposed to being run into. Just my twopennorth. Regards Jim Last edited by JimW; 17 Apr 2003 at 15:41. |
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18 Apr 2003, 10:19 (Ref:572975) | #14 | ||
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My Rotax weighs 147KG with me in it
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18 Apr 2003, 15:20 (Ref:573250) | #15 | |||
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Quote:
Lee |
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18 Apr 2003, 16:13 (Ref:573297) | #16 | ||
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My Arrow kart weighs 83 Kg with lead to make weight and 71 kg without. That's without me in it of course This is with my 100cc HPV engine.
The next engine I would like to have is a Parilla Leopard. But to make the weight, I'd have to add another 18 Kg of lead. And for safety reasons, in case of a flip and the kart landing on top of me, I just don't want to do that. That would equal 101 Kg with the lead, so 100 Kg, easy! Ok, I'm a lightweight guy - 68 Kg. This means I have to add lead to make weight, which does equal things out for the heavier drivers. Makes sense. EXCEPT from a safety standpoint, as with us lightweight guys (or gals), it can be very dangerous if a kart weighing 1 1/2 times our weight lands on top of us. For a heavier driver without the lead, the kart will weigh the same or less than the driver him/herself. Tom Stephens www.kartfinder.com www.tvracer.com |
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18 Apr 2003, 18:17 (Ref:573398) | #17 | ||
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I'll never try to push, much less lift, one of you weighty lot again!
But I still think that, given the choice, having your kart on top is better (not good) than being run into by 100kg at 100 mph. Best of all, neither. Good luck to all. Jim |
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9 May 2003, 15:25 (Ref:594680) | #18 | |||
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Quote:
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10 May 2003, 10:19 (Ref:595239) | #19 | ||
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Thats good. I was racing at Ellough Park Raceway on Monday (UK) and we all have wide rear bumpers. But they still didn't stop me from being launched in to the air in a first corner smash up. But i guess that sort of thing will always happen. I didn't tip over though, which i good!
Wider bumpers are ALOT more safer though! |
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10 May 2003, 14:48 (Ref:595398) | #20 | ||
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Lee Yue, let us know how your bumper turns out!
Speedy King, I've seen photos of launches occurring with the wider bumpers. How did yours happen? Tom Stephens www.kartfinder.com www.tvracer.com |
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10 May 2003, 21:20 (Ref:595686) | #21 | ||
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Today, a boy was run into by another kart at Genk. It wasn't a pretty sight, i can garantee you that, if you are hit by a kart, the lower part of your body (legs-feet,e.a) can get heavily wounded... Oh, the boy who crashed his kart into the boy broke his collarbone...
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12 May 2003, 10:44 (Ref:596730) | #22 | ||
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Ooh!Sounds pretty bad!How on earth did the boy in the kart hit the other boy??Is the boy who got hit ok?
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12 May 2003, 15:14 (Ref:597016) | #23 | |||
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Quote:
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12 May 2003, 17:02 (Ref:597129) | #24 | ||
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He was picking his kart out of the kitty-litter with his dad... There were no yellow flags waved, as it was a practice...
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The dark side clouds everything... |
13 May 2003, 09:11 (Ref:597692) | #25 | ||
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Oh...
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