Turn Signals and DE's

[ninjabones]

Terry wrote:

I'm not sure the window net is really needed in a DE. Isn't it easily dropped?

I'm not sure I agree with you on this. If you have a piece of safety equipment, you should use it regardless of whether it's a DE or a race. If you had a fire suppression system in your car, would you leave the safety pin engaged just because it was a DE? Sounds foolish to me.

[jmr3]

I instructed an Audi Club event where they used blinkers and it was a bit scary for the reason that Brian mentioned and because some newer students were blinking left when they really wanted to blink right and vice versa.  At the lunch break the topic was addressed and it was decided that the students could use turn signals or hand points.  That just made things worse.  I believe that hand points are much safer than turn signals. 

[cjbcpa]

I'll cast my vote for maintaining our current practice. Blinkers would have the potential to create more confusion than lazy arms signals.

I myself don't find arm signals to be a burden, except when its raining.
But then again, I'm not likely to be found on the track in the rain any time soon. hock:

[Terry]

A piece of safety equipment for racing might have the opposite effect in a DE. Your window net is required in racing but if it leads to ambiguous pass signals in DE it is having the opposite effect on safety. I ran the Schattenbaum event late last fall and the ambiguity of pass signal was astounding by RTR standards. I honestly was unsure on several occasions whether I was getting a signal or not, which leads initially to "I guess I can't pass" and later to "WTF, I'm passing!" Clarity and simplicity are major virtues, in life and in DE.

[ninjabones]

Alright Terry... good point.  It never pays to argue with a lawyer

I do not, however, agree with the general concept that safety equipment is not as important in DE as it is in racing (especially in the upper run groups). I've seen as much or more carnage and bad wrecks in DEs this summer than I did in PCA and NASA races.  In truth, most of the incidents in both venues were single car mishaps due to driver error or "running out of talent" and had nothing to do with passing in a corner or missinterpreting a hand signal.  

 

[Hammerin Hank]

Your presumption is that all the cars on track would have electronic turn signals....and that would be false. To require signals on full blown race cars would be silly, IMO.  

[betegh9]

Terry wrote:

I'm not sure the window net is really needed in a DE. Isn't it easily dropped?

:?nets are not required..................... after all, it is "DRIVER'S EDUCATION. If you want to use a window net, stick to the racer's practice session, or find a way to give the proper point by with the net DOWN!!

[stentech1]

It's really fun giving point bys with arm restraints(required in the Radical). And you think a window net is a pain.

[Brian Minkin]

Steve,

You are blowing away my image of you.  I thought you never gave point byes. hock:

[AMoore]

I remember at my first DE, I had a habit of using my turn signal prior to entering into a turn, at least for my first couple runs.