Northern monkeys go zoomey-zoom-zoom

Or for any of you over 5, Eddie and myself are doing at track day at Croft
on 29th April and were wondering if anybody from here fancied coming along
to play.

The pace is likely to be sedate and, while not wanting to perpetuate any
"it's grim oop Norf" myths, if the weather is anything like last time then
you'll probably need swimming trunks as well as leathers.

So, anyone?

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

Well I would, but we'll be catching the ferry to France that day with
TOG Tours. Another time.

 

Sounds good and not too far away from me. I've not been on a track before
and it'd be nice to ride on a surface that isn't either covered in loose
chippings, pot-holed, strewn with cow shit or diesel and doesn't have any
sheep eating the grass at the side of the road.

Count me in for the weekend but I'll be working Friday 29th.
De-mung my email if you need to get in touch.

 

It is good. Last July was my first track day and, despite getting soaked,
it was a great laugh.

Ah, y'see, it's a track _day_ on Friday 29th. There is one on Saturday
30th, but we're not doing that one ... and it's 30 quid more.

You could just take it on the chin and have a day off work like Eddie and I
are doing.

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

How much and how do I book?
I found the website for Croft with links to a company that's arranging a
track day on that date for 99 quid each. If I'm flush I might join in the
fun.

 

Aye, it's TrackTime promotions that are organising it:
http://www.tracktimepromotions.co.uk/

But, what with it being the 21st Century and everything, if you book it
through their website you have to either send them a cheque or ring them
with your credit card number, which you might as well do directly.

Heh. Just reading the regulations on their website: "Please Note: there
is not as much traction on the grass or gravel as there is on the tarmac"

Are some people so stupid that they need to be told that?

 

Eddie says...

We were told the same at Snetterton.

Apparently its to keep the legal beagles happy.

 

Apparently. The last track day I did they made a point of this
because, apparently, some bloke had run off the track onto the grass
and then crashed. He sued the organisers because they hadn't told him
the grass would be slippery.

He won.

 

OTOH, flat caps may fit better.

 

Oh, yeah - I think I remember you saying this before.

I hope he's proud of himself. Wanker.

Similar reason for there not being any official scrutineering, I guess.

 

'Stay off o' the green and in the black.
You'll get nothing in this game for missing the track.'

Well, except compensation, obviously.

--
Alex
BMW R1150GS
DIAABTCOD#3 MSWF#4 UKRMFBC#6 Ibw#35 BOB#8
http://www.team-ukrm.co.uk
Windy's "little soldier"

 

I know, I know. I can't believe it either.

For the same reason, there's no scrutineering at track days - cos if
your bike did have a failure, you could sue the scrutineer for not
noticing it. Even at 'fun events' (like the self-organised Ixion
track day), they've had to stop doing anything like scrut'ing, just in
case.

And, there's been a couple of cases of racers sueing each other after
incidents on track. Now, no matter how fucked headed the behaviour of
another rider, I'm of the opinion that once you put yourself out
there, you've put yourself in a position of risk.

If we're not careful, everything which is fun but risky will be
banned.

 

Three wise monkeys syndrome. See no machine faults,
hear no machine faults, don't advise the client of any machine
faults amd you're covered. It's not you problem. I guess.

--
Alex
BMW R1150GS
DIAABTCOD#3 MSWF#4 UKRMFBC#6 Ibw#35 BOB#8
http://www.team-ukrm.co.uk
Windy's "little soldier"

 

*Applause*

The windsurfing club I used to go to introduced a mandatory helmet rule
following a case where someone's head got bashed by another sailor's
mast. I was one of many who didn't renew their membership, & they
closed down shortly after. This 'blame & sue' culture could indeed end
up with anything remotely fun being banned, or priced out of existance
with cover-your-arse insurance premiums.

 

Funnily enough the same story was told at my last track day and I wonder how
much truth there is in it. I suspect it might be one of these cases where
it sounds like something that could reasonably happen and it's the fear of
the "compensation culture" that is driving the behaviour, rather than actual
legal cases.

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

Racing I agree with you.

A normal track day - I don't.

What's your view on track days?

 

That you're doing something dangerous, that may result in death or
injury. If you don't accept that risk, then don't go.

 

Yes... but should you have to accept other people riding dangerously and
punting you off the road?

 

Who decides what is dangerous? It is by its nature a situation where
one is pushing oneself near to the edge of control/ability. In
national and international racing there are some rules as to what is
acceptable, and even given all the experience available to them (not
forgetting video evidence), rulings are always controversial. And
these rulings are given by the sport. Club races and track days just
don't have the facilities, and do you really want the ruling given by
a judge who's probably never even ridden a bike.

Last year I broke my collarbone when I was punted off by someone who
lost it on the brakes behind me - are you suggesting that I should
have been able to sue him?

 

You were RACING. I am talking about a track day.