Anyone can whistle?

[Zider Drinker]

Tell you what tho, flickin through ViM's Marshal site, saw this...

ACME Thunderer 63 whistle

But then in the blurb underneath...

All non race marshals should have one of these – buy your own and make sure you know where it’s been.

So why only non race marshals? I find whistle's very useful when I'm at a race meeting... (specially as I'm startline/pitlane normally), Altho when I'm flagging its good to pre-warn incident team if the IO is trying to do both jobs of watchin and oversee whats going on. Or if your course and you need your IO's attention!!!

Anyway I'll get off me ...

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Zider Drinker

So why only non race marshals? I find whistle's very useful when I'm at a race meeting... (specially as I'm startline/pitlane normally), Altho when I'm flagging its good to pre-warn incident team if the IO is trying to do both jobs of watchin and oversee whats going on. Or if your course and you need your IO's attention!!!

Normal practice everywhere I've marshalled is that the only person on the post with a whistle is the observer.

[Clive]

and/or the IO if there is one

[SRPhoto]

Originally Posted by Clive

and/or the IO if there is one

That’s a new one on me. An IO may have a whistle if no Observer on post but I had the same view as Dave.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Clive

and/or the IO if there is one

Not in my limited experience as an IO. It's one of those 'custom & practice' things, I suppose, which varies from circuit to circuit.

[sputnik421]

I know Flag and course Marshals who have a thunder round there necks, most bike marshals I've worked with also have them. I have one now as at club bike meetings I get to flag, as the bike marshals want to do pickup, and I am doing speed events.

[Norbert]

My ACME Thunderer was 1st used by my Great Grand Father on the GWR Permanent Way and has the serial number stamped on it with GWR P Way.

On the subject of who should have whistle on post; when observing I instruct my crew that I will have a whistle and flaggies may use them (Race Control gets a bit annoyed if you whistle while talking to them on the phone or radio! ).

No one that will potentially be 'hands-on' (including the I/O) with a car should have anything dangling around their neck. Even if they have quick-release catches it will still bloody hurt if it gets caught around something and ripped off.

[Chigley]

On the subject of who should have whistle on post; when observing I instruct my crew that I will have a whistle and flaggies may use them (Race Control gets a bit annoyed if you whistle while talking to them on the phone or radio! ).

Agreed, if the crew are dealing with an incident and the observer is reporting/writing up the incident the flaggies are the "spare eyes" to keep an overall eye on the sector and warn anyone trackside of any additional hazard.

[Woolley]

*Ahem*. Topic?

[johngee]

Perhaps they thought that VIM stood for "Vistles in Motorsport"

[Clive]

Originally Posted by Woolley

*Ahem*. Topic?

Yes please, didn't realise they still made them. A hazelnut in every bite!! mmmm. Although I much prefer a Crunchy bar myself.

[Piglet]

[sorry Woolley]

As a Specialist I hate the use of whistles, most of those that we communicate with are people not dogs and I prefer to talk to them rather than whistle at them!

On a practical note, the danger with blowing is a whistle to alert someone of danger is that they will look at the direction of the noise rather than in the direction of the hazard that you are trying to alert them to.

There are some instances where they can be useful but on the whole I'd rather they were not used in a pits/startline environment.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Woolley

*Ahem*. Topic?

Maybe worth a topic in its own right? There you go, a little job for you......

[Woolley]

Done (although I will confess that on my first attempt I managed to miss-spell 'whistle').

I'm sure there used to be a thread on this but I'm 'blowed' if I can find it...

[Robin_D]

Personally and this may only count for Silverstone, I don't know, I like flaggies using them as they can see any oncoming traffic etc before we can and it is a great help. Observers are usually phoning in a bump etc if that is what we are dealing with.

[chezza]

I have to say on the one occassion where a whistle was used to gain my attention to an incoming vehicle (whilst I was out dealing with another one) was to look at the the direction the traffic was coming from...so it worked for me, although I can't speak of everyone.

[gachjoel]

Personally i think every marshal should carry a whistle,
Have i/o,flaggies as main users,but you just never know when you might need it.
At a recent meet,a car was parked in the tyre wall,the i/o got the driver out and behind the armco,as he was adjacent to the parked car another came in heading towards the parked car,
i blew to get the i/o attention to the incoming car.

But i dont use it for the fun of it,just in an emergency.

[Robin_D]

Does anyone remember when Eddie Jordan handed out whistles at the BGP?

[blueflagger]

The reason the ACME Thunderer is for non-race marshals is because race marshals should have the Fox 40 whistle which, IMO, is superior because you can hear it over race cars better.

And because, here in the land of snow and cold, the Fox 40 still works for ice racing. The ACME's pea freezes and makes no sound below freezing. Really.

[danccooke]

Gotta agree with Gachjoel on that one, I always have a whistle, it is on my zip so not hanging around to be caught in bits of car i am dealing with. I also like to know that Flaggies have them when i am out dealing with whatever. Over the years i have had it trained into me that if a whistle sounds regardless of where from your first look is up the track. When not over the barrier it is useful for grabbing other marshals attention who may not have noticed a car pull off down track from them, quick sharp tap on the whistle eye gets drawn and then point. But then I normally (where possible)work with the same crew and we all know how each other thinks (que duelling banjo's).

[gachjoel]

Originally Posted by blueflagger

And because, here in the land of snow and cold, the Fox 40 still works for ice racing. The ACME's pea freezes and makes no sound below freezing. Really.

Or you could get a whistle without a pea in it.
The whistle i got carries a health warning on it.
Not to blow it repeatidly within a certain distance of other people,as it would slightly deafen them.

And have a guess what,
the warning was correct....

Sorry Guys....

[danccooke]

Also have to remeber at any meet these days also you might be asked to flag if we are short.

[Nadine J Lewis]

If there are multiple whistle holders how do you know who is blowing and why?

Always been told (and tell my crew) that the observer has the whistle. If you hear it check up the track to see what's coming / check your escape route if all clear then look to the observer to see what he wants (car number? / recovery required?).

This then protects you and avoids confusion

[danccooke]

I always work on the that rule but i don't care who has the whistle if someone is warning me of danger, whistle sounds, i look up track take avoiding action if required, leg it whatever. If there is no immediate danger i check where the whistle came from to see what was wanted.

If I am in danger I am happy for all and sundry to blow whistles. As long as at the briefing those who have whistles make it known that they have them. Also depends on what Mr Observer says at the briefing. I have never been told under no circumstances am i to use my whistle. I think it comes down to a common sense thing, use it all the time and the boy who cried wolf comes to mind, used as it should be whoever blows it gets a reaction and can save a life. I don't see the problem.

[gachjoel]

If you are in a group(yeah i know its rare) 3 or 4 of you dealing with an incident,i always try have one watching our backs,i know that this isn`t always possible in the real world.
But i always wear mine round my neck,but tucked in me probies.
its safe but easy to reach.
Its better to have 5 whistles blowing that none at all,but usually the screeching of tyres normally beats the whistle and that is my cue to look,but i`m always looking at the oncoming direction of traffic anyway