How safe will you be in 2004?

[Mark Mitchell]

There is increasing speculation that Donington Circuit might employ "Paid" Marshals.

The regular "Volunteer" Marshals that you're used to seeing are concerned that this might compromise safety.

May I draw your attention to a thread that is in the Marshals forum.

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...threadid=46239

Your comments would be appreciated

[jonathanc]

As long as they have received the same training, I cant see the problem. Would help gaurantee races went ahead unlike certain problems this past year.

[stroller]

As long as they have received the same training,

I'm afraid it is impossible to train years of experience into anyone without them having years of experience!

[flagwaver]

As stroller has said training is one thing experience is another. Mid week sessions have traditionally been run with Paid marshals (most of whom are regular volenteer marshals at weekends) But that is a lot of differance between mid week sessions and a race meeting. Lets get things clear the reason that Cadwell the Cadwell meeting was pulled was that we did not have sufficient marshals to run safely, but we had over twice the numbers for a normal track day. This total did not include medical & rescue services again a large increase from most midweek track days.

[Flagman]

As long as they have received the same training, I cant see the problem. Would help gaurantee races went ahead unlike certain problems this past year.

As long as you are happy without all the little things that make a race meeting run smoothly (most of the time)

e.g
Assembly area marshals to try to ensure you get out for your race on time and in a reasonable order

Grid marshals to line you up - or are the drivers going to do that themselves!

Flag marshals - ie no Blue flags, no Oil flags, probably no yellow flags, so when you are sitting in the middle of the track with the whole pack approaching yo just have to hope that they red flag it before they get there.

Track marshals to get you going again after you spin.

And if you are happy to have your race red flagged each and every time sombody spins/dumps it the gravel then I suppose it will be OK

[MikeM]

Flagman, I agree. Even if drivers end up agreeing to a lower standard for lower costs (??) I bet they won't when they have a big accident!!

[Flagman]

Will it be any cheaper - will insurance costs go up to cover the greater risks - they certainly will after the first fatality that can be proved to be a result of reduced safety cover...

[johnw]

I don't for a minute believe that we will be asked to agree a lower standard for a lower cost - we will be given a lower standard for a likely increase. Someone is going to have to pay for these proposed paid chaps, and my guess is that it will not be the circuit owners..

Probably best covered in another thread, but I have been wondering if drivers friends and families could help out in the assembly area and grid. I may not understand the implications, but this doesn't seem to require the services of experienced,trained marshals.
I would have thought that if you are short staffed, we drivers ought to be able to arrange ourselves in assembly. Then with the help of visible row markings, even park in the right place on the grid. Maybe not ideal, but if needs must.

[Stephen Green]

Ladies and Gents, can I ask that you add your comments to the existing thread in the Marshals Forum. This thread was started to point you in that direction and not intended to become a 'parallel thread'.

I look forward to seeing you and making you very welcome in the marshals forum.