guilty untill proven innocent

[T.D.F.]

I don't know how many other drivers have been in my position all I can hope is that im not there again.
On Sat.31.05.03 I was at Lydden for my second race in the series this year. At first practice I was called in for crossing the white line at the bottom of Hairy Hill and on my second practice having ended up in the gravel at Devils elbow I was once again called in to be repremanded for removing my crash helmet while still on track. First time ever in 9yrs of holding a racing licence repremanded for anything. In race N.4 full grid and very bunched up I was involved in an incident at devils elbow and the result of which was that two other cars were written off. At the end of the race I was called to the Clerk of the course and there I was made to read six marshals reports of the sequence of events five of which laid the blame at my feet suggesting that in trying to overtake the car in front I had forced the car next to me off thge trak and in turn the one next to him. no amount of protestations that that was not how it had happened seemed to impress the Clerk of the Course. I suggested there might be video evidence to show how things had really gone but I was told that there was no M.S.A. controlled filming. I was charged with Wreckless/Dangerous Driving fined £200.00 my licence endorsed with 6 points and excluded from the days racing, Having been given 30mins to appeal I felt I was on a lost cause. However I did find someone who had videoded the accident and I did appeal the decision and as a result the M.S.A. officials found me not guilty of wrecless driving and downgraded the charge to E.5.1.8.
So whats my gripe? Firstly that by the time I appealed the whole paddock new of my charge and of the marshals reports, then that the appeal was not over till 8pm by which time all had left and the subsequet stories in the Motoring news and Autosport reflected the earlier decision, Had it not been for the video evidence I might as well have been hung to the nearest tree. The video supports my statement to the Clerk of the course as does the damage to my car now that I have had time to examine it properly. My simpathy as at all times been with the other two drivers who not only lost their vehicles but had a close brush with serious injury and had I not been able to present my appeal I wpould have had to live with the responsibilaty of the charge for the rest of my life. The point I,m trying to make and taking so long to get to it is that in the case of charges os such a serious nature and consequence 30mins. is not enough time to seek evidence on which to base an appeal. Regards to all.