Take a 2019 Tea Break with Delta

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Makes total sense. I don’t even contemplate a beer the night before driving a truck, and a zero limit for commercial pilots should be the norm.

As a former watchkeeping Seaman Officer in the RN, i did not drink at all at sea, and neither would my compatriots. Once in port and the head rope was connected to the shore however......

[Willmaz223]

Originally Posted by andy97

As a former watchkeeping Seaman Officer in the RN, i did not drink at all at sea, and neither would my compatriots. Once in port and the head rope was connected to the shore however......

There is a time and a place for such matters.

[Mike Bell]

Grant, I can only assume from your determined defence of a commercial pilot’s right to start their ‘shift’ with alcohol or drugs in their system, and possibly put hundreds of lives at increased risk, that you are one in another life......

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Thinking back to driving school cars, I saw a 2nd gen Audi TT liveried up as a learner car this morning. From experience of the earlier model, anyone that can pass their test in a TT has my respect- your vision out is severely restricted!

At least in the 60s when I took my test cars had narrow pillars and upright driving positions, so seeing out of them was easy.

I did my learning in an A40 Farina- what about other older tenthers?

Fiat 850 (TPW 496G) for me in 1969. The driving instructor went on to make fame - sort of - on New Faces, and I stuck with Italian cars pretty well exclusively to this day.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

Fiat 850 (TPW 496G) for me in 1969.

How the heck do you remember that? Good to see it's a Norfolk reg, though....

[Mike Harte]

Just a comment on Peter M's post on the Spa thread about a competitor's engine not being ready for the race, it shows how things have changed dramatically since these cars were first raced.

Back in the 60s, engine reliability wasn't nearly as good as it is now, mainly because the materials available now are so superior to those back then. And because of that reliability issue, it was not uncommon for competitors 50 years ago to fettle their engines far more often.

In my case, after every race the head would be removed and the head gasket plus the inlet and exhaust gaskets were changed. And after every second race, the engine in entirety was removed and completely stripped. This usually took place on the Sunday night after getting back from the circuit.

Then, on the next or subsequent Friday night, after work, I would rebuild the engine and reinstall it with the gearbox and diff combination ready for the next race. Back then I also worked on Saturday mornings, so during a break during the morning the car would be loaded up on the trailer in preparation for a test session at Brands in the afternoon if they were running the open sessions that weekend. And after that, I went to work on Saturday night at a nearby pub in Hampstead.

The point that I am trying to is that I and a friend or two would completely strip and rebuild a 4 cylinder pushrod engine in just two evenings, and in fact, after the Redex double header weekends at Oulton on a Saturday followed Mallory on the Sunday, the strip and rebuild was actually done together on the following Friday evening. Just meant even less sleep that night/morning!

Just to add, the most time consuming part was re-attaching the twin Webers and exhaust manifolds as they couldn't be pre-assembled due to lack of space in the engine compartment.

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

How the heck do you remember that? Good to see it's a Norfolk reg, though....

Well it was in Holt & the driving instructor was the brother-in-law of the top man at Pointer Motor Co.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Grant, I can only assume from your determined defence of a commercial pilot’s right to start their ‘shift’ with alcohol or drugs in their system, and possibly put hundreds of lives at increased risk, that you are one in another life......

Mike,

I'm just saying that until all of the facts are known it makes little sense, in terms of risk analysis, to leap to conclusions.

The "Media" will always make a big thing about such a story because it's just what they do to seek attention seek. Facts are rarely important. They may never be reported.

If the angle of the story is about public risk rather than human frailty then all I am saying is that as far as pilots are concerned there are other potentially greater risks than can be detected with measuring devices.

The solution is probably autonomous or remote controlled planes but getting the public to accept that would probably take longer than the planet (or rather its politicians) can support the concept of travel by air.

As for personal risk - the risk from drunken passengers is probably higher than the risk from pilots via either of alcohol consumption or mental health.

And if risk prevention per se, was the only factor we all lived by in the modern era, Motor Sport would have disappeared from our lives years ago.

Whether by choice or enforcement by regulation matters not. Risk averseness is the mantra of our times. Well, other than for those who seek to expand the use of drugs in the public domain by legalising them. A strange anomaly that the great and the good seem willing to entertain for some reason.

[Mike Bell]

Chill, Grant.....

I’ve a very low tolerance of excess alcohol consumption, regardless of when and where, so will always be a bit biased against any suggestion of it.

[John Turner]

On a separate note, I've unstuck a few threads since they took up nearly half the first page. I reckon one or two others could go, too, but will let other mods consider them!

Normal service is resumed ………..

[delta]

John time to loose the stolen Escort as well . Thanks for all your best wishes . Every other car seemed to be. MK1 Escort at Copenhagen . I’m parked up for night just outside Hamburg just deciding weather to buy a McDonalds . Nürburgring tomorrow . Night all .

[Willmaz223]

Originally Posted by delta

John time to loose the stolen Escort as well . Thanks for all your best wishes . Every other car seemed to be. MK1 Escort at Copenhagen . I’m parked up for night just outside Hamburg just deciding weather to buy a McDonalds . Nürburgring tomorrow . Night all .

9 Nuggets and fries.Helped me out a lot when coming back from race meets.I sounded very youthful there.

Silverstone,Copenhagen,Nurburgring.Very envious

[Willmaz223]

Works going well for me at the moment.Plodding along nicely.Meet all sorts of characters doing the job I do.
Quite the laugh sometimes

Go kart progressing nicely.Need to do the Carburetors now.Do some other little bits and then testing here we come.Hope to do last 'F100' race at end of year if all goes well.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Chill, Grant.....

I’ve a very low tolerance of excess alcohol consumption, regardless of when and where, so will always be a bit biased against any suggestion of it.

Has anyone else on 10ths ever been breathalysed at a meeting ?
I was in a race at Oulton Park in the early 90s when (I believe) the sports council ? were doing random tests. I was picked out with two others to take the test and out of the 3 I blew zero whereas the other two were OTT !
I have been tested twice for drugs as well over the years and once after winning a race I was escorted out of my car in parc ferme and taken to the medical centre for a urine sample, but always passed with no problem.
I suppose it was because of the way I looked ? (and I think being sponsored by a brewery didn't help) but as I said to the people that were doing the "choosing" and testing you can't judge a book by it's cover !

[GORDON STREETER]

Well, what is it about my second home, some bloke by the name of Sebastian Vettel was in one of my local café/bars today. Perhaps I can give him a few pointers at the test track

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Well, what is it about my second home, some bloke by the name of Sebastian Vettel was in one of my local café/bars today. Perhaps I can give him a few pointers at the test track

Well, they say you're never to old to learn, so he'd do well to listen, Gordon! I reckon he'd be fun company in a bar.....

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Has anyone else on 10ths ever been breathalysed at a meeting ?
I was in a race at Oulton Park in the early 90s when (I believe) the sports council ? were doing random tests. I was picked out with two others to take the test and out of the 3 I blew zero whereas the other two were OTT !
I have been tested twice for drugs as well over the years and once after winning a race I was escorted out of my car in parc ferme and taken to the medical centre for a urine sample, but always passed with no problem.
I suppose it was because of the way I looked ? (and I think being sponsored by a brewery didn't help) but as I said to the people that were doing the "choosing" and testing you can't judge a book by it's cover ! Attachment 53741

Glad to hear you always passed OK when you had to give a urine sample. I sometimes get stage fright & can't go!

[midgetman]

I think whether the rules are appropriate or not, the fact is *they are the rules*. The pilots get paid many ££££ and the quid pro quo is they don't break the rules. One of which is to not fail a breath test.

Break the rules, take the punishment.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by midgetman

I think whether the rules are appropriate or not, the fact is *they are the rules*. The pilots get paid many ££££ and the quid pro quo is they don't break the rules. One of which is to not fail a breath test.

Break the rules, take the punishment.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Exactly. And we should find out a little later today by how much they broke the rules when they appear before the Scottish Sheriffs. And if similar results as their colleagues back in 2016, they may have a few months resting at Her Majesty's pleasure in one of Scotland's finest clinks.

[MartinH]

[QUOTE=GORDON STREETER;3921600]Well, what is it about my second home, some bloke by the name of Sebastian Vettel was in one of my local café/bars today. Perhaps I can give him a few pointers at the test track [/https://tentenths.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=53741&d=1565049031


We, he might have been wearing a wig, but l'm afraid his clothes were a dead give away !!

[Gerard C]

Over the years some drug tests seem to be not that successful for some, down here… AFAIK they are announced some days before which doesn't make sense imo. I had to satisfy two urine tests during the same meeting but none for me just to help friends! Breath analyses can give strange results too, depending on who is checked a CoC or a driver! I dont appreciate to see a competitor drinking before a race.

[delta]

Flipping eck I’m bored . 20 miles short of the Ring . Stopped in services for the night . Another fridge truck buzzing away . What the heck I’m going to have another milk shake .😋

[The Fat Clerk]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Glad to hear you always passed OK when you had to give a urine sample. I sometimes get stage fright & can't go!

I was the FIA Steward @ Santa Pod a few years ago and had to spend over 2 hours with a driver, waiting for him to fill the bottle!

The Doctors who were supervising, had done the London Olympics the previous year and were telling some great stories, none of which I can repeat here.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Has anyone else on 10ths ever been breathalysed at a meeting ?

I have, last year at the C1 Rockingham test day and then again at the 24 hour race. The C1 Club routinely breath test a number of drivers and I think it is a zero limit; doesn’t seem to stop a lot of them driving like they are drunk though

More seriously, I do know that one driver was sent home before the test day started ie at 0800 in the morning for failing the breath test:

[Mike Bell]

Talking of alcohol and driving, wonder if it was a factor in this...….

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/crime...cid=spartandhp