Bathurst - McPhillamy Park Safety

[db120176]

McPhillamy Park seems to have more than it's fair share of accidents, the Paul Weel one sickening. It's a blind corner with nowhere to go. It's been a while since I've been to the circuit, but is it possible to put a sandtrap on the outside of this part of the circuit. The concrete barrier leaves drivers with very few options. I know a sandtrap was put in just around the corner after the 1981 pile up, is it viable to repeat this one corner earlier?

[nickyf1]

theres quite a steep bank on the outside IIRC, but it could be easily cut through. I think it is necessary for a gravel trap there, mabey even just a slight bit of run off or mabey just a bit of grass with a SAFER barrier type idea to keep the car in the wall so that it doesnt bounce back out, mabey using a similar barrier to the new type that can be seen at the Parabolica at Monza?

[Pro Racer]

safety is paramount and after these 2 crashes that happened in the last 3 years maybe it is time for something.

[275 GTB-4]

So everyone didn't see poor Paul "skipping" across the gravel trap into the wall??? I think people are getting a little hysterical. How many cars DIDN'T crash at that spot??

The Cutting, The Dipper and the elbow and the Chase have a far greater potential to cause big ones in my humble opinion.

The safety of the circuit has been improved markedly over the years...however, no matter what you do there will be accidents!! So...keep up this analysing of every incident to the minutest detail If you want to and watch the hand-wringers eventually close Mount Panorama to Motorsport.

[PhaseIII]

As CL said on RPM today...
Rather than blaming the track... Maybe we need some better driver education/training !!!

[db120176]

Originally Posted by 275 GTB-4

So everyone didn't see poor Paul "skipping" across the gravel trap into the wall??? I think people are getting a little hysterical. How many cars DIDN'T crash at that spot??

The Cutting, The Dipper and the elbow and the Chase have a far greater potential to cause big ones in my humble opinion.

The safety of the circuit has been improved markedly over the years...however, no matter what you do there will be accidents!! So...keep up this analysing of every incident to the minutest detail If you want to and watch the hand-wringers eventually close Mount Panorama to Motorsport.

If Paul Weel had of skipped across a sandtrap, he would have been off the track and the danger reduced. Your post reads like you don't want any safety changes to the track ever. Two accidents in three years where the driver's side takes a direct hit looks bad to people outside of motorsport. I think people who love the sport should consider taking the initiative and making changes rather than being pushed around by outsiders

[STEALTHY]

Originally Posted by db120176

If Paul Weel had of skipped across a sandtrap, he would have been off the track and the danger reduced. Your post reads like you don't want any safety changes to the track ever. Two accidents in three years where the driver's side takes a direct hit looks bad to people outside of motorsport. I think people who love the sport should consider taking the initiative and making changes rather than being pushed around by outsiders

So, going by your wording, if the cars were facing the passenger side in both crashes, there wouldn't be a problem?

[sizzle]

Being little pedantic, but we are talking about two different corners here. Had the area of fence that Radisich hit at McPhillamy had tyres instead of bare concrete the result may have been far less severe. Why it didn't would be good question to ask and I am sure the answer would be as interesting.

The Porter and Weel accidents were at Sulman Park. The case has been proved I believe to at least move the fence back several metres there and have a gravel trap of some sort to prevent the cars coming back onto the track after an off.

[db120176]

Originally Posted by STEALTHY

So, going by your wording, if the cars were facing the passenger side in both crashes, there wouldn't be a problem?

Less of a problem, probably wouldn't have needed medical intervention

[db120176]

Originally Posted by sizzle

Being little pedantic, but we are talking about two different corners here. Had the area of fence that Radisich hit at McPhillamy had tyres instead of bare concrete the result may have been far less severe. Why it didn't would be good question to ask and I am sure the answer would be as interesting.

The Porter and Weel accidents were at Sulman Park. The case has been proved I believe to at least move the fence back several metres there and have a gravel trap of some sort to prevent the cars coming back onto the track after an off.

You're correct. Should have titled the thread Sulman Park. I would really like the safety changes that were made to McPhillamy Park to be made to Sulman Park also

[sizzle]

Mark Porter didn't hit the fence, however any additional runoff area may have allowed David Clark an additional escape route and the accident may have had a different result.

[johnh875]

Originally Posted by sizzle

Had the area of fence that Radisich hit at McPhillamy had tyres instead of bare concrete the result may have been far less severe. Why it didn't would be good question to ask and I am sure the answer would be as interesting.

There was footage of tyres being placed in the gap after Radisich's crash, which could have "interesting" implications if avenues were pursued.

[PVDA]

I thought the same thing when I saw that being done.

[Sultan]

The fact that the tyres didn't go the entire length of the wall across McPhillamy is frankly, quite stupid! As far as the wall on Sulman, if they moved the wall back, & even if they didn't use a sand trap, hell use asphalt, & have a safer barrier there...

[paddy]

Looking at Weel's incident may be drivers slowing down for yellow flags may help! Several cars made it past at reduced speed no problem, but the car that hit him looked to be going at close to full speed. It reminded me of the oval crash in the US that had fatal consequences. Several cars passing at reduced speed and then another one seemingly oblivious to the caution hit him.

[blaarg]

Someone in the control tower who can broadcast incident warnings across all radio frequencies might be an idea.

Should an incident occur on the track, the control tower incident announcer will hear it from the marshalls over the radio (which you presume will include the location of the marshall). That information is then translated to 'driver-english' and communicated out.

Whilst the announcer is communicating the information out over the radio, he/she is then punching the yellow flag location into a computer, then any car who is approaching the alleged yellow flag incident area will get a light come up on their dashboard warning them of an incident ahead.

It wouldn't be designed to replace the marshalls, but just an additional aid to remind the driver the area they are approaching could be under yellow.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by blaarg

Someone in the control tower who can broadcast incident warnings across all radio frequencies might be an idea.

Should an incident occur on the track, the control tower incident announcer will hear it from the marshalls over the radio (which you presume will include the location of the marshall). That information is then translated to 'driver-english' and communicated out.

Whilst the announcer is communicating the information out over the radio, he/she is then punching the yellow flag location into a computer, then any car who is approaching the alleged yellow flag incident area will get a light come up on their dashboard warning them of an incident ahead.

It wouldn't be designed to replace the marshalls, but just an additional aid to remind the driver the area they are approaching could be under yellow.

No Offence Blaarg but there are Flaggies and Race Control people here and you are telling them how to suck eggs...all these ideas are fine in a perfect world. However, when you might have three incidents happening at the same time, people talking ovefr the top of one another and the need to react to deploy a safety car etc sometimes messages get lost. Not to mention complete loss of Comms which can occur and this is why someone with a bit of nouce and some flags can be a valuable safety item.

[blaarg]

Okay, You've completely lost me.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by blaarg

Okay, You've completely lost me.

I thought I might have....contact your local race track and sign up to learn whats involved with Marshaling...it can be tough and you can cop a lot of crap from certain large-headed individuals when you first start out but we do carry out an important job