hans device in club racing

[Fan]

I suppose if you don't want to wear one, don't. But don't cry to anyone when you're lying in hospital facing life in a wheelchair.... I'm guessing here, but the people who don't want to wear the HANS device (not those who can't afford it)have never been in a really, really big accident. One where you see the wall coming towards you at 100+mph. Nothing like wishing you'd paid an extra £100 for a better helmet or £600 for a Hans device.

The old saying "it will never happen to me" is great, until it does happen to you. I'd rather be a living coward then a dead hero...

[ianpearson]

While only one person has the rites to make these things then we will never get them at a fair price so they should never be mad cumpolsory until several manufacturers are allowed to make them.
I would'nt mind trying one but what the chances of a dealer lending you one & a suitable helmet for a test day is slim i would imagine.
In some cases club races need these thing more than the pro's, ok we're going slower, but how many of us live in the gym to keep fit & have necks like tree trunks, i would imagine the weaker your neck muscles the more likely you are to suffer a neck injury.
Oh & i have had to phone in sick on a monday & say i've had a car accident(economical with the truth, no mention of racing car accident) can't turn or move my head, doc say's i'll be alright in a week. Although being of work did give me more time to fix the car.

[brickkicker]

ss_collins what series do you race in?

[1200Datto27]

Ian,

There is more than one manufacturer of HANS devices, Hubbert/Downing, Schroth and Stand 21 all make them.

[ss_collins]

brick: Vee amongst other stuff.

I suppose if you don't want to wear one, don't. But don't cry to anyone when you're lying in hospital facing life in a wheelchair

I won't I know the risks - I also know that at some point every racer has the 'big one'.

[ianpearson]

There is more than one manufacturer of HANS devices, Hubbert/Downing, Schroth and Stand 21 all make them.

I stand corrected then, are they all the same price then, do they vary in quality.

Do they stay connected to your helmet? So you just put you helmet on get in car then trap it under your belts

[MMiller]

I don't think Schroth or Stand 21 manufactuer the HANS, but they are a direct distributor. HANS is manufactured by Hubbard/Downing in GA.

They go for over $1000 US(minimum) here and there ARE fiberglass versions. I was told the fiberglass version is only slightly heavier and a few hundred cheaper.

For club racing - I wouldn't imagine making it mandatory is necessary, most club classes don't reach sustained speeds. It would be more adventageous to have tougher scrutineering so people maintain better maintenance of their vehicles.

I personally would like to have one and probably will get one this winter. Devices such as the Hutchens and other belt-type restraints just don't give the neck support like the HANS.. it is the hands-down best and minimizing neck trauma.

Someone mentioned "neck-braces" as well. If you are in a race car - and use a neck-brace.. it is absolutely doing nothing but making you feel safer. The neck brace used in karting was designed to minimize the possibility of breaking your collar-bone in a flip, not to keep your neck from hyper-extending.

Regards,

Marc Miller
www.themarcmillershow.com

[ss_collins]

For club racing - I wouldn't imagine making it mandatory is necessary, most club classes don't reach sustained speeds. It would be more adventageous to have tougher scrutineering so people maintain better maintenance of their vehicles.

Exactly!

[MMiller]

Ian-

For the most part, they are all the same price. You can purchase a HANS through Stand 21 or Schroth... along with a new helmet with the clips already attached. When you get a HANS.. you can send them your helmet to install the "anchors" or you can go to their website and they will instruct you how to install them yourself. I have many friends that have installed their own rather easily.

http://www.hansdevice.com/anchorInstall.html

You can leave it connected if you want to your helmet.. and typically you snap it into place then put the whole unit on as shown in the photo. Other guys like to put on the hans.. then once in the car attach everything to it.

oh yea.. forgot to mention... if you are like me and spend a bunch of time in both sedans/stock cars AND formula cars.. you would need TWO HANS with different angles. This is where it becomes more and more difficult. For next season - I would need 3 different HANS devices.. gets a little pricey.

Hope that helps!

MM
www.themarcmillershow.com

[stroller]

For club racing - I wouldn't imagine making it mandatory is necessary, most club classes don't reach sustained speeds. It would be more adventageous to have tougher scrutineering so people maintain better maintenance of their vehicles.

Sorry just cant see the logic in that.

Having an accident (at any speed) is having an accident - whether the vehicle is better maintained or not.

[1200Datto27]

And on that theory, Top level racing should not have any accidents, or injuries.

[Morris 1100]

I use a Hans all the time, even when walking down to the shops, because you never know when you will have an accident.

[scrutineer]

Collins isnt it upto you to maintain your car, regardless of how tight the scrutineering is, your just being an idiot and making yourself look like a prat in front of everyone.
And since when has vee had 60+, if you would have been at Mallory last week you would have seen at least2 entrys in the F Ford race were wearing HANS.

[ss_collins]

Scrutineer, calm down old bean - I'm pretty sure Vee has 60+ for Silverstone in a few weeks time - last yar the same meeting got 54. I agree its up to a racer to ensure his cars up to scratch but there are examples of cars getting through that are not as good as they could be (I let professionals deal with mine to ensure its the very best). But I see your point an accident is an accident and car prep really has nothing to do with it.

However there are as far as I can see very few people using HANS at a national level.

[james baggie]

The HANS device has only recently become available in this country to club racers. I think that it is worth £600 to get this as a safety feature if it is going to save your life.
And in addition to something that was said earlier they should ban the use of BS standard helmets and proban overalls as they do not offer enough protection.
ss_collins, the Vee's are out at Mallory this weekend aren't they? Will we be seeing 60+ entries?

[ss_collins]

yes they are and no you won't - the big grids don't turn up till post silverstone usually - think there will be 40 odd.

The Poll is 50/50 again so it really is a contentious issue. I do think it should be up to the driver - I prefer not to - I only object to having it imposed upon me.

[MGDavid]

I seem to have missed the point about different HANS installations for different driver/car combinations. I'm a rookie (per my ID) with kind and generous friends, in my first 4 races I drove 3 different cars - none of them mine! Would this effectively be ruled out if HANS was compulsory? Isn't this going to raise the bar for new entrants to our sport?

[MMiller]

David-

It is the seating inclination with depends on which model you have. In a formula car.. you lean back.. in a sedan.. you don't. Some formula cars have more of a seating incline than others.

mm

[ss_collins]

so would that mean you have to have the right HANS for the job? If so that would mean I'd need at least 4 a year!

[scrutineer]

Why would you need 4 a year, I was under the impression that there were only 3 versions, and you seem to be suggesting that you need to replace them every year when they will last far longer than that. You only have to look at how long some driver keep there helmets for, Have known them keep BS standard helmets for more than 20 years which is why we should not accept this standard of helmet and stick with SNELL.

[Tim Falce]

OK, so I can see myself having to eat my words, especialy if my wife reads this. I am just unhappy about having my head strapped up and all that stuff around my neck. Then there is the the ridiculous price for something that probably costs about £50 to produce.

[james baggie]

If it saves your life then it is worth it in my opinion.
And from what I have seen it is only 2 thin pieces of elastic with the carbon but that fits on your shoulders, so there isnt much of your view blocked.

[MMiller]

falcemob...

The cost to produce may be lower than what it costs to purchase, but countless hours of design time and many many prototypes at the cost of hubbard/downing is what usually needs to be recovered.

I do not benefit at all from talking about hans.. nor do i own one.. but I have done my research on the subject.

mm

[ss_collins]

I was under the impression that different cars would need diffrent hans?

[flagwaver]

No it is to do with the angle of the seat not the car itself. In most saloon cars you sit straight up so the backplate (if I can call it that) is almost vertical, with single seaters you tend to sit at an angle so the back plate needs to reflect this.
The other thing with the Hans is not only does it need the wider straps to hold it in place some seat belt holes in some seats mean that the belts come in at too high an angle to hold the Hans in place.
Having said that I do believe that the Hans device does need to be made compulsary but over say a 3 to 4 year period. Not only in circuit racing but all forms of motor sport where seatbelts are used.
Some people have questioned how a statement can be made as to the effectivness of the Hans. there is data from every fatal accident. that data is called the post mortem it tells what a driver/co-driver died of. these can then be used with oter data to give the mechanics of injury. It is from this that scientists can determine what actually caused a death and more importantly how to help prevent it from reaccurring. How do you think Hans was invented?