"The Race"

[Suze]

Anyone planning to go on Sunday? Tempted just for the sake of it as not too far to travel and RBR are doing a demo with Coulthard at the helm. However, not sure 8 FF doing 30 laps will be all that exciting...?! Plus no support races so not sure it's worth it - adult tickets are £15 a pop.

Have seen however that no under 4s are allowed. Least I'm ok Tickets are advance purchase only.

Timetable:

10:30 Gates open to Public
12:00-13:00 DAVID COULTHARD IN RED BULL F1 RACE CAR
13:00-14:00 Circuit Warm Up
14:00 The Race starts
15:00 Trophy presented

[Rob29]

Having watched this crap last night,I doubt if any real fans will bother.Celeb watchers maybe,though some of these so called celebs I have never heard of.No kids under 4? Thats a new one on me,doesn't affect me personally but I imagine it could those who might fancy a day out with their infants? Who thinks up these daft rules? Also no tickets on sale on the day so if you left it to the last minuite to see what the weather was like you would be out of luck.Also £800 for a VIP pass! Maybe for the British GP,but I can't see any takers here?

[Suze]

£800?! Joke...

Haven't got Sky One so didn't see it and in Germany at the mo, maybe catch a repeat on Sky 3. The no children rule is a new one for me too..

[bella]

let's face it, under 4's shouldn't be at a circuit anyway. the majority of children you see don't have proper hearing protection. the rule itself is probably something to do with insurance. if a child had its hearing damaged by the f1 car i think it's entirely possible the parents might choose to sue the circuit for not providing earplugs. i was at a meeting earlier in the year with an f1 demonstration which did provide earplugs and those handing them out provided advice on when to wear them, but we don't seem to do that here.

of course, you're all right. it's probably something far more anal.

[Suze]

Why not? I first went to a circuit at two months, and yes my parents always made sure I had the ear muff things / whatever they're called though not every parent does.... I think you're right when you say it's to do with insurance, though.

[bella]

yes, congratulations, your parents made sure you did have proper ear protection. the large majority of parents don't, especially with very young children. i wasn't addressing the people who do look after their children, i was talking about the irresponsible ones who don't. and you have to legislate for them.

[chezza]

Well said bella!!

I'm marshalling this one, should be interesting.

[Suze]

and discriminate against kids whose parents do look after them properly? that's not fair on those kids. falling into a slightly dodgy category, there.

[bella]

not as dodgy as the one where you leave yourself open to being sued because people expect in this health and safety age to be nanny stated into using ear protectors, and then sue like crazy when they're expected to think for themselves.

[Peter Mallett]

MacDonald's Coffee is hot. Surprise surprise.

[bella]

yes, but it's not called "hot coffee" is it?

[Chatters]

Ear protection? I went to the Melbourne GP for 3 years when I was about 6,7, and 8, never had ear protection, I loved the sounds! My ears, I can wreck 'em if I want . Not that there's anything wrong with them now...

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by bella

yes, but it's not called "hot coffee" is it?

Er,

Hmm, that was my point and they were sued because of it. I'll stop supporting your argument then shall I?

[Tim 27]

Originally Posted by bella

let's face it, under 4's shouldn't be at a circuit anyway.

At one month old, I was taken to my first race meeting. (Pre "nanny state" unsilenced racing).
Having attended several hundred since, I can honestly say I have suffered no side effects.

[R59]

Pardon?

We made the mistake of going to the "wrong" Live Action Arena session at Autosport last January with our kids. The one with F1 Stock Cars!! They gave us ear plugs, and gave my 5yr-old some proper ear defenders too. For my 1-year-old boy, he had to make do with earplugs, which didn't go in properly. My daughter wasn't impressed by the noise, my son, he went to sleep, right through the F1's.

Rob.

[bella]

i'm just saying, that's all...

i've been exposed to world series by renault cars all year and to be honest i'm fairly certain i have damaged my hearing. and that's only from being sat in grandstands at the start and not actually being anywhere near the cars when they're fired up.

the risk is minimal obviously with formula fords, and to be honest, formula one cars, but i think it's absolutely imperative for childrens ears to be protected. we put our fingers in our ears when the noise gets too much - babies can't do that.

mallett - i was merely supplementing "our" arguement with an example

[Peter Mallett]

Up yours red nose.

FWIW I have to go through a major medical periodically to keep my race licence and they always tell me my hearing is damaged. Its not too bad but it shows symptoms of being exposed to long periods of mid range noise. A racing car engine does that so whilst it probably isn't a bad thing per se, any exposure to loud noise does cause an element of irreperable damage and thus your hearing gets so bad you start to like Barbara Striesand because she's the only singer you can hear!. You have been warned.

I wear ear plugs in my racing car (Mainly because I can't stand Barbara Striesand).

[bella]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

I wear ear plugs in my racing car (Mainly because I can't stand Barbara Striesand).

is "racing car" a euphemism?

[chezza]

I agree with everything you are saying bella.

This is one of my bugbears. Especially when I see adults with earplugs/defenders but their children having to put their fingers in thier ears. It annoys me so much.

I was very pleased a couple of weeks ago at silverstone. I was on pit wall duty and so had to go and move on a couple and thier toddler who were on the pit wall very polite couple who vacated as soon as I asked, but I was so pleased to see that they were putting ear plugs in the toddlers ears.

With all types of cars it does depend where on circuit you are. At Stowe last year couldn't not wear earplus when the f1s were out, but this year at Becketts I found I didn't need them. This probably means I've damaged my hearing, but as the cars weren't ear splittingly loud there, I didn't see the need.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by bella

is "racing car" a euphemism?

No that's a wind instrument.

[Mackmot]

I went to my first race at 6 days old I dont think ive ever used ear protection and I turned out fine. Sort off

Anyway back to the thread. I'm gonna go down with my sis and her mate, I thought it would be a good way for them to see racing and be bothered about what happens.

Does anyone know if you can get in with BRDC passes cos I dont want to pay to go to a track, never have, never will.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by Mackmot

I went to my first race at 6 days old I dont think ive ever used ear protection and I turned out fine.

[4 Yorkshiremen]SIX DAYS? Six bloody days? I were born in back o' t' pit garage just when me dad were startin' the BRM V16! Don't tell me about noise, and I didn't wear any o' them ear protector things!

Nice Chateau de Chassile Josia. [/4 Yorkshiremen]

[Al Weyman]

I did window fitting for a number of years using a hammer drill and angle grinder regularly and now suffer from tinitus which believe me is very unpleasant and never ever gives you any peace. If I had known this I would have always warn ear protectors, however I cannot see the sense in wearing them in a race car especially with a full face helmet, I mean its a V8 Chevy for crying out loud and I want to hear the thing! :-)

PS What has this got to do with 'The Race'.

[Peter Mallett]

Peeps were complaining that a lower age limit had been put on entry to the event and it was suggested that this was due to noise levels.

Frankly I haven't a clue what "The Race" is and it sounds a bit tedious anyway. (Probably a few spindly's being put through their limited paces)

Anyway Al. If you use ear plugs you still get the noise its just not painful anymore.

[ensign14]

There must be some who were conceived at a race track. It can get boring at Magny Cours.