*** PLEASE READ - Driver Etiquette - PLEASE READ ***

[bedsrcmcc]

I would just like to remind you all about driver etiquette at our club.

Throttle Control
When your car crashes off the track please remove your fingers off the throttle control! We've had a couple of marshalls get fingers burnt from catching the spinning wheels as they pick the car up to marshall.

Firstly, more often than not, if you have crashed it is your fault (normally - unless you've been knocked off). Either way, especially when you fly off the perimeter, you must wait for the marshall to pick up the car and place it back onto the track before you even think of spinning the wheels again.

A rubber burn is not nice and one driver last week got 3!!! This really is not acceptable by any driver to be doing this and we need to nip this in the bud very quickly otherwise those drivers who marshall and keep getting their fingers burnt will just move onto the next club and this is the last thing we want to see happen.

Generally speaking the standard of driving and marshalling is very good, especially as so many of you are new to racing model cars so you should be congratulated on that, but it is always useful just to remind you all about how to drive and how we can all continue to improve. I shall request that all marshalls who approach a car that has crashed and is spinning the wheels to ignore it until the wheels stop.

Crashes
Another topic is when drivers crash into each other. I fully appreciate that in the heat of a race tension can build, especially as we are now in a championship. However, is it good etiquette in radio controlled model racing that if you have been a little too agressive and spun another driver off the track, that you wait for them to repass you and then continue racing.

If you ever watch the professionals racing on MotorsTV, then you'll often see this happen, even when a world championship is at stake. Remember that what goes around comes around and next time it could be you given the chance to repass after being knocked off track.

Backmarkers
Next time you are at the club, watch the F1 drivers and you'll see how we are able to race even with slower cars on track. They are aware of everyone around them and will slow down off the racing line to allow the faster cars to lap. Of course if you're on the same lap you'll both be fighting hard but clean we hope

Marshall posts
From next week we shall have Marshal posts numbered 1-5 on the walls so that we can check to make sure that all drivers from the previous heat is out to race.

Now that we are running 4 heats and 3hr race evenings, there is no excuse to not be at your post before the next race starts. You must remember that once your race is over, you get back to the pits, switch off your car, put the car on charge and straight backout to marshal.

So next week, if your race number is 1 you'll marshall at post 1, if 2 at post 2 etc. If your car is broken and you need more time to fix it, then you must confirm a replacement marshal to the club officials (myself or Russell).

If you fail to be on your post before the start of the race you should be marshalling then you will get 1 warning. There after, if you continue to not be ready to marshal then we will deduct points from your championship total.

As with everything to do with racing, you would expect marshalls to be out and ready before your race, so it's only fair you marshall your correct heat too.

Moan over now - lets enjoy the racing again

[bert digler]

Originally Posted by bedsrcmcc

I would just like to remind you all about driver etiquette at our club.

Throttle Control
When your car crashes off the track please remove your fingers off the throttle control! We've had a couple of marshalls get fingers burnt from catching the spinning wheels as they pick the car up to marshall.

Firstly, more often than not, if you have crashed it is your fault (normally - unless you've been knocked off). Either way, especially when you fly off the perimeter, you must wait for the marshall to pick up the car and place it back onto the track before you even think of spinning the wheels again.

A rubber burn is not nice and one driver last week got 3!!! This really is not acceptable by any driver to be doing this and we need to nip this in the bud very quickly otherwise those drivers who marshall and keep getting their fingers burnt will just move onto the next club and this is the last thing we want to see happen.

Generally speaking the standard of driving and marshalling is very good, especially as so many of you are new to racing model cars so you should be congratulated on that, but it is always useful just to remind you all about how to drive and how we can all continue to improve. I shall request that all marshalls who approach a car that has crashed and is spinning the wheels to ignore it until the wheels stop.

Crashes
Another topic is when drivers crash into each other. I fully appreciate that in the heat of a race tension can build, especially as we are now in a championship. However, is it good etiquette in radio controlled model racing that if you have been a little too agressive and spun another driver off the track, that you wait for them to repass you and then continue racing.

If you ever watch the professionals racing on MotorsTV, then you'll often see this happen, even when a world championship is at stake. Remember that what goes around comes around and next time it could be you given the chance to repass after being knocked off track.

Backmarkers
Next time you are at the club, watch the F1 drivers and you'll see how we are able to race even with slower cars on track. They are aware of everyone around them and will slow down off the racing line to allow the faster cars to lap. Of course if you're on the same lap you'll both be fighting hard but clean we hope

Marshall posts
From next week we shall have Marshal posts numbered 1-5 on the walls so that we can check to make sure that all drivers from the previous heat is out to race.

Now that we are running 4 heats and 3hr race evenings, there is no excuse to not be at your post before the next race starts. You must remember that once your race is over, you get back to the pits, switch off your car, put the car on charge and straight backout to marshal.

So next week, if your race number is 1 you'll marshall at post 1, if 2 at post 2 etc. If your car is broken and you need more time to fix it, then you must confirm a replacement marshal to the club officials (myself or Russell).

If you fail to be on your post before the start of the race you should be marshalling then you will get 1 warning. There after, if you continue to not be ready to marshal then we will deduct points from your championship total.

As with everything to do with racing, you would expect marshalls to be out and ready before your race, so it's only fair you marshall your correct heat too.

Moan over now - lets enjoy the racing again

cure for cars revving whilst being marshalled when the driver revs it near your hands hold the car aloft until they stop it cures them very quickly

[MALLET]

The quickest way for them to learn is, you just hold your hands in the air until they stop revving and put the breaks on. I've lost no end of finger nails in the diff out drive cups. Now they sting worse than a rubber burn

[lucas-b4-b44]

I have at times had the finger burn and I'm sure in the heat of the moment also inflicted the dreaded wheel spin too...........

However sometimes it's rather fustrating when the marshall closest doesn't seem to notice you are in fact crashed and thus after counting to 5, you try and extricate yourself.

Yes, it's the drivers fault for crashing.......

but marshalls, ..... pretty please, with sugar on top, watch your corner of the track

[Big G]

I need to remember the motor is hanging out the back and is generally hot during a race when I go grabbing 2wd's lol.

What winds me up is marshalls handing my car like it's made of egg shells and then when it is returned onto it's wheels don't bother facing me the way I need to go.

watch me marshall your car sonny. I'll run over as fast as I can (slipped on my arse a few times in the wet) and you'll be back on the track very quickly pointing down the straight

Sorry to post in your club thread. just my little bit from 17 years of racing towards marshalling

[MALLET]

G, I had one marshal me at Blyth with a big trench coat on. I got hit in the side and turned over. The guy who hit me landed on his wheels and drove off, but thats another gripe. But the marshal that turned me over, just put me on my four wheels. Thinking I was pointing in the right direction as I couldn't see my buggy because he was covering my view I gunned it for the jump only to see it come under his coat and his big black and chrome size 10 Goth moon boot landed on my B4. I wasn't pleased but I withheld my anger too him except for the look of death I gave him.

I don't condone anyone spinning their wheels to get attention, just don't do it when its in/near the marshal's hand, as he has seen you and someone is doing you a favour in turning you over.

[Big G]

yeah spinning the wheels is pointless. I never hit the throttle when it's in someone's hands. I'll wiggle the steering while I'm on my roof that's all.

another small gripe is once you've marshalled and you're in the middle of the track due to traffic squat down so you're not blocking the view of the drivers.

[mikepro4]

Just to say thanks Scott for gettings the Email i sent over regarding marshals and driver Etiquette on to the Forum whilst my main PC was off line.
All back up and running now so will make sure any further winges have my name on the top.

[bedsrcmcc]

After tonights racing , it might be worth everyone reading this again...

Crashes
Another topic is when drivers crash into each other. I fully appreciate that in the heat of a race tension can build , especially as we are now in a championship. However, is it good etiquette in radio controlled model racing that if you have been a little too agressive and spun another driver off the track , that you wait for them to repass you and then continue racing.

If you ever watch the professionals racing on MotorsTV, then you'll often see this happen, even when a world championship is at stake. Remember that what goes around comes around and next time it could be you given the chance to repass after being knocked off track .

[hashiriya]

A question regarding lapping.

Whats the clubs view if a car which is lapping is stuck behind a driver who is not yielding?

I haven't had too many problems with this with this club but it can be frustrating to know that you are improving your time but stuck. Of course it happens more often on smaller tracks like we have at Bromham.

I hate drivers who shout at other drivers to move over on the rostrum but I can understand why they do it, with no referee overseeing the race it sort of has to self regulate.

Any thoughts?

[learnerdriver]

Originally Posted by hashiriya

A question regarding lapping.

Whats the clubs view if a car which is lapping is stuck behind a driver who is not yielding?

I haven't had too many problems with this with this club but it can be frustrating to know that you are improving your time but stuck. Of course it happens more often on smaller tracks like we have at Bromham.

I hate drivers who shout at other drivers to move over on the rostrum but I can understand why they do it, with no referee overseeing the race it sort of has to self regulate.

Any thoughts?

It is generally accepted that you should give the driver in front at least one corner to allow you past, after that politely remind them that they are being lapped-we try and help the faster cars through but an extra pair of eyes on the rostrum helps as you say (any volunteers ? )

[Big G]

this is something which has really been an issue at late in our club where you'll wait a lap in hope they'll move over, but they don't and in the end when you put a move in down the inside they'll take you out. At that point words are said.

last night I gave another driver a lap to move over at which point I spoke up and said I was lapping and he moved over right away.

When being lapped myself I move over as soon as I can, but when they're 6ft+ behind you I'll hold off waiting for them. so much that about 4 or 5 laps passed and I was still ahead of 1st who was lapping me lol.

At the end of the day it's the gentlemanly thing to do. You're not going to go any faster by holding up someone behind you since they'll keep trying to pass you and you'll be blocking each other's lines, etc.

[hashiriya]

So to expand on the thoughts of the above post, how close do you have to be before it is regarded as blocking?

I think a bit of common sense has to be employed but if we can set a general guide for people, it might help.

[c0sie]

It amazes me, at all the small and large sized races ive been too, how little communication there is on the rostrum.

Unless you know everyone in your final, and the colour of there shell and there ability level how are you supposed to know who is lapping who?

Whos to say that the bloke behind you hasnt just crashed but is catching you up for position?

Takes a mear second to politely tell the "purple car" that your lapping him, or to ask the blue car to let you by on the main straight.

We have had an issue at Micro Nats like this, with people complaining that they are being blocked yet no one talks to each other!

The same works for those being lapped I guess. I can normally tell who is behind me at a National and ill gladly communicate with them where and when I will let them through so that I dont upset my race as well as theirs and things normally work out ok, and if one of the top lads lets me know that hes going to lap me soon I can prepare, but another problem seems to arise when people only call lapping as they get onto the bumper of the car in front.

Give it afew metres to prepare the slower driver, get some please and thank you communication going, have a nice day

Its good to talk...

[bedsrcmcc]

I do tend to talk on the rostrum if I feel that someone is holding me up, but thankfully we tend to have like minded drivers in terms of skill levels racing each other. The race I had with two guys in the A Final this week was a great example of similar skilled drivers being able to race wheel to wheel and also being able to move over when required. I can tell where I am in the field and if I know the guy coming up is lapping me I will let them know when I'm going to slow so they can be prepared to overtake.

Of course when your on the same lap its a different matter, but at the same time it's all about giving each other the room to race. Like when your behind, the easy option is to just spin the over guy out, however, it takes more skill and judgement to wait patiently and pass when safe to do so.

When it all comes together like it did this week at our club its a great feeling

[learnerdriver]

It sometimes helps to have an experienced driver observing the race whilst watching the lap times so he can call through the faster drivers or inform drivers when a faster car is approaching-there is no hard and fast rules, it is just down to track experience and drivers getting to know each others driving styles and habits. Calling out race positions at regular intervals helps so drivers know who the faster cars are. It is something we can work on before the next series starts !

[bodgit]

on this point what happens should you be lapped and are then able to unlap yourself due to an error by the leading car. Do you take it or hold back.

[learnerdriver]

Originally Posted by bodgit

on this point what happens should you be lapped and are then able to unlap yourself due to an error by the leading car. Do you take it or hold back.

he has to overtake you again unless you choose to let him pass at a convenient place for you, it is all about gaining respect as fellow racers

[Big G]

Originally Posted by hashiriya

So to expand on the thoughts of the above post, how close do you have to be before it is regarded as blocking?

I think a bit of common sense has to be employed but if we can set a general guide for people, it might help.

what I mean is I go to overtake down the inside on a corner which it appears the slower car has given you an opening to go past and all of a sudden cuts across to stop you.

Talking is something I'll be doing a lot more of since it worked a treat last night.

[bedsrcmcc]

At the end of the day it's all about getting a good balance at the club to ensure new drivers are not put off. The better drivers are the ones who can help advise and show how it's done by driving to a high standard in their heats and finals.

I actually had a couple of drivers come up to me after our finals on Monday and said that it was really enjoyable to watch myself, Chris and Maz race. This is not about trying to be big-headed, far from it.

It's about showing, by example, how you should race. At the end of the day it's all about having fun and I know Maz enjoyed the race on Monday as I'm sure Chris did too. I know I did