Avalanche beacon for track days?

sheepofblue · 11-08-2005, 5:43 PM

Reading the post on the loss of the rider at Jennings and some off the debate made me think. How about a device that triggers upon separation from the bike or some other event. That then switches on like an avalanche beacon so the rider is quickly found and helped.

Do you think there would be a market?
How much would be to much?
What conditions would be a good trigger (for instance a dead man's switch on snowmobiles or some other switching mechanism)?

BDA116 · 11-08-2005, 5:56 PM

Avalanche beacons don't do any good unless more than one has one.
I doubt there would be much of a market for them at all to be honest. Hardly anyone buys them for their intended use anyway. These are people that go to the backcountry to ski, hike, snowmobile, etc. nearly every weekend because it is free and they don't buy them.
I doubt many track day guys would either.
It's a good thought, but unless multiple people had them and were trained to use them they would be completely worthless.

phobiaphobe · 11-08-2005, 6:33 PM

How about some tires or bales on corners where you can run off into trees?

jetbdude · 11-08-2005, 6:50 PM

How come no corner workers saw the crash???

Sixgill · 11-08-2005, 6:51 PM

how about a basic head count before and after each session ?

i'm not pointing a finger with the above comment but it would be the easiest fix IMHO

sheepofblue · 11-08-2005, 6:56 PM

Good points all BDA I was using the avalanche beacon as an analogy though. In my vision I am thinking a track based receiver with fairly cheap beacons that trigger so that the safety crew is made aware of a problem and can react. Just thinking. As far as adding safety features to a track

but there are always limits. Also in a case like TB's potentially he could have stayed still rather than moving while injured so severely.

It is easy to be critical of corner workers but I am thinking instead of ways to help them do even better than they already do. It is a hard task that they do, mostly out of desire rather than money. This allows the rest of to do what we do in a much safer environment.

sheepofblue · 11-08-2005, 7:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixgill

how about a basic head count before and after each session ?

i'm not pointing a finger with the above comment but it would be the easiest fix IMHO

Yep but some come off early. The environment is a very challenging one.

For instance I went down to watch recently and was on the way out of Barber. I got a few photos of a friend and was thinking one more lap then I am out of here. Well he never came around. I recalled a dust puff over the hill and thought I should check to be sure he was fine before leaving. Went around and talked to some spectators, and they confirmed a lay down. The bike was gone but they assured me it was Ducati, well he rides an old red F2 so ... But no they said Ducati. Now I could have left easily at that point but wanted to be sure he did not need any aid. Yep red F2 not a Ducati (he is fine with minimal damage). So while the corner workers helped and did a wonderful job they did not see him lay it down. Oops it happens. Rough job and mine is just one idea...

Oh and they could be called "Beacons of Safety" or BoS

jetbdude · 11-08-2005, 8:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheepofblue

It is easy to be critical of corner workers but I am thinking instead of ways to help them do even better than they already do. It is a hard task that they do, mostly out of desire rather than money. This allows the rest of to do what we do in a much safer environment.

I'm not saying anything against corner worker, I think it is a track design or installation fault. If there is a section of the track that no corner workers can see, you need to put some more, or design the track so that a situation like that can not happen.