billybookcase
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Red flags
"When I were a lad....", there were hardly any red flags, we cleared up the road with bikes flying by under waved yellows, no matter how bad the incident was.
Do the sector marshals now have the onus to call for a red flag or is it still the COTC who calls it based on reports?
How does it work nowadays?
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
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13-06-2015, 06:11 PM |
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Westers
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RE: Red flags
I can't remember red flags being used until Guy crashed in 2010; ever since then they seem to have become more common place.
I will now sound old, however as per billybookcase, big smashes didn't get red flagged before. The tragic incident with Gus Scott, and the lady marshall, is a case in point; the race carried on, however the accident scene was unlikely to be too clever (I was on the island, but not at the scene, so I'm speculating).
I think the usage of the red flag, and the no racing if it's raining, is due to the new organisation who run the races. That's not a dig at the new guys (they're hardly new, but you know what I mean), as they've dragged the TT into the modern world, and made it stronger than ever. As a result things had to change, and that was a major revamp of safety and organisation - and fair play to them, they've done a brilliant job at overhauling the organisation, whilst making sure the essence of the races remains intact.
(This post was last modified: 13-06-2015, 10:48 PM by Westers.)
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13-06-2015, 10:18 PM |
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billybookcase
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RE: Red flags
I suppose the big difference nowadays is the use of radios improving communication between incidents and the CoC. All we had was flags and the occasional telephone box.
Nil Satis Nisi Optimum
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13-06-2015, 10:46 PM |
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Westers
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RE: Red flags
Yes, very true Billy, and I think it sums up the difference between the TT of "yesteryear", and the modern event.
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13-06-2015, 10:50 PM |
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Sam Pato
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RE: Red flags
(13-06-2015, 10:18 PM)Westers Wrote: I can't remember red flags being used until Guy crashed in 2010; ever since then they seem to have become more common place.
I will now sound old, however as per billybookcase, big smashes didn't get red flagged before. The tragic incident with Gus Scott, and the lady marshall, is a case in point; the race carried on, however the accident scene was unlikely to be too clever (I was on the island, but not at the scene, so I'm speculating).
I think the usage of the red flag, and the no racing if it's raining, is due to the new organisation who run the races. That's not a dig at the new guys (they're hardly new, but you know what I mean), as they've dragged the TT into the modern world, and made it stronger than ever. As a result things had to change, and that was a major revamp of safety and organisation - and fair play to them, they've done a brilliant job at overhauling the organisation, whilst making sure the essence of the races remains intact.
They used it when Paul Orritt crashed at the bottom of Bray hill that time. The fact that half teh field were still on the start line may have influenced that decision. Other than that red flags for incidents were remarkably rare in the past. Then again - so was closing the mountain road due to RTA's.
As above - just an observation - no criticism intended.
Sam
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14-06-2015, 12:14 AM |
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Ricky
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RE: Red flags
I think the Paul orrit red flag was the first red flag at the TT. They are gettin more common. I'm sure there were some horrendous accidents in the past that were not red flagged. It just wasn't the done thing back then, now it is. Prob part and parcel of the so it we live in these days.
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14-06-2015, 01:10 AM |
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