Rally Spectator Safety

[dcarlson2099]

Hello all, I'm currently a freshman studying motorsports engineering at IUPUI.
As part of an English assignment I'm required to gather information about safety opinions regarding rally. I tried posting in the rally forum, but I don't have permission to do that.

I would greatly appreciate anyone who takes the time to respond, feel free to provide additional input other than just answering the questions.

What do you think of the current safety measures in most rally events regarding the spectators? Are they well protected? How is the crowd control? Are they usually standing too close to the track?

What would you say in response to the following possible solutions regarding increasing spectator safety in rallying, both in regards to WRC events and smaller events.

-Barriers placed along the entire length of designated spectator areas
-Some sort of security force in addition to the marshals
- Marshals and emergency operators who are required to take a certification test before they can work at a rally

Thanks very much!

[Mark]

Why can't you post in the rally forum?

[Bolton Midnight]

What do you think of the current safety measures in most rally events regarding the spectators? Are they well protected? How is the crowd control? Are they usually standing too close to the track?

What would you say in response to the following possible solutions regarding increasing spectator safety in rallying, both in regards to WRC events and smaller events.

-Barriers placed along the entire length of designated spectator areas
-Some sort of security force in addition to the marshals
- Marshals and emergency operators who are required to take a certification test before they can work at a rally

Thanks very much!

Satisfactory in view of what they pay (usually nowt in the UK)
Not really
Bare minimum
Yes too close

Barriers - way too costly
Professional security - again too costly
Registered marshals - already have this in UK as much use as a chocolate teapot

The crews are spending enough already, fans must foot the bill for their own safety or go elsewhere they are nothing but a nuisance to the sport.

[Dave B]

All your own opinion, which of course you're entitled to, but I'd be interested in your rationale for posting:

Registered marshals - already have this in UK as much use as a chocolate teapot

Seems more than a little reactionary to me.

[Bolton Midnight]

I am one, nobody checked my abilities.

It is not policed at all, I just get my marshal's licence through the post, nobody asks what have I done recently and am I still up to scratch re new rules to carry the grade I do.

Complete and utter waste of time.

[ShiftingGears]

Hello all, I'm currently a freshman studying motorsports engineering at IUPUI.
As part of an English assignment I'm required to gather information about safety opinions regarding rally. I tried posting in the rally forum, but I don't have permission to do that.

I would greatly appreciate anyone who takes the time to respond, feel free to provide additional input other than just answering the questions.

What do you think of the current safety measures in most rally events regarding the spectators? Are they well protected? How is the crowd control? Are they usually standing too close to the track?

What would you say in response to the following possible solutions regarding increasing spectator safety in rallying, both in regards to WRC events and smaller events.

-Barriers placed along the entire length of designated spectator areas
-Some sort of security force in addition to the marshals
- Marshals and emergency operators who are required to take a certification test before they can work at a rally

Thanks very much!

I feel that there should be recommended safe areas, which spectators should be encouraged to go to if that is their primary concern, but for those who want to get closer to the stages than others, that is their own perogative (subject to the danger experienced by the rally participants).

[Bolton Midnight]

I feel that there should be recommended safe areas, which spectators should be encouraged to go to if that is their primary concern, but for those who want to get closer to the stages than others, that is their own perogative (subject to the danger experienced by the rally participants).

And when they get mowed down they will sue as they were in the safe area.

Charge them at least £20 per stage.

[MrJan]

Charge them at least £20 per stage.

That's the spirit, kill off a dying sport.

The level of spectator safety depends on the event, some are better than others, some go too far. Something like the Sunseeker always seem to be a bit OTT, steering you into very small spectator areas in crap places to watch. On the flip side the event also seems to attract a lot of idiots/fairweather rally fans that have no regard for their own safety...so the high level of crowd control is probably warranted.

At RallyGB the other week it seemed like it was quite strict with areas being cordoned off as prohibited areas, the thing is that these areas were out of sight of marshals, so were just ignored. The advantage of a rally that size is that there are a couple of passes by cars/officials before the stage goes live. Of course the downside of that is that once they;ve passed people are free to do what they want. One example can be seen in this photo:

IMG_3171 by Jan Yeo, on Flickr

The reason he's running wide (I believe) can be seen in the background, a guy right on the apex of the corner taking photos. After this car the chap moved, to the apex of another corner, but soon moved on from there when someone pointed out that he was probably at fault for the near accident in the photo.

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[Andrewmcm]

Rally spectator safety: Don't stand on the outside of corners. Centripetal force is not your friend.

Also, don't stand right on the apex of corners like that clown taking the photo in the picture above.