Safety net in monte carlo?

Hi everyone, this is my first post here;

Did anyone notice that the Subarus and Suzukis had a net between the driver and codriver? It's visible in the onboard shots. It looks like a safety feature, but I can't understand in what sort of accident it would be useful and what it would prevent...Anyone have a clue what these are for? I understand window nets -nascar style- are to prevent arms going out of the window when you roll over, but between driver and codriver? I don't get it.

Anyway, you could see that chris atkinson's right elbow was rubbing against the net quite a lot, that must be distracting or uncomfortable.

Also, if it's a safety thing, why don't ford and citroen use them as well?

If anything they should install them on the fords, so gigi can't punch his codriver :D

Funny, I watched the coverage yesterday and thought the same thing, and was going to start a thread myself this morning - you beat me too it...

Official explanation:

The first target was to minimise the energy forces on the occupants of the car during a collision. This is achieved through greater survival space as well as energy absorbing material and a load spreading door cage.

The next priority was strengthening the driver’s seat to improve head, shoulder and pelvic support. The seat is important because it is the main connection between the driver’s body and the car. It also provides the last line of protection should an accident occur.

The safety nets, still under development with the teams, will be placed along the centre-line of the car, between the driver and co driver, in order to limit the excursion of the occupants, and prevent them impacting each other during a violent impact or roll.

The belt positions have been specified to create optimised belt strap geometry and angles which ensure the torso is efficiently and equally restrained by each of the straps of the safety harness.

The load spreading door system will increase the strength of the car in the region of the front doors, and will reduce the intrusion during a side impact accident.

By introducing these measures in stages, the rally teams are able to incorporate them more easily into the designs of their car.

Much of the research was conducted in co-operation with Peugeot and Prodrive, with engineering design by the Subaru World Rally Team. A high-g sled at DEKRA was commissioned for development testing where it was demonstrated that a high velocity 70g side impact could be survived without serious injury.

Yeah, I saw the nets as well and thought about asking here on the forum, but then I saw a thread with all the info about it from last week. :)

I think Gigi's co-driver should be lobbying very very hard to have those center nets put in the Focus....

With nets between them, could the driver and co-driver still communicate with hand signals should the intercom fail?

Nets are in case if driver and codriver want to have funny evening and go fishing with the car :D

i rally and from the looks of it those nets would soo annoy me.. i think it causes more stress lets say one side u cant get out of and u have to crawl over the other side..now u got a net to navigate over

Pretty useless if you ask me. Can't remember anyone getting seriously hurt when something flew around after a crash (let alone a driver or codriver). Erki is quite right about the handsignals, which could be necessary when intercom failes. And what about onboard camera's between the drivers seats?

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Originally Posted by Josti

Pretty useless if you ask me. Can't remember anyone getting seriously hurt when something flew around after a crash (let alone a driver or codriver). Erki is quite right about the handsignals, which could be necessary when intercom failes. And what about onboard camera's between the drivers seats?

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I agree Josti. It is also a political decision, a money question! Someone will make money...... F.I.A. maybe :?: :s mokin:

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Originally Posted by Barry_

i rally and from the looks of it those nets would soo annoy me.. i think it causes more stress lets say one side u cant get out of and u have to crawl over the other side..now u got a net to navigate over

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Indeed. What's when the car has rolled onto one side?

I believe it's not only useless, but also it's seems unconfortable for both driver and codriver. The net would go all over you in a hard or fast turn.

It seems to have more cons than pros.

Less sideways action this way too. ;(

The crazy thing about the netting is that, as I understand it, on the Friday before Monte, the FIA withdrew the proposed rule... so the teams had installed the "safety feature" but it was ultimately not required.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Erki

Indeed. What's when the car has rolled onto one side?

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What if the the car had rolled onto its side and it was on fire?
How long would it take to remove the net?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Langdale Forest

What if the the car had rolled onto its side and it was on fire?
How long would it take to remove the net?

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Take a look of this pic, there seems to be a clip in the middle so it should not take too long time to remove it ...

http://www.jarimattilatvala.net/gall...tynet2008a.jpg

i think it doesnt help to prevent from injuries just one balast more

Aren't the seat belts supposed to hold the crew in their seats and therefore stop them from hitting each other in an accident? If the accident was so severe that the seats broke and they started tumbling around the cockpit, I think that hitting each other would be the least of their worries.

When a car rolls and stop over the side, i can se a net as somehing to put things more dificult to leave the car fast.