Ferrari Lollipop Man Gone!

[Stuartf12007]

I have'nt seen anyone mention this on the forum, as yet, but at the last grandprix, ferrari adopted a traffic light system instead of the regular lollipop man, this was suspended just above the car.

did you see this?

I can see this being adopted by every team in the pits and eventually being mandatory.


whats your opinion?

[ioan]

It's been some time already.
hey decided to eliminate the human error factor after they saw some other teams trying to pull their fuel pumps using the F1 race cars!

[PSfan]

You know, I'm thinking Ferrari's "Mirror" lollypop maybe be safer then the lights... At least the driver can see when the fuel hose is out... Guy hitting the "green" light can still screw up...

[GP-M3]

Kimi got stuck in the pits for 2 extra seconds on his first stop, just sitting there due to a brief problem with those lights.

They are suppose to be synced with the remove of the fuel rig, but to be honest, I closely watched when the fuel rig was removed, and none of the exits looked particularly quick or syncronized with that event... the lolipop man seemed actually quicker.

In fact, it totally goofed up Steve Matchett who is part of the commentary for Speed TV. He thought Kimi was stationary for a long time and thus took on a bunch of fuel, but he actually was just sitting there and in very careful review of the tape, (a crewman blocked the camera shot just then) you can see the fuel rig came out and he was just sitting. Then Steve estimate Kimi had perhaps 5 laps more fuel on the second stint than Massa, but that wasn't the case at all. So, hopefully they will get them sorted out for the next race, or go back to a lolipop man.

I have'nt seen anyone mention this on the forum, as yet, but at the last grandprix, ferrari adopted a traffic light system instead of the regular lollipop man, this was suspended just above the car.

did you see this?

I can see this being adopted by every team in the pits and eventually being mandatory.


whats your opinion?

[Rollo]

If they installed a press switch in the fuel nozzle itself, that activated the light after it was removed. then human error is entirely quashed.

Increasing the safety of the sport is a good thing.

[Ranger]

If they installed a press switch in the fuel nozzle itself, that activated the light after it was removed. then human error is entirely quashed.

Increasing the safety of the sport is a good thing.

But if that was the case, then it won't account for pit-lane traffic. Not that many people have been penalised for that in the recent past.

[maxu05]

Don't worry too much, the former Ferrari lollipop man has found a new employer at a school crossing in Aberdeen

[wmcot]

Don't worry too much, the former Ferrari lollipop man has found a new employer at a school crossing in Aberdeen

Good one!

[Valve Bounce]

Be funny if there is a failure of the light for whatever reason. But yeah!! the lollipop man getting run over or the driver departing before the fuel nozzle is disengaged is very dangerous. Is there any electronic system to prevent this? without actually actuating the accelerator and engaging the clutch. I mean the guy is prevented from moving forward electronically, and can only engage forward motion after the electronic stop is switched off by the chief mechanic.

[TMorel]

The pump goes in, there's something wrong, they take it out to look at it and try again. The fuel starts pumping. When finished they come to take the pump out but it gets half way and is then stuck, so they push it back in and wiggle it around before it finally comes out.

In that situation, any mechanical switch/sensor on the fuel rig to tell the lights to go green would be having a fit. It'd be flashing so much that Kimi will think he's back in one of his cheesey nightclubs again.

Also, anyone any idea of the ratio of lolipop vs wheelgun vs refueler that gets knocked over when a driver pulls away too soon?