Crash!

[Peter Mallett]

I watched a recording of the British GT round from Brands last week. I was surprised at the amount of contact throughout the race but in particular the reaction of Shane Lynch(?) after he collected a spinning back marker and destroyed his car on the barriers.

Now, this is not in any way a critisism of him or the spinning backmarker but it occurred to me that he was lucky to escape with nothing more than a few bruises *the car was comprehensivelty destroyed). Yet he kept kicking the remains of his car!

So, my question is how do you react when faced with a crash be it either of your own making or caused by someone else. For my part I've been in both situations.

Any thoughts?

[Adam43]

At the end of my first year I had a guy spin in front of me and I collected him. He'd already been off a couple of corners earlier too!

Anyway I chose the wrong way in the little time I had and hit him smack in the back of his car as it turned (no pun intended) out.

My car was about six inches shorter, his about three foot (he'd done a lot of lightening in the boot We were both alright, but I suppose lucky. If I'd have caught him as he was side on instead of from the back it could have bene worse.

I got out and wandered to the marshals. Eventually the race was red flagged (for something else! Our incident caused a black/yellow).

We had to share the ambulance back. Little was said, but what is the point. When filling in the form in the medical centre we had a little wry smile joke about it, but that was it. Overall it was odd, I was worried about the car, the rest of my team, er family, were worried about me! The entire feeling was '**** happens'. Not nice, but eveyone being OK is the most important.

Some people jump and shout. I tend not to I suppose, nothing to gain. Move on. Not a nice time though.

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
how do you react when faced with a crash...

If you mean literally on the way to the crash?

I don't really think anything. Try and sort it out until the envitable and then wait...

My Dad was once went off at Croft and actually flew, all he could think when the car was in the air was "I'm sorry Adam"!

[Peter Mallett]

Good point and my bad English. No I meant the aftermath. And you've described your thoughts.

[Tim Falce]

I have had two, both my fault. On the way I thought 'Sh!t, this is gonna hurt' and afterwards I thought 'that hurt'
Both in the pocket mainly. But hey, poo occurs as they say.

[Lee Yue Yang]

I had one in karts.It involved my cousin.He spun at the exit of a corner and just as I was going to pass him,he decided to get going again and I hit him pretty hard.My first reaction after getting out was to go over and ask him "Are you blind??!!"

[FilW]

Three crashes this year:
1 Snetterton into the tyres at Russell :
Reaction: mmmm that was lucky could have been worse!
2 Donington startline incident with 2 other cars :
Reaction: Do I really need the Ambulance!!
3 Cadwell Into the barrier exiting Barn:
Reaction : B*ll*cks The very nice Marshal let me finish my rant before relieving me of my helmet before I did something silly with it!
More revealing was my reaction to mechanical failure. I consider myself a laid, back easy going guy but the frustration of mechanical gremlins taking away my chance of a finnish seems to bring out the Doctor Jeckyll in me (or is it Mr. Hyde??) Pounding the steering wheel and swearing at the car in my helmet! Hasn't got it going again yet but maybe I'll hit it harder next season!
Anyone else react this way?

[Woolley]

Good advice there. To save money, put your helmet down and then have a rant.

Crazystu tells a great story about a driver who threw his helmet at something. One of the marshals fetched a crowbar, handed it and the helmet to the driver and suggested he finished the job. The driver went behind the hut, beat seven bells out of the helmet, and returned the crowbar with thanks. (Sorry if I didn't get the details right, sut.

Which brings me to the point. As a marshal, I'd like to know what you want from me in this situation as well. I tend to let the poor driver collect his thoughts for a couple of minutes once I know he's ok. I'd be happy if you could include something about this in your explanation.

[Tim Falce]

I'd like to know what you want from me in this situation as well.
Wooley.....Some doughnuts would be nice. I had a heavy shunt this year and hurt my back and chest, the marshals looked after me very well, offered me a drink and couldn't have been more helpful. The only problem was being made to go off in the ambulance after the race. The car wasnt too badly damaged but the **** on the recovery truck lifted my car with the back of the roll cage and the rear engine mount, which ripped the engine off it's mounts and did even more damage to the body and exhaust.

[JustinDawkins]

I tend to be pretty calm, and look at how much damage there is really!

[JimW]

As a marshal I think that most drivers react with surprising good humour or at least fatalistic calm. In similar circumstances I'm sure I would have a hissy fit.

If two drivers stop at my post I do try and get them taken to opposite ends of the banking until we see how they are going to react. I try not give any opportunity for discussion until it is clear that it is not going to turn into abuse or a fight. Only had a couple of those on my post. In one case a driver walked up to the other and punched him very hard - on the helmet. We shouted at them and they separated. While I was writing the report they said sorry, got together and made a joint approach with the attacked party (I couldn't call him the injured one) saying that no action should be taken - please. Took a deep breath, omitted the incident from the report but had a rant at them instead. (And warned that if asked if anything had happened, I would have to come clean. Luckily no-one else complained so nothing more came of it).

Not sure I was right even now. :confused:

Jim

[Bob Pearson]

I take the view that if I can't take being in mine or someone elses accident from time to time then I am in the wrong place.
I sympathise with falcemob, I would advise anyone to accompany the car back to the paddock if at all possible for the reasons he found.

[ss_collins]

Grin - pick up the most intact part of the car and walk back to the paddock.

[Chigley]

Originally posted by ss_collins
Grin - pick up the most intact part of the car and walk back to the paddock.

Would that be the nosecone?

[Andrew Palmer]

Originally posted by FilW

3 Cadwell Into the barrier exiting Barn:
Reaction : B*ll*cks The very nice Marshal let me finish my rant before relieving me of my helmet before I did something silly with it!

Let you finish your rant..... You were so far from the Marshals Post by the time we arrived you had finished. Then again you were swinging it around a bit.

[MikeM]

Most of my accidents have been racing incidents and I feel same as most - **** happens (my wife didn't feel the same way a few times!!) I guess it would be different if someone did something stupid though.

After a big accident I think marshals help by giving you time to "calm down", approach car from the front so you can tell what's happening (in a single seater anyway) and give calm slow instructions so you can understand easily (disorientated, not stupid, I hope!)

I've only had one big one - hit from behind, flat in third and cartwheeled out. Really not pleasant! Excellent treatment from marshals, rescue unit and med centre, couldn't have been better. My question though is how long it takes to get back to previous speed? I've struggled and don't feel that much slower in the car.

[Tim Falce]

My question though is how long it takes to get back to previous speed
It took me until my next race, and I was actualy quicker.

[Woolley]

Thanks MikeM, that fits my usual approach:

1) Get you to a place of safety.
2) Leave you alone for a bit

[FilW]

Originally posted by Andrew Palmer
Let you finish your rant..... You were so far from the Marshals Post by the time we arrived you had finished. Then again you were swinging it around a bit.

Not finished................just getting my second wind! ''

[Dave Brand]

Originally posted by MikeM
After a big accident I think marshals help by giving you time to "calm down", approach car from the front so you can tell what's happening (in a single seater anyway) and give calm slow instructions so you can understand easily (disorientated, not stupid, I hope!)

Wherever possible marshals will approach from the front for a very good reason. A driver who has just been involved in a big accident may well have a neck injury; the natural reaction on hearing a voice is to turn towards it, which could exacerbate an injury.

As for calm, slow instructions.....in my case it's usually because I'm trying to get my breath back after running 10 metres or so!

[flagwaver]

10 metres you marathon man you.
I try not to run that far, but then again I usually arrive in a rescue unit.

[DAVID PATERSON]

Wooley, your approach is ideal, I'd recommend it to all your colleagues.

1. Check the driver is OK.
2. Get him to a safe place.
3. Give him some quiet time to himself.

[Woolley]

I don't claim an credit for that - it's the text book approach, and is the way it's dealt with in training. It's nice to hear from the drivers that that is what is wanted.

[MikeM]

I agree, I said it because it's what I've seen in training and learned that it works first hand

[goforit500]

10 Rules for Perfect Post-Prang Driver Management

1. Do the neccessary - Aproach from the from front etc etc...
2. Get driver to a safe place - Give him ciggy...
3. Look at the wreck, smile wryly, shake head slowly - Give driver ciggy...
4. Don't say "Well, could have been worse" - Give driver ciggy
5. Remove valuable articles from drivers possesion(Helmet etc). Replace with the posts' cuddly toy. Give driver ciggy
6. Don't say "We should stop meeting like this..." Give driver ciggy
7. When driver squats down on his haunches and that faraway look passes over his face remember, he has just totted up the costs and is wondering whether to sell the wife or the kids to pay for the damage. Don't try & sympathise - Give driver ciggy...
8. Don't say "Well, you were going great until...." - Give driver ciggy
9. This is usally a bad time to ask for a donation towards the marshals raffle - You have been warned...Give Driver ciggy
10. Make sure you go and see the driver in the paddock later - Give marshal some ciggies back...