Pit lane speeds

[TSR]

Just a thought watching the lastest race from Bahrain. With all tracks having a 40kph pit lane speed, why not have varoius pit lane speed for 2009 with tracks like Bahrain, Bathurst, Indy ( I know it already does ), or any other track with BIG new pit lanes.

F1 and INDY, DTM and NASCAR all have different pit lane speed pending on the pits, so why not the so-called best touring car sereis ( According to the Black Wiggle ).


Just a thought.

[Trevor]

The others you list are European and American who do not live under the same Risk Managment Regime and OH&S Contraints as we do in Australia, if it is decided to have 40km/h at a track then whoa behold anyone who decided to up it.

This is about the safety of the many many people who frequent pit lane and not just the teams.

If someone was injured at say 60km/h pit lane limit, there would be an outcry from the Authorities saying, "it is OK to have 40 here, here and here, but not here, why the difference"? and "you have decided through a risk managment process that it should be 40, then why would you increase the risk for other events?"

In fact once V8SA introduced 40km/h, it foced many tracks to review thier pit lane limits, it is about risk managment, if it is OK for that category, then it has to be OK for all categories.

[PVDA]

It's interesting Trev that when the tracks and VE$A did their investigations that the 40km/h starting point is often in a different location. For example at Winton the 40 zone starts at the pit entry "gate" for every event except the V8 round where it is moved to before the left hander in the entry road.

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by PVDA

It's interesting Trev that when the tracks and VE$A did their investigations that the 40km/h starting point is often in a different location. For example at Winton the 40 zone starts at the pit entry "gate" for every event except the V8 round where it is moved to before the left hander in the entry road.

I have always wondered that too, it really is a very low risk area outside the gate, maybe it is more about fund raising for the v8's.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Big_Trev

The others you list are European and American who do not live under the same Risk Managment Regime and OH&S Contraints as we do in Australia, if it is decided to have 40km/h at a track then whoa behold anyone who decided to up it.

I can't see the H&S constraints being that much worse in Australia than it is here. Is this really so much worse in Australia than Europe and America?

[Trevor]

The penalties are very very high for non-complaince, the system in Australia is based around AS4801 or BS18001 (or British Standard 18001)

The system here is based on a risk management approach. A couple of years ago the Victorian Government were trying to link work place death responsibility to the Crimes Act which would have meant that non-compliant bosses could be charged with murder.

The American OHS system is very prescriptive, whereas the Australian and English system is about Management Responsibility.

[RotorFan]

Well at Indy they have the 105 km/h or whatever speed limit in the Indy pits. Is that risk management?

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Big_Trev

The penalties are very very high for non-complaince, the system in Australia is based around AS4801 or BS18001 (or British Standard 18001)

The system here is based on a risk management approach. A couple of years ago the Victorian Government were trying to link work place death responsibility to the Crimes Act which would have meant that non-compliant bosses could be charged with murder.

The American OHS system is very prescriptive, whereas the Australian and English system is about Management Responsibility.

Over here H&S is often attributed to a facist regime! I'm sorry if you have something even worse.

Having said that I raced at Castle Combe a few weeks ago. The normal pit lane speed limit was 15mph (24km/h)! We had a mandatory pit lane speed limit and our organisers got the limit raised to a wopping 30mph. To be fair it was narrow at a couple of points.

[Crash Test]

Originally Posted by RotorFan

Well at Indy they have the 105 km/h or whatever speed limit in the Indy pits. Is that risk management?

Going through the big wide empty Indycar pit lane is fair enough...

[NewsStalker]

There is also another MAJOR difference with Indy and almost every other form of motor sport - they do not have anyone standing in pit lane watching cars go by. They don't come over the WALL until the car is in. F1, V8's etc all have people AND equipment littered throughout pit lane all the time.

Big difference!

[Trevor]

Originally Posted by RotorFan

Well at Indy they have the 105 km/h or whatever speed limit in the Indy pits. Is that risk management?

That is THEIR form of Risk Management, no-one will argue with it until it goes pear shaped, then they will have to answer questions like "well the V8's have 40km/h, why don't you?", then sit back and watch the **** happen.

Just out of interest, do the Indy Cars when in Australia come under the CAMS auspice, or do they bring their own sanctioning?

[NewsStalker]

Indycars do not run under CAMS or FIA at any time. Technically when CART/Champcar/Indy were on the track it was a complete changeover in race control (well, since CAMS forced their way in at least - during the Jane years comms etc remained to assist, but they still had all of their own personnel).