[LM24] OK, So What Do We Talk About Between Last Year's Le Mans and Next Year's.....?

[CTD]

Originally Posted by batmobile

I read this on the net but no real information. I read they would build a public road from the gravel trap at Indianapolis to perhaps a roundabout near the Arnage curve to make the crossroad less dangerous. Even if the drivers are dangerous not the road! But there are lot of local actions asking to secure this crossroad and it seems they won their battle.I'll try to verify and get some informations.

Perfect! Thank you soo much Eric!
Having you as an inside mans adds a great deal of value to the forum

[batmobile]

Someone tried to draw on a map how this part of the track could be modified.

http://www.zimagez.com/zimage/indianapolis-arnage.php

[GT6]

If the new road follows that route it would be useless during the race, i was hoping it might help the congestion seen during the race

[batmobile]

Originally Posted by GT6

Itf the new road follows that route it would be useless during the race, i was hoping it might help the congestion seen during the race

Agree

[nobster]

Total waist of money!

[Simmi]

So looks like it could potentially effect spectator viewing at Arnage.

Will wait for something more official before getting too worried.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by GT6

If the new road follows that route it would be useless during the race, i was hoping it might help the congestion seen during the race

I presume it would be closed off during the race?

[GT6]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I presume it would be closed off during the race?

It will have to be as it connects to the track if that drawing is correct

[valedave]

If the reason for building an extra road is the danger at that crossroads, can't they just put in a set of traffic lights or something?

[Gingers4Justice]

Please, please can this not involve chopping down half the trees in France! We've already lost enough at that part of the track.

[GT6]

Yes the french around Le mans seem to love the chance to swing and axe of fire up the chainsaw

[whitemr2]

After many years of taking video and pictures I am deciding on NOT bringing them this year and only use my phone for some snapshots and memories. I am hoping it gives me the chance to take more of the energie in LM and what happens during the week. Would that be a wise descision?

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by whitemr2

After many years of taking video and pictures I am deciding on NOT bringing them this year and only use my phone for some snapshots and memories. I am hoping it gives me the chance to take more of the energie in LM and what happens during the week. Would that be a wise descision?

I think so. You might take a camera again, but you never know until you try it. At Silverstone the other weekend, I enjoyed the WEC race more than the ELMS and followed it much more closely by a.) not trying to walk the whole circuit and b.) not trying to get the perfect shot of my favourite car.

[Mal]

For a couple of years I did not bring a camera. It helps you soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the moment rather than rushing to get a snap.

This year I am bringing my son and he will take charge of the camera so it will be the best of both worlds for me.

[GT6]

i have not taken a camera for years now, other people take much better pictures than me and that way i can watch the cars/race/people

[Simmi]

I think at a race as long as 24 hours it's possible to both soak up the atmosphere and fire off some shots.

You've got what, 35 hours of track time to play with during the week. And that's just for the main field.

Even if you got the camera out for a single hour you'd still capture most of the field and have some photos to keep. It actually helps me stay a bit more focused during the race to get the camera out for 20mins and concentrate a bit.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I think at a race as long as 24 hours it's possible to both soak up the atmosphere and fire off some shots.

You've got what, 35 hours of track time to play with during the week. And that's just for the main field.

Even if you got the camera out for a single hour you'd still capture most of the field and have some photos to keep. It actually helps me stay a bit more focused during the race to get the camera out for 20mins and concentrate a bit.

I feel the same way. It keeps the mind spinning while listening to RLM and the cars.

[Aysedasi]

I've said for many years that I want to spend less time with a viewfinder pressed to my eye. Every year I fail. It's almost an addiction - once the cars come out on track I feel the urge to snap away. As a result, I end up with hundreds of shots that look exactly like hundreds of shots I took last year and the year before that and......

This year I'm planning to concentrate more on video - although I did take quite a lot of that last year - and looking for more of those 'atmospheric' shots.... But not taking a camera? No, I just couldn't do that.......

[lemansfan]

Andrew , most important Thing is to Keep your Eyes open to find new Places . Try several times to go without the Cam but the result is that i always take the Cam with me

[nobster]

so many cameras out there, so many pictures look the same but who cares, I like to take pictures and try to find some new spot to try every year.

[valedave]

Couldn't leave my camera behind... As has been said, it gives me a little break from the action, keeps the mind active during the night, too. For me it's not about the cars (there are hundreds of people with AA lanyards and €4k cameras that will be able to get better shots than I ever will), more using them as a backdrop for the bigger picture. Favourite photographer in this vein is Dan Bathie from DSC/l'endurance (and the other l'endurance guys, too) - check out this review of 2013, amazing. That's what I'm talking about.

Last year I got given an old Praktica (East German) film camera and found a tonne of expired film at a flea market. Been addicted to analogue photography ever since so that's coming to LM this year. Just need to make sure I remember to take a few shots with the DSLR as well.

[Aysedasi]

That's a good point there Dave about photography keeping you active during the night. As one of those who just has to see the whole of the night, taking pictures (even though I know they'll be rubbish ) does stop me from sitting down and falling asleep. There is the advantage of course these days of being able to take hundreds of shots without having to worry about the costs of developing and printing. I remember my last year of using film - the D&P cost me £90 - and that was a long time ago now!

[valedave]

I've budgeted for it Can't quite remember what I paid the last time, but I think it was around €3 / film (with prints).

[wewantourdarbyback]

I don't feel having the camera on me affects how I follow or enjoy the race and atmosphere, I take about a thousand shots (a lot of which get deleted) and that takes up two or three hours in total of the whole week if you sum up the total time I have the viewfinder to my eye.

But you'll never know unless you try it, and it can't harm so go for it.


As for Arnage, that potential route wouldn't affect the viewing area as much as destroying the camping, where would that relocate to?

[bella]

i find the camera doesn't reduce my enjoyment of the race, just changes how you're watching it, but having friends does. that sounds rude. and also a bit sad. but i'm kind of used to getting really absorbed in the races. with friends there it's quite hard!

(also: cameras are fun but they're really heavy if you're carrying reasonable glass. so mine comes out relatively little at le mans, and my toy dslr comes to play instead )