[LM24] Name Your FIVE Most Essential Items for Le Mans

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

You're taking them all with you Mal? Marvelous, I hope you have a big motor and you're looking forward to some interesting debate on the drive down!

Olivier Quesnel and Dr Ulrich would be engaged in a private conversation of their own, extolling the virtues of diesel engines, whilst both claiming that they were flat out at the Test Day and had nothing in reserve.

TK would sit there, silent, beaming at everyone, nodding in agreement with everything Dr U said..

Henri would deafen you with complaints about equivalence - or the lack of it

Hugh Chamberlain would be an absorbing, entertaining travelling companion

[Victor_RO]

Martin Short and Paul Truswell!

[Aysedasi]

That'll please Paul (with whom I have just exchanged emails.....!)

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by PascaLM

No one has mentioned ears protections yet ; good point !

Yes, some protection is needed (for the petrols!). They also mean that you can hear Paul Truswell better.

Originally Posted by Victor_RO

Martin Short and Paul Truswell!

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Yes, some protection is needed (for the petrols!). They also mean that you can hear Paul Truswell better.

Or is the ear protection so that you can't hear the air horns or air rifle shots?

[Aysedasi]

I've personally never believed in ear protection and have never (ever) worn earplugs or defenders - I love the noise of the engines far too much - however my new radio headphones actually do that job!

The only time I've ever been at a circuit and wished I had earplugs was the European Grand Prix in 1985 - when the noise of the Lotuses (Loti?) seemed staggeringly loud....!

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I've personally never believed in ear protection and have never (ever) worn earplugs or defenders - I love the noise of the engines far too much - however my new radio headphones actually do that job!

The only time I've ever been at a circuit and wished I had earplugs was the European Grand Prix in 1985 - when the noise of the Lotuses (Loti?) seemed staggeringly loud....!

The noise is usually something I want to hear - e.g. the four rotor Mazda or the grunt of a big V8, but I recall that the Panoz of some years ago made for distinctly uncomfortable listening - to the extent it was stressed by some in our group that it was a Pain-oz

[Adam43]

I love the noise, but it can hurt! I would also like to keep hearing the noise too!

[Simmi]

Heard on RLM that the new Aston leaves a big of a ringing in the ears.

---Cue joke about only having to put it with it for a couple of hours---

[chunder]

haha

5 essential Le Mans things?

1 another race track
2 Others cars

I can cut it down to just two!

[SALEEN S7R]

Not that I have been to Le Mans before, but this is what I take to a normal race meeting and would also take to Le Mans, in no particular order.

1: Car (for sleeping and charging portable devices etc)
2: Internet tablet/phone
3: first aid kit
4: wallet
5: wet weather clothing

[Gingers4Justice]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Can I change my list to include air rifle to shoot people with air horns?

Also Ginger, I think you mean Autosport "guide" pamphlet.

Ahhh, one of those types who would rather the race was run in silence

I love the airhorns, as long as you're not near one. Adds to that pre-race hype and the atmosphere. I agree, it's not too pleasant if you're right near one...thats why you bring your own so you're in control of the noise

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by SALEEN S7R

Not that I have been to Le Mans before, but this is what I take to a normal race meeting and would also take to Le Mans, in no particular order.

1: Car (for sleeping and charging portable devices etc)
2: Internet tablet/phone
3: first aid kit
4: wallet
5: wet weather clothing

Wet weather clothing will be superfluous at Le Mans this year, won't it Ayse?

[Le Vieux]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Ahhh, one of those types who would rather the race was run in silence

I love the airhorns, as long as you're not near one. Adds to that pre-race hype and the atmosphere. I agree, it's not too pleasant if you're right near one...thats why you bring your own so you're in control of the noise

There are some noises which are "natural" to an event - the sound of the cars on the track obviously is one* and we could include the cheering of a crowd at a football match (though perhaps not at Rockingham Road ). Air horns, the incoherent, over-excited babbling of the French p/a system, interspersed with excessively loud pop music and late-night concerts are not what I want to be forced to listen to when trackside.


* In 1986, while fast asleep at Arnage (sorry Ayse), I was woken by the lack of noise from the track when the pace car came out in the middle of the night following Jo Gartner's fatal accident

[nobster]

Originally Posted by Gingers4Justice

Ahhh, one of those types who would rather the race was run in silence

I love the airhorns, as long as you're not near one. Adds to that pre-race hype and the atmosphere. I agree, it's not too pleasant if you're right near one...thats why you bring your own so you're in control of the noise

You love the airhorns, as long as you're not near one, but then you bring your own horn....that makes you the nearest to a horn as you can be!

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Mal

1 Henri Pescarolo
2 Hugh Chamberlain
3 TK
4 Dr Ullrich
5 Oliver Quesnal

Nice choices, but you have a driver and no car

Was thinking 5x Audi R18's... Although only one will be necessary to win...

[Steptoe]

1. A classic or vintage British sportscar to get there in
2. Beer
3. Radio
4. Sleeping Bag
5. A severe case of insomnia for 5 days

[Trussers]

Ayse drew my attention to this thread recently... and I am flattered by Victor's suggestion - I would love to share the journey with Martin Short - but who are your other three?

For myself, my list would be:
1) Sun hat (the early morning sun is straight in your eyes looking out from the Tribune)
2) "The bag" - contains: Notebook, pens, pencils, eraser, highlighters, pocket calculator, stopwatch, binoculars (this is my sneaky way of getting more than five things on the list)
3) "The library" - contains: every reference book I think I might need, although nowadays a laptop and internet connection renders it largely redundant.
4) A bottle of Windolene and a cloth for wiping the windows
5) A packet of wet wipes to remove the grime that builds up during the race - I can't abide sticky fingers!

Although it is interesting to compare this with my "must have" list when I first used to go as a spectator: (1) toilet roll, (2) camera, (3) water canister, (4) road map and (5) "the bag" - see above... it's always gone everywhere with me!

Good thread, though... and good to see you all still enthusiastic on here!

[Truckosaurus]

Originally Posted by Trussers

4) A bottle of Windolene and a cloth for wiping the windows

I can't help be reminded of the cult classic film "Clerks" where there is speculation that a customer buying the above items is a "nudie booth cleaner".

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Trussers

Ayse drew my attention to this thread recently... and I am flattered by Victor's suggestion - I would love to share the journey with Martin Short - but who are your other three?

For myself, my list would be:
1) Sun hat (the early morning sun is straight in your eyes looking out from the Tribune)
2) "The bag" - contains: Notebook, pens, pencils, eraser, highlighters, pocket calculator, stopwatch, binoculars (this is my sneaky way of getting more than five things on the list)
3) "The library" - contains: every reference book I think I might need, although nowadays a laptop and internet connection renders it largely redundant.
4) A bottle of Windolene and a cloth for wiping the windows
5) A packet of wet wipes to remove the grime that builds up during the race - I can't abide sticky fingers!

Although it is interesting to compare this with my "must have" list when I first used to go as a spectator: (1) toilet roll, (2) camera, (3) water canister, (4) road map and (5) "the bag" - see above... it's always gone everywhere with me!

Good thread, though... and good to see you all still enthusiastic on here!

Regarding #3 how did you manage to haul around a copy of "Time and Two Seats" along with everything else?

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Le Vieux

* In 1986, while fast asleep at Arnage (sorry Ayse), I was woken by the lack of noise from the track when the pace car came out in the middle of the night following Jo Gartner's fatal accident

Man, I remember that. I wasn't asleep (of course), although I was sitting in the car in the garage rouge at the time. It was my first Le Mans. As they said on the Duke Video at the time, 'An eery silence blankets Le Mans.....'. Makes me shiver even to this day.

[GT6]

The sudden lack of noise had the same effect on me in the past but now days take ear plugs not for wearing while watching but so that i can grab a free hours sleep before getting up to watch the dawn break

[Aysedasi]

I'm not prepared to comment any further when people use the 'S'-word......

[Trussers]

Originally Posted by isynge

Regarding #3 how did you manage to haul around a copy of "Time and Two Seats" along with everything else?

Not only Time and Two Seats, but also now the new 3 volume "Encyclopedie", featuring a picture of every car to take part in the race from 1923 - 2010. Anyone here got a copy yet?

[isynge]

Originally Posted by Trussers

Not only Time and Two Seats, but also now the new 3 volume "Encyclopedie", featuring a picture of every car to take part in the race from 1923 - 2010. Anyone here got a copy yet?

Been trying to justify expense since seeing its release. Suspect all it will require is a weak moment and a credit card...