New Blue Book

[John Newman]

My new Blue Book has arrived. Whoopie! For some unknown reason the references to flag signals have been changed from section G to section Q.
Why?
When I get the opportunity, or I am bored, I shall change the references on http://www.flag-marshal.org.uk In the meanwhile rest assured that there are no (immediately) apparent changes to the regs!!!!!!!!!!!!

[brickkicker]

It seems that they have moved everything around in the blue book, guess it keeps everyone on there toes. For anyone who is interested the blue book can be viewed online at the MSA website so you can print any bits that are interested in

[The Fat Clerk]

The whole idea of moving everything around the Blue Book every couple of years is to confuse the Clerks & Stewards - boy does it work!

[Bryan Degerlund]

Anyone else notice the serious misprint in the Safety Car regs -- Appendix 2, para:1.8? Slapped wrist to the proof-reader.

[Woolley]

The recent 'Marshal' indicated some changed of interpretation of the Blue Flag from advisory to instruction (if I read it correctly). Has the Blue Book changed, and if so, what affect will it have on the marshal's decision to use the blue if that may have an element of compulsion included?

[Guinness2702]

Originally Posted by Bryan Degerlund

Anyone else notice the serious misprint in the Safety Car regs -- Appendix 2, para:1.8? Slapped wrist to the proof-reader.

Do share....not all of us have one of these.

[deley]

Originally Posted by Woolley

The recent 'Marshal' indicated some changed of interpretation of the Blue Flag from advisory to instruction (if I read it correctly). Has the Blue Book changed, and if so, what affect will it have on the marshal's decision to use the blue if that may have an element of compulsion included?

14.4. A car alone on the track may use the full width of the track. however, as soon as it is caught by a car which is about to lap it the driver must allow the faster driver past at the first possible opportunity. If the driver who has been caught does not seem to make full use of the rear-view mirrors, flag marshals will display waved blue flags to indicate that the faster driver wants to overtake. Any driver who appears to ignore the blue flags will be reported to the Clerk of Course.

[Bryan Degerlund]

Originally Posted by Guinness2702

Do share....not all of us have one of these.

1.8 "While the safety car is in operation, competing cars
may enter the pit lane, but may only rejoin the track [missing text] to
pass or are passing the pit exit. A car re-joining the
track must proceed at an appropriate speed until it
reaches the end of the line of cars behind the Safety
Car."
1.9. The Safety Car will remain in operation until at least

[Aardvaark]

Re blue flag rule, how will a flag marshal on a flag point remote from the box, without means of direct communication with the Clerk (normal clubbie situation), report the misdemeanour? Semaphore to the observer (sorry, post chief!) in the box! And what happens if the passing is permitted some way past, and out of sight, of both flag marshal and post chief. "Appears" is never a good word in a rule - too much room for opinion, plausible explanation and evasion. Reading the rule, it is unnecessary - either a driver ignores the blue flag or he/she doesn't - IMHO it's usually blindingly obvious when the blue flag has been ignored.

[Steve Tarrant]

Originally Posted by Aardvaark

Re blue flag rule, how will a flag marshal on a flag point remote from the box, without means of direct communication with the Clerk (normal clubbie situation), report the misdemeanour? Semaphore to the observer (sorry, post chief!) in the box! And what happens if the passing is permitted some way past, and out of sight, of both flag marshal and post chief.

Make a note of it in your notepad, with the time on your watch, and report it to the post chief at the end of the session. You get a minimum of 5-10 minutes even with the shortest of breaks between sessions.

And if it's out of sight, then you can't report it, even if you suspect something. Only report what you see!!!!

[John Newman]

A haa, when I read the section about marshals, all references are about "observers", not "post chiefs"!
Personally I was not that bothered about the change of title, but I would have thought that the instigators wuuld have amneded their text.
Such is life in motorsport, the dim rule.

[John Newman]

Originally Posted by Bryan Degerlund

1.8 "While the safety car is in operation, competing cars
may enter the pit lane, but may only rejoin the track [missing text] to
pass or are passing the pit exit. A car re-joining the
track must proceed at an appropriate speed until it
reaches the end of the line of cars behind the Safety
Car."
1.9. The Safety Car will remain in operation until at least

So what dictator is responsible for this potentially huge cock up? Come a race day there will be all sorts of arguments and threatened law suits.
Own up in print Sir!

[brickkicker]

Originally Posted by Guinness2702

Do share....not all of us have one of these.

The blue book can be seen in full on the MSA website, the link below should take you to the index.
Blue book

[Bryan Degerlund]

Originally Posted by brickkicker

The blue book can be seen in full on the MSA website, the link below should take you to the index.
Blue book

see page 277, para: 1.8.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by John Newman

A haa, when I read the section about marshals, all references are about "observers", not "post chiefs"!

There are also references to "flag marshals"!

[deley]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

There are also references to "flag marshals"!

errr ... wouldn't that be a marshal with a flag? - just an idea

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by deley

errr ... wouldn't that be a marshal with a flag? - just an idea

Shhh now, don't bring your common sense along to the whining and moaning thread...

Let's not start running away with the moaning eh boys?

[TerryD]

I haven't worn out the old blue book(2009) yet! It has been down the back of my overalls a few times though?????

[Bryan Degerlund]

Originally Posted by Piglet

Shhh now, don't bring your common sense along to the whining and moaning thread...

Let's not start running away with the moaning eh boys?

...not a moan about "moaners". surely??

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by Bryan Degerlund

...not a moan about "moaners". surely??

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by Piglet

Let's not start running away with the moaning eh boys?

. . . and let's not lose our sense of humour!

[Piglet]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

. . . and let's not lose our sense of humour!

Nope, I've still got mine here with me...

[m1fcf]

OK - on to another rule (1.15 of Appendix 2 - Safety Car)

----------------
1.15. Should it be necessary to stop a race during a Safety Car deployment the Safety Car, with all competing vehicles following, will pass through the red flag at the start/finish line, complete one further lap at reduced speed and then, once the Safety Car comes to a stop at a position indicated by the Safety Car observer (which will usually be either the grid or Parc Fermé), all competing cars must stop behind it unless otherwise directed.
----------------

Please tell me I am reading this wrong, in that, cars will complete a full lap under a Red Flag, instead of coming to a stop as soon as possible on the Grid or at Parc Ferme?

[TerryD]

Please tell me I am reading this wrong, in that, cars will complete a full lap under a Red Flag, instead of coming to a stop as soon as possible on the Grid or at Parc Ferme?[/QUOTE]

Sounds dangerous to me!

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by m1fcf

OK - on to another rule (1.15 of Appendix 2 - Safety Car)

----------------
1.15. Should it be necessary to stop a race during a Safety Car deployment the Safety Car, with all competing vehicles following, will pass through the red flag at the start/finish line, complete one further lap at reduced speed and then, once the Safety Car comes to a stop at a position indicated by the Safety Car observer (which will usually be either the grid or Parc Fermé), all competing cars must stop behind it unless otherwise directed.
----------------

Please tell me I am reading this wrong, in that, cars will complete a full lap under a Red Flag, instead of coming to a stop as soon as possible on the Grid or at Parc Ferme?

The important bit here is that it is a red AFTER safety car deployment. Field should already be "safe" behind the SC.