Well put both Bill and Ken. Bill, you are correct that a HANS would not have
saved Bob Hanneman in the incident at Blackhawk. His fatal injuries were not
neck/spinal in nature. That however in no way suggests that a HANS is not a
critical piece of safety equipment. I have had several discussions regarding
the need for or advisability of a proper head restraint system. I am 100%
convinced that it is. Just as all of our fire protection will not protect us
from blunt force trauma injuries, a HANS will not protect us from injury to
our bodies from forces outside of the HANS influence. All of our safety
devices and components including belts, seats and seat mounting, roll
structure, fire suppression, flame and heat protection, arm restraints,
helmet, and head and neck system, not to mention the army of track safety
personnel, are designed to work in concert to produce an all inclusive safety
plan. To leave out any single part of that plan is to leave yourself
needlessly exposed. It simply makes no sense.
Bill, you observations about driving and the vintage spirit are most accurate
and appreciated. The foundational source of most racing incidents is driver
error, or at least failure to drive in such a way that the accident was
avoided in the first place. I have investigated countless incidents and
crashes over the years, and the overwhelming majority were the result of
either driver error or one or more drivers failing to drive defensively.
Having a 360 degree field of awareness, driving in a 100% predictable fashion,
and practicing the vintage motto of "when in doubt, don't" will keep you out
of most incidents. Yes, there are mechanical failures, and yes there are
those circumstances when we cannot avoid someone else's problem or mistake,
but most incidents are self-inflicted or at least the result of contributory
negligence. Only relatively rarely are incidents "unavoidable".
That having been said, we all make mistakes and have lapses in judgement, and
things break either from poor prep, fatigue, or pushing beyond the limits of
generally ancient chassis engineering. That's why we have safety systems.
But there can be no argument that the safest incidents are those that never
occur, and the best use for safety equipment is to never have to use it at
all, but for those situations, regardless of cause, when I find myself in an
incident I want every bit of current safety equipment available working for
me. Every time I replace an out of date set of belts or helmet I say a prayer
of thanks that I get to retire that item from old age, and I never had to rely
on it!
John Houlton
Sent from my iPad
On Oct 14, 2013, at 3:31 PM, BillDentin@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 10/14/2013 2:51:04 PM Central Daylight Time,
> kknight@klaenv.com writes:
>
>
>> If you still are on the fence regarding the purchase of a HANS, or
>> similar
>> device, read Sam Smith's column in Road and Track November, 2013 issue
>> (pg.
>> 32). Racing is a calculated risk, make sure the numbers are in your favor
>> as much as possible. Enough said.
>
> Amici...
>
> I too read that article, and I sure agree it is hard to argue against the
> need to wear a HANS (or similar) when racing. Why not increase the odds
> against serious injury or death. Why not take every precaution you can?
Why
> not indeed? It is foolish not to, and articles like the one Sam Smith wrote
> in the current issue of ROAD & TRACK will help racers come to that
> conclusion.
>
> But in fact, that HANS device is no cart blanch waiver for avoiding injury.
> From what I understand, it would not have prevented serious injury in what
> happened at Blackhawk last June. I was not there, but I understand that
> the driver's head was struck by the wheel of another race car. I am NOT
> speaking against the importance of wearing a head and neck restraint, I am
just
> not sure it would have been a fix in that Formula Vee race at Blackhawk.
But
> I understand why it caused Sam Smith to quickly question his own safety
> equipment habits.
>
> Racing is dangerous. Fangio said that he considered he was taking his life
> in his hand every time he took to the track. But that was NOT his greatest
> fear. He feared causing an incident where another would be injured or
> killed. I kind of share that feeling. Sure I don't want to be injured
myself,
> but I think I would have an even bigger problem having been involved in an
> incident I caused, where someone else was injured. I stopped deer hunting
> not because I was afraid of getting shot, but because I worried about
shooting
> someone else by accident (that happens every year here in Wisconsin).
>
> I think...especially in vintage/historic racing, just as important as the
> need for arm restraints, head & neck restraints, seat belts, roll cages,
fire
> extinguisher, etc., etc., is the need for a good, proper 'Vintage
> attitude'. Because of the huge disparity in equipment and talent in our
sport's race
> grids, there is no room for 10/10ths (or worse 11/10ths) racing.
>
> Wear a HANS (or similar), but also have a good vintage racing attitude.
>
> Bill Dentinger
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