I had previously looked throught he changes to the rules and today
downloaded the final changes. One particular one seems to me to need
some additional discusson. It is a good rule abut the words need some
additional comments. That is the one regarding the driver's helmet
support. Here is the part that is odd to me:
" Lateral movement: The/* structure*/ shall provide restriction to
lateral head movement of less than 2" per side by January 1, 2008. See
Section 3.B.1"
I am not tring to be picky here but the use of the word /*structure*/
means, at least to me, the roll cage itself. Not the padding.
/*Structure is load carrying*/ while the padding carries no loads.
Padding only limits the applied force. So if /*structure*/ is the
correct word then less than 2 inches from the roll cage and add SFI
padding to that and we are restricted to maybe an inch or less side
movement. Is that good? Seems like we need to be able to move our heads
around some.
Who should I contact to get a reading on this?
Next, and this one is picky, lol... The same rule says this must be
implemented by January 1, 2008. Don't we really mean the rule is in
effect on January 1, 2008? I suspect that cars will be being modified to
meet lateral movement rule right up until first meet time and certainly
not by January 1, 2008.
And finally, if we are bing so specific as to the wording on the
limiting of head movement, what is going to be used to measure it? Are
all drivers including alternate drivers going to be required at the
first attending meet to get in the car and some sort of gage used to
measure on both sides at once? Will 2.1 inches be allowed? How about
2.05"? The question is how will this actually be measured and when? And
what about an alternate driver who may be smaller in stature and the
helmet is smaller? The /*structure*/ part of the rule is violated here
if it may made to meet the minimum of a larger helmet.
Seems to me that the quoted rule should have said padding may be used to
limit the lateral head movement to less that 2 inches of free travel.
And padding is any roll bar padding but if just the normal roll cage
stuff must be used in conjunction with the sfi stuff.
As I mentioned, this is a good rule but it is goping to be hard to apply
and keep track of and inspect.
Can we get some solid discussion from any of the rules folk in this?
Stuff that will be binding?
mayf.
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