Paul Osnes wrote:
>
> I don't know who he was, or if he's on the list, but I'd like to
> express my heartfelt thanks to the corner worker nearest the start
> line at last Saturday's practice in San Diego. The story is simple
> enough.
>
> My green Miata was a car behind an older gentleman who was driving a
> copper colored VW Bug. The starter gave him a good lead, then let the
> car ahead of me go, and then it was my turn. The course started with
> a short straight which lead to a 180 degree right hand turn. I'd
> accelerated and was looking to the right for my brake point when out
> of the left corner of my eye I spotted a corner worker waving the red
> flag and running at me. I got off the throttle and had just enough
> time to think "what the #*#*#*!" when I saw the VW.
This is really great to hear. For a couple of reasons. Namely as an
important reminder for all of us who work the course, shag cones, and
start cars. STAY ALERT. It's really easy to get lazy hanging out on
course watching the cars take the same turn over and over and over
again. Adding to this, is that it should be a reminder for anyone who
works a flagging position. Always have that flag in your hand. Don't
just lie it down on the ground and then grab it if needed. That time it
take to pick up that flag could make all of the difference. I'll bet it
did for Paul, and I'll bet he's thankful for it too, not to mention the
poor VW driver who got lost and didn't know what to do. He/She was
probably a new driver, and it would certainly do them no good to have
some rippin' miata come smacking into them at their first event. Is it
likely that they might collided? Maybe, maybe not. But the fact that
this was but a minor annoyance to a few drivers, and not an incident
report is a good thing for all of us.
<end safety steward mode>
As Sgt. Esterhaus always said:
"Hey, let's be careful out there!"
And as Charles Da Mar once said:
"Go really really fast. When something gets in your way, turn!"
-Josh2
--
Joshua Hadler '74 914 2.0 CSP/Bi - Hooligan Racing #29 - CONIVOR
'87 Quantum Syncro - aka stealth quattro
jhadler@rmi.net
http://rainbow.rmi.net/~jhadler/
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