How to hold a flag while working an autocross course...
Such a simple thing, but several have spoken of what not to do, and quite
accurately so. Haven't seen (may have missed it) of "how to", so...
Hold the flag stick, with the cloth of the unfurled flag between your fingers.
All you have to do is open a finger to let the flag fly.
Hide the flag either behind your back or against your leg *downstream* from
the direction the driver will approach your station. You don't want someone
to see it flutter and stop when you never meant them to.
But most important, to reiterate what has been said already, keep it in your
hand ready to fly at a moment's notice. Unlike roadracing, in solo the corner
flagger has the option, even the duty, to flag a car if he perceives an
unsafe situation. Most will agree, better a rerun (even for a bad flagging
decision) than an accident.
That said, a couple of don'ts...
You see a driver spin late in the course, don't feel you have to flag down the
driver just starting out who has 45 seconds of course to run before reaching
the danger zone. Likely the spun driver will be long gone and you save the
rerun.
Don't red flag the driver who has spun out, gone off course, or done some
oither weird thing (including sitting stopped for 60 seconds becuse he hit the
kill switch) but still has a clear course ahead. The course is still his and
the run is still live. Your flag gives him a freebie.
But if in doubt ... throw the flag. Better a rerun than... etc.
--Rocky Entriken
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