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Re: Short People

To: "team.net" <autox@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Short People
From: Tom Maycock <tmaycock@interaccess.com>
Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2000 11:51:58 -0500 (CDT)
> We're talking comfort and convenience (and safety). I just don't see
> how removing the mirror is giving someone an unfair advantage - just
> the opposite in the case of cG impaired individuals. And requiring the
> original mirror to be in place when you install a Wink is simply
> ridiculous.
> 

Have to agree with this, and add my thoughts about sun visors.

I'm 6', and drive a Miata. The sun visor blocks about 1" to 1.5" of the
top of the windshield from my view. When I first got the car, I frequently
got a slightly sore neck from continuously scrunching down just a bit to
see traffic lights, avoid that claustrophic feeling of wearing a hat with
too big a brim.

It was a happy day when, a few weeks into Miata ownership, I discovered
just how easy it was to remove the sun visor. My neck has felt better ever
since. If that's not the essence of comfort and convenience, I don't know
what is. 

Thus I would argue that removing sun visors and repositioning interior
rear-view mirrors should also be on an "allowed C&C mod". And, yes, I'm
pretty sure I would feel the same way if I were 5'5" and sun visors
weren't an issue for me. 

For me, the sun visor thing doesn't offer any performance improvement as
best I can tell--that upper 1 inch just doesn't come into play on the
autox course. For some people in some cars, however, I would guess
repositioning the rear-view would make an on-course difference, but its an
"advantage"  that I wouldn't have a problem allowing--I'd much rather err
in favor of keeping course workers from getting run over. 

Just MHO. And I agree that spelling it out specifically in the rules one
way or the other would probably be helpful, even if those rules differed
with my preferences. 

Tom Maycock
Chicago Region BS
'99 Miata 10AE



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