2 wave aborted start question

[Frank Roberts]

If you jump the start, don't you just continue around the racetrack - racing - until/if you get the meatball flag and proceed accordingly...? I don't see why they would turn around, not knowing if the rest of the grid behind them was being released or delayed. So, they jumped the start for the novice wave and THEN they thought they were signaled to move off grid with the stalled rider? It looks like they just did it on their own...is that not correct?

[James Newton]

If you jump the start, don't you just continue around the racetrack - racing - until/if you get the meatball flag and proceed accordingly...? I don't see why they would turn around, not knowing if the rest of the grid behind them was being released or delayed. So, they jumped the start for the novice wave and THEN they thought they were signaled to move off grid with the stalled rider? It looks like they just did it on their own...is that not correct?

You know what, I'm done this discussion. Rest assured though, in the next race, if those lights go out, Jay will not stop!! Oh, and I will have definitive proof.

[Frank Roberts]

Oh come on!! They did nothing different than the two "EXPERTS", except try to re-grid because of what they thought was a directive from the starter!!!

Not sure if I understand this clearly...If you jump the start (or think you did), don't you just continue around the racetrack - racing - until/if you get the meatball flag and proceed accordingly...? I don't see why they would turn around, not knowing if the rest of the grid behind them was being released or delayed. So, they jumped the start for the novice wave and THEN they thought they were signaled to move off grid with the stalled rider? It looks like they just did it on their own...is that not correct?

[Dennis King]

Oh come on!! They did nothing different than the two "EXPERTS", except try to re-grid because of what they thought was a directive from the starter!!!

The one expert moved to the side immediately which is good. The second expert tried to fix the problem and moved to the side after being instructed to do so, neither of them went counter race direction. Both experts were past the line of the cone which is "out of bounds" as far as the transponder loop goes so if any bike crosses those cones they won't be scored therefore that was the best place for them to be.

I looked that the video on the big screen and went frame by frame from when the lights become visible after the experts get outta the way to when the they go off for the race start they do not go off. I seems all the lights are wired in series so if one goes out they all would have to go out. Looking at the area of time you mentioned it the lights do not go out. the ones on the right hand side "appear" to go out but it is simply the camera bike moving and the way the camera moves. However the lights on the left hand side do not change at all, meaning all the lights were still on. Even so that event happens AFTER the bikes begin to move and well after the two riders reacted which would be 1/4-1 second before the movement even began.

[Frank Roberts]

You know what, I'm done this discussion. Rest assured though, in the next race, if those lights go out, Jay will not stop!! Oh, and I will have definitive proof.

I'm just trying to understand. For future reference. Not attacking your interpretation.... IF they were signaled, that's one thing. IF the lights went out, that's one thing. But if the lights DID go out (or he thought they did), what made him stop?? Light out means race....right?

[Dennis King]

You know what, I'm done this discussion. Rest assured though, in the next race, if those lights go out, Jay will not stop!! Oh, and I will have definitive proof.

James I have no dog in this fight, you and your whole family is awesome and a blast to talk to. I myself am simply using my resources and stating what I see. Even if the lights did go out, he jumped the start, etc, etc Jay should not have stopped in the first place he should have continued to race and waited for dinner. No where in the rule book or even by word of mouth have I heard that jumping the start then stopping you can stop and re-grid
Under no circumstances should they have gone counter race on what was potentially a hot track. If other in the field had gone with them and the two stopped they could have been potentially struck but other riders for stopping without warning and going counter race.

[James Newton]

Ok, not done yet. The starter was obviously motioning to someone to move off in the video. Who? First wave or second? How can the second wave know who? Even IF they did jump the start. They were obviously well within stopping distance of seeing the waive off, and well before the motioning starter. They did what they thought they were being DIRECTED to do by a RACE OFFICIAL!!! Had they been put at the last row and a re-start been implemented, I and Jay would have been fine with that because he could have made that up easily.

[Walter Walker]

There where no problems with the equipment or the procedures. The two riders that jumped simply made a mistake plain and simple. Case closed!

[Dean Dufrene]

Interesting.... In the court of law, at least from my pc, I cannot confirm nor deny that the lights went off. Not the main focus of my thread here.

Let's openly discuss the reason the rulebook was not followed. Clearly the rider in the back had his hand up waving. The board should have then been lowered, he moved aside and then the race start procedure commence.

What is obvious in this video (Thanks Dave) is the fact that a stalled rider in wave 1 was the cause of this incident. I know it was expert/novice waves, but novices are paying their hard earned money as well as the experts and surely deserve the rules to be followed in the rulebook, as well as have to follow them themselves.

I have no choice but to accept the race directors response that their is nothing wrong with the equipment or procedures, (still needs an audible tone for jumped starts, this would have solved all the issues in this case) but this incident was clearly something that cost two riders valuble points and money. Hopefully, this is taken into consideration by the officials.

[Walter Walker]

I need to point out several things.

1) There are several posts in this thread that seem to insinuate that the two riders in question are blatant rule breakers with no concern for the safety of the other riders on the grid. That is simply NOT true! I do not for one second think that either rider would purposely do anything to endanger their fellow riders.

2) From where I stand the start procedures outlined in the rulebook were follow correctly. The title to this thread lends to the confusion. The start in question was not in any way, shape, form, or fashion aborted. It was simply delayed while the stalled riders cleared the grid.

3) An audible tone will soon be added but it will only be broadcast over the control channel. This is so the grid staff can focus on their assigned rows and not have to position themselves so they can see both the lights and the grid. I'm not sure how this would have solved any issues with this start.

4) To say that this or any other incident cost anyone valuable points or money is simply not true. One thing I have learned in my 23 years as a rider and official is that there no guarantees in racing. Any points or money that are up for grabs are just that, up for grabs until the checkered flag flies.