Ambulance question with LSTD (Friday practice)

[Waylon Keeton]

No problem Steve, just willing to help any way possible. I enjoy attending the LSTD events, as well as other organizations. I personally dont have a problem with the fees.

[Steve McNamara]

Thanks, we charge less now than we did 13 years ago and try to offer value and a great product. As far as the PA goes we normally don't have too many issues with them. As far as five minute calls go our grid Marshall uses a watch. Writes down times, sessions, and other data from each event.

[Waylon Keeton]

Im just ready to see 14's schedule get posted on the site!

[Zach Bolena]

How about something like a $20 discount for preregistration and only take full day preregistrants? (is that a word?) I'd be more inclined to pay $130 for a full day then $80 for a 1/2 day. The 10:00 session is usually pretty good so you'd get 2 extra sessions for only $50 more if you choose to not to ride the 8:00 and 9:00am sessions at TWS.

I think this idea would work to help the preregistration dilemma. Also would help to maybe secure 2 ambulances during the event if there are more people preregistering.

No one can ever predict how many crashes will happen so having a standard 2 onsite would help with more track time. Think these events are important to more racers. As many racers don't attend many trackdays but only the race weekend events including Friday practice and rely on getting that time on the track.

[David Tiede]

Dave at RS can talk to TWS staff and extend the track day for everyone because there isn't a race practice at the end of Friday, time that people have paid for.

My biggest concern this Friday (and this is my 2nd LSTD day only so maybe it's normal) was the PA system and shortest 5 minute calls ever.
- PA: Who's out there? Experts. Really? They've been out there for 30 minutes. Oh, PA is out again.
I realize that the announcements were done on FM and scanner radio but this being my first CMRA event I bought the wrong radios (CBs), so I got none of those. I also understand it's out of LSTD's control..but this tends to happen a lot at all track days, so...bullhorn? Loud speakers? This is a problem that's been solved by other orgs already.

- 5 minute calls. MANY sessions had a "5 minute call for Novice" just to be followed by "Novice, track is hot" call 2 minutes later. Maybe this is normal at Friday practice, just not normal to newbies.

The last two TWS Fridays really did have lots of red flags. More than I can remember in the last three seasons. What I found odd was that it was not just the street group with the problems, but that the novices and experts caused their fair share as well. Maybe more than their fair share. That is unusual, and I hope things revert to the norm next year.

As far as the calls, each track has it's ups and downs with respect to PA systems. Half the time I can't get my scanner to work. Sometimes I pit pretty far away from pit out and can't see what is going on. Because of that I have come up with some strategies that help me out. You can usually bet (except for all the darn red flags) that once one group rolls the next will go in 20 minutes. I keep a cheap digital watch in my tool box to keep track and that helps. I also pay attention to the stickers on the bikes rolling in and out of the pits. When I see lots of street group stickers rolling in, I know the experts should be putting on their helmets, and when the experts come in, I know the novices need to be ready. When the track goes quiet, I know something is wrong, and I walk or take a scooter over to pit out and get an update from the grid marshal: what is the hold, and who is going out next? Once I know that, I can figure out the pattern for the rest of the day from the re-start.

As to the five minute call, I've found that it pretty much takes me all of 5 minutes to put in my ear plugs, put on my helmet and gloves, take the bike off the warmers, and roll to the grid. If I'm paying attention to the watch in the tool box that can give me an head start on that 5 minutes.

[Andrei Ivanov]

The last two TWS Fridays really did have lots of red flags. More than I can remember in the last three seasons. What I found odd was that it was not just the street group with the problems, but that the novices and experts caused their fair share as well. Maybe more than their fair share. That is unusual, and I hope things revert to the norm next year.

Red flags are the nature of the beast. Sometimes they happen and sometimes they do not. I'm OK with waiting. Some days tend to generate more reds...like Memorial day weekend, so I avoid them. No complaints about red flags at all.
My biggest complaint about flags is "why did you call me to the grid when you know you have just sent a crash truck out there and it's going to take 5 minutes?" but that's a different matter and not related to this discussion or org at all.

As far as the calls, each track has it's ups and downs with respect to PA systems. Half the time I can't get my scanner to work. Sometimes I pit pretty far away from pit out and can't see what is going on. Because of that I have come up with some strategies that help me out. You can usually bet (except for all the darn red flags) that once one group rolls the next will go in 20 minutes. I keep a cheap digital watch in my tool box to keep track and that helps. I also pay attention to the stickers on the bikes rolling in and out of the pits. When I see lots of street group stickers rolling in, I know the experts should be putting on their helmets, and when the experts come in, I know the novices need to be ready. When the track goes quiet, I know something is wrong, and I walk or take a scooter over to pit out and get an update from the grid marshal: what is the hold, and who is going out next? Once I know that, I can figure out the pattern for the rest of the day from the re-start.

As to the five minute call, I've found that it pretty much takes me all of 5 minutes to put in my ear plugs, put on my helmet and gloves, take the bike off the warmers, and roll to the grid. If I'm paying attention to the watch in the tool box that can give me an head start on that 5 minutes.

As I said this was my 2nd LSTD day. I'm used to it taking 5 minutes from "5 minute call" to "track is hot". When it's really a 2 minute call and it takes me 5 minutes to put on gear and roll out that's 3 minutes (1-2 laps) lost.
Again, this may be simply a matter of different expectations. I'm used to one thing and LSTD may be doing it differently. I'll have to adjust if that's the case. Clocks or listening to bikes are yet another thing to pay attention to when you're rushing to the bathroom before going out or trying to rummage through stuff trying to find earplugs or battery or something.

[Brad Thomas]

I've been one of those pay the day of riders but if it helps LSTD plan better I will make it a point to sign up earlier and encourage others to do the same.

[Chris Headley]

I kind of look at the situation like red flags during a race. Sometimes you benefit from them, and sometimes you don't - law of averages and all. With track days, sometimes they'll go off without a hitch and everybody gets tons of track time. Sometimes not so much. LSTD can't control what people do on the track, but as far as everything else LSTD has within their control, they do an outstanding job. Thanks guys.

[Keith Jordan]

Stand instead of sitting when you pee and all your problems will go away.

[Jim Dugger]

Stand instead of sitting when you pee and all your problems will go away.

You might end up suffering from this, though! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micturition_syncope