I agree with Locky. The cost of racing is getting more and more and the economy is going S&!T at the moment so its getting bloody hard.
I can see the advantages of the gps but also the problems with it. I'm more than happy with the arrows and signs as they are. That's just my opinion though.
yes its another cost , im not saying it has to be mandatory, keep the arrow system but let people who want to use gps as well. this is 2013 we should be in-bracing new technology . as for the belt issue if the manufacturer say there belt can be used for 5-6 year if well maintained . why do we have to change belts every 2 years, just plain dumb.
Well my thoughts are - because of "just plain dumb" rules such as changing belts every 2 years when they clearly have a much longer shelf life and seat belt cutters, ect., is the reason that some people don't in-brace technology and new ideas for Off Road Racing.
If the thoughts, concepts, ideas, and then soon to be new rules, were sensible, well thought out and then added into the already existing set of criteria with everybody (competitors, officials, and scrutineers) fully aware and understanding what it means then people would then be a lot more open to change.
But instead, whether you are a competitor, official or scrutineer you simply get told a decision has been made and this is the rule. No chance to ask why? No invitation to discuss other alternatives? Or what happens if this car has this, Or doesn't have that. We just have to deal with it and make it work. As a young competitor trying to race on a budget it is hard to fork out the dough and the time to constantly change and add rubbish to the car.
If it is a sensible item to discuss and put forward then fine, lets do it. But you all know if you just get the idea of using gps and into some boffins head. It wont be if you want to use it you can. It will be its compulsory for everyone. And we need gps tracking and transponders and roof mounted satellites and cctv footage. And all the other bullshit they will come up with.
I have no issues with making the sport safe. And I have no issues at all with people using there gps. What I do have an issue with is after 12months of 10 competiors using it, The decision could be made that everyone needs to use one. There needs to be some serious control over the decisions that are made in what is good for the sport. Especially at State Level.
Thanks, Laurence
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Totally agree with everything laurence has said!. I'd also like to say that using gps will require you to prerun the course to have the track logged before you even race,yes we do reconisance now but its different when teams get to prerun,those chasing outright wins would start finding the shortest way around the course,look at baja? for example.Unless you have two marked arrows to drive between every 50 metres the track could end up been quite different to what usually route would have been,and i'm sure the farmer who owns the land wouldnt enjoy two dirt highways through his paddocks.On another note say its terribly dusty and a competitor decides to follow his gps route and not drive to the conditions ahead of them,Thats plain dangerous,and dont say it wouldnt happen!.World rally still use pace notes today,?????
I think it's a great idea make it Optional.my mate and I will be running the rally safe units at finke for safety and for the location of our cars back to base the same as we ran at gatton.this unit alerts our base immediately if there is a major hazard.it would be great to be able to have the track on a sd card that you slip into you gps like in the us tracks this cuts out short cutting and you can track all the cars that have one.i know it is an extra cost but so are twin turbos.
yes you do need mobile coverage. we used it last year and it worked at ever track we raced at, however we didn't compete at Finke. the erceg's relayed it to facebook for everone to log onto at pt Germein last year. it showed everone a track ouline as the car progressed around as well as brake and accelleration points and current speeds. Car 455 at Pines prologue last year has the App overlayed on a youtube video. not the track map but speed a g forces at the time.
Some moron WILL drive into the dust staring at his screen and kill someone. I will fight GPS for navigation through every avenue available to me.
Having said that I do want to see GPS logging at national events, cheating lowlifes with no idea of the meaning of sportsmanship need to be pulled into line. Nobody seems to have the guts to take them on and the disrespect they show to the property owners by shortcutting through fences, crops or through the scrub next to a clearly defined track just to get that plastic trophy will be the death of the sport. Especially when they don't have the balls to own up and pay for the damage. Funny how these same people who so often "accidentally" damage property without noticing seem to have no trouble avoiding big trees. Current methods do not seem to be doing enough to discourage cheating. Maybe we should start publicly posting evidence making sure we name their sponsors?
-- Edited by Patrol842 on Monday 3rd of June 2013 06:06:21 PM
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Patrol842, I may be across the "small" pond, but I think like you. I created a rule and remit passed it into the ORANZ (NZ national body) rulebook that simply banned all electronic driver aids capable of predicting a corner. This stopped all GPS and inertia based navigational systems instantly. If you have a course with sufficient marking (and some US courses don't) then the only purpose of Navigational GPS is to run hard through dust.
-- Edited by RedMist on Wednesday 12th of June 2013 03:51:03 PM
