Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but Premium users receive great benefits. Premium benefits include:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
As for a riders' union, I'm not sure how that would have helped make that flagger react any quicker, and while I have my personal opinions of how a union may or may not help make the sport better (I live in West Virginia which has had a mixed history of unions over coal and gas industries) it doesn't matter to me if someone is for or against having one, so I have no clue why Mr. Hill would be concerned about losing a credential for being critical of the flagging or calling for a union for whatever reason.
Flagging is not as easy as it looks, and I wish we had one solid group that went to all twelve rounds, but until we can afford that, we have to keep working to make it better and prevent this kind of chain-reaction crashes from happening. Our promoters work hard to get the best flaggers possible for their events. I really hope Justin will be back this week, as well as Mr. Hill.
DC
MX Sports
Here's another problem, flagging towers are usually set up pretty far of the jump. You can have your back turned to watch with out crapping your pants but you usually have to hang out of the stand pretty far to get the riders attention. If you're standing on the side of the jump you have the ability to walk to the middle to really slow people down if someone goes down in the middle of the track and is down hard. Easier for people to see you, but on the flip side having your back turned watching a landing that close can be pretty scary every time you hear a bike coming up. Exp on the first lap when everyone is close together, doesn't take much for someone to get squirrelly and come flying out of control at you while you don't even Know it's coming. It's not as easy as people think it is, it takes quick reaction time and the ability to scan back and forth very fast. Think pong from Atari.
I took Monte Hill's point as the asymmetrical impact of the flaggers error. As in, the rider bears the entire risk.
Frankly, the best thing the SX and MX series could do is drop the FIM affiliation and engage with the riders and teams.
The Shop
Free shipping: VITALMX
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
DC
MX Sports
Back on topic, where was dad when Josh was out practicing backflips when he should have been focusing on what he was hired for...racing?
The rule book needs consistency as much as it needs to be clear, especially when most of the people who are meant to adhere to them haven't finished school.
Yellow flag comes out - Riders barely, if at all, slow up. They might, might, shift their line - or they might not.
Countless times every one of us has seen a flag fly and riders are still wide open, scrubbing, regardless if they see the down rider and/or problem associated with the flag. Unless there is a guy standing in the middle of the track waving them to a direction, riders see yellow, but categorically ignore it. sorry, its a fact.
On the flip side Davey
Flaggers that have no clue, and are so poorly placed they cant do their jobs in the slightest - why even have them there?!?! We have all seen this countless times as well. Hes waving his arm off and no one can see it. If you cant trust someone to be in an intelligent position, to then move out onto the race surface to then DIRECT the riders (dig dugs do it!), then they should not have a flag in their hand at a professional race. Sorry, its true.
If there is a jump that's over 3 feet tall, or is blind (think before a big downhill), there should be a flagger at the peak and one 30 feet in front of said obstacle keying off flagger at the jump. Flaggers should be assigned exact positions, instructed on what to do, and the track owner needs to keep the jethro idiots we have all seen flagging the hell out.
Look at the footage of Justins crash. Look at where the flagger was and the type of jump. Kind of explains everything. The best ones are big jumps and some dipshit is flagging at the landing.
.......... side note on GoPro. GoPro PAID MONEY to be the exclusive sponsor ect ect. They aren't a monopoly, they paid for the right to be "the guy". That being said, Lucas Oil doesn't throw a fit teams are using other oils, sponsoring, stickering, ect. Dummy camera as advertising, great, better not be a byte of video shot on it. that's my .02
i've flagged a few pro races. ITS NOT EASY AS IT LOOKS. Everything is happening at great speeds and a LOT of distraction going on. That being said, it would be nice to get to the point where we could have 10-12 guys that traveled the circuit and here's an my next idea.
how about a pro riders safety association ...an actual "current" pro only association who handles the flagging or overseas flagger training...portion of their sign-up goes to management/control of that said flagging education group. This way the responsibility of finding the best/educating flaggers rests on the riders and not track owner or promoter (not directing this at you davey). This could operate much like asterisk but with local flaggers at each stop (local motorcycle clubs make great flaggers) I Know this is off the wall but just tossing ideas at the wall hoping something may stick for the future to make it better.
I'm confused. Can't afford to employ 12-15 guys to travel and flag?
You can't get a sponsor to pony up the cash for that ??? There has to be a way.
DC
MX Sports
Pit Row
The risk of season / career / life ending injury is very real in our sport. How can we cut corners and complain about the expense when it comes to safety, FFS? It seems ridiculous to put the safety and careers of these multi-million dollar athletes at risk by using amateur volunteers in a safety critical role.
How about MX Sports imposing some minimum training / experience and pay requirement for flaggers on the track owners.
There is certainly room for improvement. This happens way too often...
And yes, I mixed sx and mx rules in the previous post - for us fans, it's all 'the sport'. Trying to have separate rules for the two is silly IMO.
A major problem is the yellow flag being displayed all to often (as per rules) for a rider stalled or "dropped it" in a perfectly visible 180° corner which isn't needed. Now put a jump in front of these said corners and you can see where this lack of observing the caution flag comes from as well as whe are dealing with under developed young full of spunk home schooled brains here. Let's not throw these flagers under the bus there here to help the sport how about some education or real penalties for riders who haven't observed the caution flag then watch there amazing observation powers kick in. I also bet that the majority of these top rides who's parents who bitch probably have never put there hand up to volunteer for flag, there the ones who sit in there cozy pit area and ignore the frequent calls for volunteers
More fitness tips please....
Post a reply to: Justin Hill's Dad on Pulp MX