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Had a similar situation happen years ago. A guy down on the blind side after a good size jump. People tending to him but no one on the top to warn oncoming riders. I get past them, circle around and rode up the side to the peak of the jump. A pretty good vantage point and could see the riders carving the S-turns before getting to the jump. The problem was at the base in the incline was about 20ft. of 8 inch rutted mud. Guys were coming in mid 3rd gear and all looking for what rut to take, not at the jump. Half - three quarters ways through they'd twist it to hit the incline. One guy head down at the base now pinned on a line right at me. (Now I know what pin setters' guys felt like before they became automated.) I was off and behind my bike just past the peak, and then he looks up. Dropped my bike and bailed off the side. Somehow, he able to pitch it a little to the left and barley made it by the down rider and people tending to him. After that I made the decision if I ever did it again is to warn people before the jump.
This is common in the snowmobile world----Come around a corner and you'll have a few snowmobilers stopped in the middle of the trail.
Its the world revolves around me attitude..oblivious to their surroundings..
I do block part of the track, but only in a place where riders can clearly see me from a distance. If not, riders will keep the throttle pinned and jump to one side or the other of me and still hit the downed rider. I also wave my arms to get their attention and direct them to slow down and away from where the downed rider is.
You are not wrong brother. Glad you were able to dodge a bad situation and not compound it.
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My son has a similar story....
X a million on "most" of the kids flagging having no formal training. I don't care if the guys trapped under his bike, their job is make sure no one runs him over, and that's it. You're not an emt, that's not your job. Wave that flag like a maniac and make sure the next riders know a guys on the track. And put your effing phone down, that crap drives me nuts.
I've done that many times racing long GP tracks that were 5-10 miles long. They go back into the hills of Glen Helen. I would park my bike on the inside or outside of a turn to block the downed rider and flag down a sweeper-rider or an official on a quad. I've had many races refunded because of that. It's just what you do. Other people's safety comes before my enjoyment of a race.
You just hope someone would do it for you, or your loved one etc.
It’s what a proper society of shared values would do.
If the track had flaggers, why were they not at the blind jump?
Sure, but flaggers aside this was madness.
I know what track you're talking about and they actually do a pretty good job with having flaggers and I'm fairly certain they always have an EMT on site. That said, a flagger taking 1 minute to get to the scene is inexcusable, especially when a lap on that track takes 1 minute.
I was on the large track at this facility when I had an issue with one of their flaggers. There is a large tabletop near the starting gate where you would be jumping away from the gate. I think its the largest jump on the track. I came over that table top and damn near landed on a downed rider who was being tended to by the guy they have floating around on a quad. There was no flag, and I didn't see it come out until 2-3 corners later. That guy had to have been down for a decent amount of time for the floater to have already made it over there. Having flaggers is great, but just like the riders, they need to be trained.
With that level of negligence they are probably on par with AMA Pro Motocross flaggers.
I don’t put it on the flaggers at all. My gripe isn’t with them. My problem is with inbred fellow riders thinking it’s ok to line up on a landing like it’s a parking lot of a live track.
Both can be true. My experience outlined above is unacceptable and honestly so is a spot flagger on that vet track not hustling over there.
But yeah, riders need to have some common sense when tending to a downed rider or directing traffic. You get a lot of guys out there who just don't know the rules of the road and it can be dangerous. It'd be nice if there was some way to convey that information to them in a meaningful way maybe you can force them to watch a "riders meeting" video before the practice. Outline general etiquette, what to do when someone is down, what holding your line means, and not crossjumping etc. It'd at least be something. If I have to sign a waiver three times to signup to practice then I can also watch a short video. It'd be easy to make with AI now.
I'll never forget the time I saw two dudes parked on the downside of a blind tabletop just having a chat. Some people are real dingbats.
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Post a reply to: Almost had a big one yesterday. Big lesson.