the flag guys suck!

plowboy
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plowboy 1/14/2019 4:43pm
1/14/2019 4:43pm
I've flagged a fair few races at tracks that I've run many laps on. When they told me, "stand here"...I said, "yeah...no...this is the wrong side of the track or on the downside of a blind jump, etc". Common sense dictates who and where you put people. Trouble is....common sense is in short supply sometimes...even at the top level of a sport.
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cmotodad
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cmotodad 1/14/2019 7:27pm
1/14/2019 7:27pm
I've flagged many SX races on the West Coast. There are so many restrictions for the local flag crew compared to the Feld and AMA flaggers. It is very difficult to run on the sides of the tracks. Even with a rider down, you are required to stay off the track. I thought the flagger did an OK job thinking he should have kept moving as quick as he could to get in front of Malcolm. Believe it or not, it's a tough job and you really have to be on your game at all times to do it well.
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barnett468
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barnett468 1/14/2019 7:31pm
1/14/2019 7:31pm
peelout wrote:
actual footage of flagger running to get in front of the incident [img]https://media.tenor.com/images/b5117e820d9663d5826d3aa6f11fcb82/tenor.gif[/img]
actual footage of flagger running to get in front of the incident

that's fkng hilarious!
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scott_nz
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scott_nz 1/14/2019 7:42pm
1/14/2019 7:42pm
vdrsnk04 wrote:
I know everyone complains about the track guys doing terrible with the blue flags. But did anyone else notice how terrible the flagger did getting to...
I know everyone complains about the track guys doing terrible with the blue flags. But did anyone else notice how terrible the flagger did getting to Malcom with a yellow flag and making the riders go to the right of him?! How many guys came through the whoops and jumped over Malcom since he was laying on the backside of one? I couldn't believe what i was seeing, pathetic! rant over.
GuyB wrote:
That was the middle of three lanes, so there were no flaggers stationed alongside that section. You probably couldn't see them, but there were yellow lights...
That was the middle of three lanes, so there were no flaggers stationed alongside that section.

You probably couldn't see them, but there were yellow lights at the beginning of the section.
the rules of yellow flags do not help either,
basically you can go full speed and pass people on yellow flags, meaning that even tho the yellow lights were on, guys were going through whoops at full speed
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CR250Rider
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CR250Rider 1/14/2019 8:45pm
1/14/2019 8:45pm
Yellow flashing lights didn't stop racers from jumping over a severely injured rider. Maybe more flaggers would have been appropriate?
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GeorgiePorgie 1/14/2019 9:09pm
1/14/2019 9:09pm Edited Date/Time 1/14/2019 9:10pm
everyone knows that racing still continues until the cross is displayed? if the yellows out they aren't slowing up and don't care. The flagger has to navigate the obstacles on foot and make sure not to get smashed into by a top level pro.

but aaayy lets sit here and say they suck and dont know what they're doing.......tmost of these guys aint your local volunteer flag crew.....
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wardy
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wardy 1/14/2019 9:58pm
1/14/2019 9:58pm
there is the problem and has been ever since they devalued the yellow flag.

1. yellow flag should be used like it used to be. no jumping, use caution, no passing stop racing. etc.
2. this is a pro event right? why local flaggers? nothing against them they like to help, but................
3. wouldn't a flag crew be damn near one most important things out there? considering what the riders are doing?
4. Flaggers shouldn't have to "run" anywhere. All should be positioned as needed then free roaming flaggers should be in the trouble spots. long whoops would likely be a good spot for that.
5. now I don't know how it's all done but reading these comments seems that they don't have it all like this?
6. lets not forget ALL flaggers should have radios, and have a main guy covering them all , all the time. no chit chat, just in case of attention or announcing to other flaggers an issue.

glad to see helmets on the flaggers but in reality they shouldn't in jeopardy like that if riders and the rest would make the yellow flag what it should be.

I never understood why yellow flags were made into nothing more then "looky here a guy is down". Honestly there shouldn't be a need for a red cross flag.

I know old and old ways don't work today. just a thought.

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pkiczuk
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pkiczuk 1/15/2019 12:58pm
1/15/2019 12:58pm
wardy wrote:
there is the problem and has been ever since they devalued the yellow flag. 1. yellow flag should be used like it used to be. no...
there is the problem and has been ever since they devalued the yellow flag.

1. yellow flag should be used like it used to be. no jumping, use caution, no passing stop racing. etc.
2. this is a pro event right? why local flaggers? nothing against them they like to help, but................
3. wouldn't a flag crew be damn near one most important things out there? considering what the riders are doing?
4. Flaggers shouldn't have to "run" anywhere. All should be positioned as needed then free roaming flaggers should be in the trouble spots. long whoops would likely be a good spot for that.
5. now I don't know how it's all done but reading these comments seems that they don't have it all like this?
6. lets not forget ALL flaggers should have radios, and have a main guy covering them all , all the time. no chit chat, just in case of attention or announcing to other flaggers an issue.

glad to see helmets on the flaggers but in reality they shouldn't in jeopardy like that if riders and the rest would make the yellow flag what it should be.

I never understood why yellow flags were made into nothing more then "looky here a guy is down". Honestly there shouldn't be a need for a red cross flag.

I know old and old ways don't work today. just a thought.

"1. yellow flag should be like it used to be..." I thought that was the case! Then I started to think I was losing my mind. I thought the yellow flag used to do what the red cross flag does now.
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js451
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js451 1/15/2019 2:39pm
1/15/2019 2:39pm Edited Date/Time 1/15/2019 2:41pm
I thought the flagger did a good job. It was obvious that he had been instructed not to go on the track but judged the situation pretty quickly and moved in front of Malcolm anyway. I did get the same anxious feeling as OP though while Malcolm got jumped by a few ppl
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STLSharky
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STLSharky 1/15/2019 3:27pm
1/15/2019 3:27pm
wardy wrote:
there is the problem and has been ever since they devalued the yellow flag. 1. yellow flag should be used like it used to be. no...
there is the problem and has been ever since they devalued the yellow flag.

1. yellow flag should be used like it used to be. no jumping, use caution, no passing stop racing. etc.
2. this is a pro event right? why local flaggers? nothing against them they like to help, but................
3. wouldn't a flag crew be damn near one most important things out there? considering what the riders are doing?
4. Flaggers shouldn't have to "run" anywhere. All should be positioned as needed then free roaming flaggers should be in the trouble spots. long whoops would likely be a good spot for that.
5. now I don't know how it's all done but reading these comments seems that they don't have it all like this?
6. lets not forget ALL flaggers should have radios, and have a main guy covering them all , all the time. no chit chat, just in case of attention or announcing to other flaggers an issue.

glad to see helmets on the flaggers but in reality they shouldn't in jeopardy like that if riders and the rest would make the yellow flag what it should be.

I never understood why yellow flags were made into nothing more then "looky here a guy is down". Honestly there shouldn't be a need for a red cross flag.

I know old and old ways don't work today. just a thought.

Only at your place is shit run right big G
Crisp BRAAAP! 1/17/2019 9:43am
1/17/2019 9:43am
I didn't want him on the track. I wanted him to position himself (off track is fine) before Malcolm and give oncoming riders an indication of where to go on the track to avoid running over him. Incoming riders were blind to it since he was between whoops. He did eventually do just that, it just took a while before the feet started moving. I know it's a tough job, it just seemed like you'd naturally start to run after seeing that. He was waving the flag, so he was aware.

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harescrambled
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harescrambled 1/17/2019 2:33pm
1/17/2019 2:33pm
Crisp BRAAAP! wrote:
I didn't want him on the track. I wanted him to position himself (off track is fine) before Malcolm and give oncoming riders an indication of...
I didn't want him on the track. I wanted him to position himself (off track is fine) before Malcolm and give oncoming riders an indication of where to go on the track to avoid running over him. Incoming riders were blind to it since he was between whoops. He did eventually do just that, it just took a while before the feet started moving. I know it's a tough job, it just seemed like you'd naturally start to run after seeing that. He was waving the flag, so he was aware.

Before you can do all that, you have to:

1) notice that a rider is down
2) determine where exactly you need to be
3) ensure the path to that location is clear
4) get to the position you need to be in
5) determine which way to signal oncoming riders to go

Bottom line is that the flaggers are looking out for their own safety first (if they get run down they can't help). Also, seeing a crash like that, you don't instantaneously know exactly how best to handle the situation.
If you just blindly start running you could easily get run over, and if you direct oncoming traffic wrong, you could easily cause more people to get hurt.

Just my $.02...been flagging the pro national at High Point for a few years now.
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ruy
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ruy 1/17/2019 4:21pm
1/17/2019 4:21pm

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