Caution: This post may provoke many differing opinions!
I have now attended two Speed Week events, in 2011 and 2013 as an arm-banded crew member of a race team, driving, wrenching, brolly holding, photo taking, "gofer-"ing or whatever was required. I noted the thread prior to the event and commented as an amateur photographer that I thought the friendly reminder was OK and that I personally generally think and look before I walk into an area likely being eyed up for shots, always have done and probably always will do. Again, this year, I paid attention to where I stood, didn't linger long and for the record, don't appear in any of Ray's "trouble shots" once despite 6 trips to various start lines during the week. I do recognise some of the folks pictured and commented as being in shots.
If you're not in the "Bad Manners" shots, probability is that you're one of the good guys.
No offense intended, but I will admit to now having a bit more of a problem with the thread's general direction in that it doesn't really address solutions problems and could be considered as preaching to the choir. That never really fixes anything.
Playing Devil's advocate... As either a spectator or crew member or racer, how the heck would I know what the rules at the start line are? Common sense? Signage? Education? Engineered barriers? Enforcement?
Breaking that down:
Well, as we know, common sense isn't all that common.I know what I know but I don't know what I don't know.
Sorry, but I had to remove your list to respond by item.
Signage. I have to admit that the arm band crew members sign is easily overlooked. The bright orange line that appeared or I observed later in the week on one of the courses certainly made one look for some sign as to why the line might be there and I did see that the line for 90% of the population worked the time I was there.
I didn't have any problem seeing the signs. But then I try to pay attention to things that could get me in trouble. Yeah, I know...not everybody does this. They figger, "I paid (in one way or another) to get here, I can go anywhere I want." Either that or the "blonde factor" is way off the scale.
Education. I am not familiar with the contents of the racer's package. I haven't been as a pure spectator so don't know whether there is a leaflet indicating what is permitted and what is "streng verboten!" (or strictly forbidden). I would hope there is a leaflet for spectators and an urgent reminder that it be read to ensure the safety of all. Having attended 2 drivers meetings, no mention of start line etiquette was made (other than remove your vehicles from up-course so that racing can begin...not apparently adhered to by one individual).
This will probably p*ss people off, but it seems that the drivers meeting has become more of an opening ceremony than something to educate people or remind 'em of the "rules of the salt." In other forms of racing, there are 2 separate and distinct events: the drivers meeting (drivers only, conducted by experienced personnel) and the opening ceremony including awards, opening prayer, national anthem, etc. With Speed Week, especially as large as it is, it's almost impossible to to this...particularly when many people don't arrive until the 2nd or 3rd day.
Engineered barriers. There are the yellow tapes. There is a defined start line. There are cones. There was at least one orange line indicating that one was about to cross the line into a restricted area. But what do the yellow tapes mean to whom? Where is this laid out to educate the ignorant (myself alas included)?
I think this is a case of "we've never had problems in the past, why is it a problem now?". Freud covered that pretty well, along with what seems to be the fact that SCTA chose not to provide any crowd control people.
Enforcement. I did not see any enforcement at all in the 6 starting line visits.
See above.
Best practice solutions for this kind of problem rely on the 3 E's, Engineering solutions, Educating folks and then some Enforcement. I may be alas ignorant of all the measures already in place because I haven't seen leaflets or other measures but nowhere in this thread does it outline the present RULES.
Also playing Devil's advocate: If I'm a member of a race team, who tells me where I can and cannot stand, camera in hand or not? Am I not allowed to stand where I I damned well like (other than across the start line or in the other box) and take pictures of my own race team's entry to record the blood, sweat and tears of the exhaustion, adrenaline and not to mention great expense that got them to that point? Is that not acceptable, even if I happen to be in the way of a professional photographer? Am I not allowed to wander the staging lines whilst waiting and take pictures of cars and bikes for my own personal use of considered posting on this or other forums. Really, is that too much to ask?
Try that at an NHRA or NASCAR event. I know that NASCAR bans photographers for life for going where they're not supposed to go or even putting a hand (or camera) thru the chain link fence that separates the grandstands from the track. But shooting in the staging lanes is fine, as long as that uncommon commodity "common sense" is used. But there's a rub here. To get into the staging lanes, you have to cross the yellow tape area. This is sort of a non sequitur: If it's ok to cross the yellow tape to get into the staging lanes, then it must be ok to cross 'em at the starting line. Maybe red tape (as if there wasn't enough of that already) for the starting line would underscore the point that it's ok to get into the lanes, but NOT ok to cross the starting line without proper credentials and "training." However, I have no problem with ANYONE shooting in the staging lanes, as long as that uncommon commodity "common sense" is used. Words to live by: never turn your back on a moving vehicle...or one that could move in the near future.
Admittedly, this doesn't address the initial issues of etiquette between professional photographers on the 45o line up course brought up at the beginning of the thread that seem to be the cause of most distress but it does address why there may be the odd uncredited photographer in the line of sight. I'd think this is to be expected with such an open and accessible event, even if it is the bane of the professional photographer.
Please do educate me if there are indeed written rules handed out to spectators and crew. I'll ask internally too and would be happy to study a copy.
I'm ashamed to have to plead ignorance here. I know that when I get my credentials, things like course layout, visits to the timing tower and other stuff is explained, but I've never heard the 45 degree line nor the yellow tape nor other issues of that sort explained. 'Course I have a memory sorta like a steel trap: nothin ever gets out. Seriously, I have medically-caused memory issues, so it may have been explained and I just don't remember it. However, I KNOW what the lines mean. This wasn't my first rodeo.
As a non-professional photographer (can I really have a vest, purlease, no not really, they make for bad photos if someone wearing one gets in the way), the dual accredited suggestion makes sense for up course permission with suitable experience and appropriate safety equipment proven and proper education for press folks would go a long way. Perhaps some better signage and more visible barriers for the start "boxes" and more education in the way of required reading leaflets for spectators and crew would help too. Enforcement should be a last resort, I have found elsewhere that polite peer enforcement works best, especially if there are written rules and guidelines and they can be pointed out to the "outlier" individual.
You've hit the nail on the head. Required reading is usually interpreted as "that's for the other people. I don't need to do that." This is why Tony's suggestion of a mandatory media members' meeting is a good one. But then there's the problem of media people late arrival, blowing it off ("I know all that stuff already") and so on. When I've shot sports car racing, media vests were handed out at the close of the mandatory media members meeting. You couldn't get a vest without attending the meeting. Yeah, it was tedious, but it made sure that photogs had the information presented to them and if they screwed up, the sanctioning body and the track officials had proof that they'd presented the information and if the shooter violated the rules, it wasn't because the information hadn't been presented to them.
So. I think SCTA needs to address the issue by having people assigned to monitor the starting lines and other photo op areas so that the rules are followed and if violated, the miscreant should be escorted to Land's End with instructions to Lynda and her crew not to allow them to re-enter the salt without written permission...sorta like the yellow Lee Kennedy tags that get put on cars and require a form of action to return to good graces...like a mandatory "study hall" to revisit the rules for media members. Another thought: Signage, as you've addressed would be a good idea. On course one, there was a triangular area enclosed in yellow tape. It was for non-credentialed photographers so they could get a better shot of the car leaving the line. But it wasn't marked as such. Ya had to figger it out on yer own. That could be easily rectified.
Bottom line: I think SCTA's decision not to provide crowd control personnel at the starting lines is at the root of this problem. I dunno what happened to Butch (the deaf dude who pedaled his trike around the staging lanes and starting line, but he served a very important task. I dunno if he was the Butch listed in the program as deceased (I hope not, he was a real good dude) but if he was, I wish him God Speed and all the best in whatever comes after this earthly vale of tears. Someone to fill that position is sorely needed.
I'm gonna go put on my Nomex undies just in case of flames.
