That long black line.

[Dr Goggles]

Oh come on Ferd , all in the name of a good story ........

I know that's harder to accept for those who were really there but Donaldson reassembled a lot of stuff that was in the doco he made about Burt in the seventies , and rejigged the timeline, and then he made a little(?) bit of stuff up ( was there really a rattlesnake at the graveyard?........). None of us would call LSR boring but it lacks the obvious appeal that your average couch potato would relate to, neck and neck racing, recognizable cars and crowds leaning over a fence.........

Personally I thought it was a great yarn....and it saves me heaps of time when I'm telling people about the bellytank when they say" oh, like the World's Fastest Indian ?"

If there was ten miles of track at Lake Gairdner I wonder if we would have ever found the Rev

[Richard Thomason]

The inference being that I'm supposed to be able to read also?

[landsendlynda]

No Richard, just recognize the shapes!   

Lynda

[Richard Thomason]

And the inference there is that I could remember?

[Cole222]

Since it is proven course markers will be found by vehicles what about a better pole? Watching the Olympic downhill skiing I see that they use poles that have a spring at ground level and that also break away if needed.

It doesn't look like it would take much to design a course marker with this design. Along with something more flexible then PVC it could save a few broken bones.

[LSR Mike]

PVC=Home Depot/Smiths, SKI course markers=??? Not supposed to hit them anyway, unlike SKI course markers.

[Cole222]

I guess history has shown that course markers do get hit and like any other aspect of racing we are always looking to improve safety. One reason for the black line was to have no objects on the course, if the black line is not to be used then something is going to replace it. Though PVC is cheap and somewhat flexible it still takes a toll on some vehicles and riders that for whatever reason become familiar with each other. Having the option of course markers that do the least amount of damage sounds pretty good from the seat of a motorcycle or high dollar streamliner.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

In re: PVC..."it still takes a toll on some vehicles and riders..."

My busticated pinky finger - from where the PVC hit the clutch lever and slammed back onto the carbon-fiber armor of my glove, and also a shot showing the damaged "dashboard" display from where the PVC crossbar (of the marker) hit the top of the windscreen and flexed it down far enough to crush the lexan cover of the dash.  You might have to look closely at the dashboard, but really -- it happened that way.  I was there to observe it.

[Glen]

Jon
Maybe bush guards will help or is that streamling.

[mkilger]

I told the powers that be, to use the gray pvc instead of the white,   white pvc on white salt   Slim you should have that looked at  before your finger falls off.

[Glen]

Kilger the reason we went to grey was to be able to see the broken PVC on the salt after someone run over the mile markers. I doubt anyone would be able to see what color it is before running into it. The markers are orange and they hit them at the lakes and on the salt.
Maybe the marker should say open trench on other side. Just kidding

[Blue]

Since it is proven course markers will be found by vehicles what about a better pole? Watching the Olympic downhill skiing I see that they use poles that have a spring at ground level and that also break away if needed.

It doesn't look like it would take much to design a course marker with this design. Along with something more flexible then PVC it could save a few broken bones.

Depends on the speed; everything gets harder with speed.  Our team looked into inflatable markers with the anchors sunk flush.  The only thing to hit would be parachute fabric, air, and some fishing line guides.  The challenge we are working on now is how to have an electrical or gas powered inflation fan be supported by the inflatable above the height of any vehicle on course.  Those tall verticals on some streamliners would be the biggest challenge.

In that skiing photo is also a stripe of bio-degradable dye.  "Green" Lawnger looks blue unless it's applied over a broad area;  it looked great on the salt and pretty good on Elmo.  They use it in all of the skiing events now for contrast in flat light.  Cheap and easy to apply, the course workers slide along on skis with fence sprayers strapped to their backs.

[desotoman]

At El Mirage we use 3 foot diameter balloons to help mark the course. Why not use something like that at Bonneville, except instead of having them 10 feet above the ground on a string just tie them to the ground. I would not think they would cause any damage to humans or vehicles when hit. Also by tying them to the ground you could just use compressed air instead of helium, which would be much cheaper. You could also use different colors for where you are at on the track. Example, Yellow for the first mile, blue for the second mile, etc.

Just a thought,

Tom G.

[Glen]

Tom
As I recall Rick Vesco tried ballons on the salt. For one course that's a lot of balloons, for three a lot more, The salt is very abrasive and any bouncing off the salt would probably pop them. I will ask him this week end when I talk to him. As always interesting thoughts on the web site.

[wobblywalrus]

That biodegradable snow stripe looks good.  I am like Line-us and the stripe is my security blanket.