Does your track have a penalty box?, We have too many riders stopping on the track Options

[camel]

But, when everyone is doing that, it creates a continuous pattern of traffic on the track that makes it very hard to get a clean run at a straight. That is where my ire for center hogs and swervers comes from.

[JerryW]

Lots of good posts, I'll take these to the next parent meeting.

Camel, I see your point, but what happens is all the younger riders think this is cool and they do it next, not even knowing why.
Yes going slow on the track is another issue, I'll never get why they do that, why don't they just stay home.

thanks all

[Payne]

You just need to gear up, jump on the old bike and blast the group of track cloging riders. Like foaming Drain-O, clear the clog and move on.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Dido (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sarcastic.gif) Bikemonkeys funny name funny qoute. unfortunatly that is what happens on accident when left unchecked. And usually it some 9 and under kid thats gets plowed cause he wanted to be kool a stop like the Pro's do.

This post has been edited by Payne: Nov 6 2009, 08:11 AM

[Payne]

I like to session straight aways to work on the skills, so I stop off the track and wait for openings. I am no danger to anyone who picks a line and sticks to it. If anyone should be put in a penalty box, it is kids who go slow in the middle of the straights or ride all over the track when faster riders are trying to gun a straight. I even try to police it so that kids don't clot the striaghts. My local track does gates all night, every night of practice, but they don't enforce the no-stopping rule very strictly. If they start getting nazi about experts stopping even off the track, I will just stop coming. Who wants to just do full laps all night?

Champions /nobody wins at half tracks/But I hear ya/ I know your working on a certain part of the track.
we let riders come off at certain sections where gates are located but never get on.

I have found running the gate puts the gate starter in control of practice and if he or she pays attention to the flow of the track. Don't let the hotrods go when you got a bunch of younger slower riders out there not much of a problem.

I often thoght of enlarging certain section where they always want to stop and wait to get a good shot at the section they are working. enlarge it white strip a box and if you stop here is the chill area other wise stopping on the track is a no no in the chill area is okay.

Saftey First (no Stopping) But also trying to figure out how to make every happy.( it's hard) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/scratch_one-s_head.gif)

This post has been edited by Payne: Nov 6 2009, 08:26 AM

[camel]

I really like that idea of a designated stopping zone where kids entering the track can get a good view of approaching traffic. Here are my suggestions:

1. If I ran the track, I would make a list of on-track etiquette (e.g. Keep to the sides if you slow down, etc.) and sit down with the older experts who do the clinics and ask them to cover those points in the clinics. Younger/beginning riders need to understand why people stop and why it can be dangerous. I would be giving out free clinic coupons to all new sign-ups to ensure they get this info.

2. I would get with key older riders who do want to stop OFF-track and request they police the etiquette a little. Maybe "positively encourage the etiquette" is a better way to put it.

[Moose001]

This is one topic that hits home. When my oldest son was six, we would go out of town and he could not get one complete lap in due to kids stopped on the track.
At our track we give out a warning, then if you continue to stop you will not race for the day.

Dave

This post has been edited by Moose001: Nov 7 2009, 07:45 AM

[FoxxCe]

Camel I can understand where you are coming from, I have riders at my track that wants to do the same thing! But during a gate practice the same rules apply as if it was a race, safety. It's mostly the little ones that don't understand why you and some other riders are at a stand still or only working on a certain section. Maybe you yourself can talk to them and let them understand that it could be dangerous. Most if not all my kids look up to the older riders and especially if they are super ex + .
Talk to your TO or TD and see if there is a way you can come earlier or stay later and run some gates and work you straights then.
Good luck.

[dreamerproject]

I get so sick of this especially when they're lined up 2 or 3 and its just all about posing or when I see a kid who thinks he can do whatever he wants cuz his parents help out at the track ride the WRONG WAY to cut the track..

Yet it goes on with frightening regularity....

This post has been edited by dreamerproject: Nov 7 2009, 08:48 AM

[Just JeffB now]

My son was prone to stop on the track, and I pulled his practice card a few times for it. His response?

"But SO AND SO does it every day and NEVER gets in trouble!!!!"

The same son, when he was 9, ran full speed into a 7 year old kid who decided to stop on the backside of a double. Brian didn`t even see the kid until he was airborn over the double. They both crashed to the ground. They both cried. The 7 year old`s dad tried to give me a talking to until the very words "my son was stopped on the track...." Yup, stop right there champ. All I said was I`m surprised he`s not hurt, and rode off.

Some tracks cater well to sessioning one straight, and have convenient places to exit/enter the track with caution. Others, like desoto, do NOT have a good place to stop so it`s in the interest of EVERYONE`S safety to do full laps. But Camel I totally agree that the young ones that don`t seem very interested in riding in a straight line or being able to go fast enough to at least keep traffic flowing are frustrating, and equally hazardous.

[dreamerproject]

I would just like to see the rule enforced like it should be. I dont feel like I should have to do it myself when I'm trying to ride...I can see some parent gettin' bent over me telling their kid what to do but better than me plowin' into them to prove a point