Discussion
robwales said:
I was appalled by some of the spectators though: setting off fireworks in the forest, lighting fires in irresponsible places, littering, general anti-social behaviour and bad language. I hadn't realised that marshals didn't deal with those kinds of things. I heard one chav in the car park ask his mate "have you got the slingshot?"!.
Would have appreciated if the marshals had told us when the 2nd run was cancelled, as we stood there for quite a long time before asking one of them.
while i'm not 'oh fei' with rally marshaling - but remember they are unpaid volunteers - there to look after a section of the stage - and to be there for the crews and the cars when something goes wrong.Would have appreciated if the marshals had told us when the 2nd run was cancelled, as we stood there for quite a long time before asking one of them.
from my own experiance at hillclimbs - we are not always told whats going on either when there are delays.
robwales said:
Some bad crashes: http://www.motorsportmad.com/view/2994/wrc-rally-g...
That would explain how number 21 crashed then. I only saw the aftermath, not the crash itself.David
robwales said:
I was appalled by some of the spectators though: setting off fireworks in the forest, lighting fires in irresponsible places, littering, general anti-social behaviour and bad language. I hadn't realised that marshals didn't deal with those kinds of things. I heard one chav in the car park ask his mate "have you got the slingshot?"!.
Would have appreciated if the marshals had told us when the 2nd run was cancelled, as we stood there for quite a long time before asking one of them.
As has been mentioned the marshals are unpaid volunteers and having heard of some who have been attacked by this sort of scum they don't tend to intervene without support from BiB. I've seen guys on MXers causing havoc and have simply told the sensible spectators to exert some peer pressure otherwise I would ask that the stage be stopped (yes as a radio op that can be recommended) you'd be suprised how much can then happen as the sensible ones don't want their sport ruined.Would have appreciated if the marshals had told us when the 2nd run was cancelled, as we stood there for quite a long time before asking one of them.
Marshals are there mostly to provide safety cover. If that means that spec's are causing problems then there's not much they can do as they have less authority than a parking warden.
To answer your second point, it's usually the marshals that are last to hear when a stage is stopped. If there's a good radio op in the area they will usually tell the sector marshal what's happening and they should then inform the rest.
Commiserations to Marcus, who knows what might have happened if he hadn't gone off in Ireland.
was a great weekend...
anyway my day
cold wet and windy, but great fun.
a few of my piccies 8)
morning started @ 5.30am following these down the motorway :? (all pics from phone)
heres two vids,
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v303/mattcrozier...
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v303/mattcrozier...
and finally the motor 8)
anyway my day
cold wet and windy, but great fun.
a few of my piccies 8)
morning started @ 5.30am following these down the motorway :? (all pics from phone)
heres two vids,
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v303/mattcrozier...
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v303/mattcrozier...
and finally the motor 8)
me that was some rain!Spent friday on rheola and resolven. Some great action but bloody hell were we drenched!
Have to say, we were both shocked by the amount of litter, numpties lighting fires under trees (duuuuurrrr) and generall chavyness of some of the spectators
. Not what I expected.The Black Flash said:
me that was some rain!Spent friday on rheola and resolven. Some great action but bloody hell were we drenched!
Have to say, we were both shocked by the amount of litter, numpties lighting fires under trees (duuuuurrrr) and generall chavyness of some of the spectators
. Not what I expected.In days gone by (I know, I sound like a right old giffer, I started spectating on the RAC in 1983) there were always a few "comedians" out spectating, but the majority of spectators were those die hards "in the know" who'd made the effort to get into the forests because they had a real passion for the sport.
In 2001 I was shocked by the number of numpties who were drinking large amounts of alcohol, dropping litter, letting of fireworks, shouting and swearing and thought that excessive use of their air horns was absolutely hilarious.
I'm not a killjoy (hard to believe I know !) but I like to hear the cars (not a bunch of brain dead numpties shouting and blowing air horns all the time a car is in view)
The herding into "spectator areas", pretty much guaranteed abysmal weather and lack of well organised access to the stages, means I have spectated abroad since 2001.
Finland, Germany, Sweden, Corsica and New Zealand all make Rally GB live up to the "Rip off Great Britain" tag which this country seems to have attracted over recent years.
Given the choice between sitting here : -
or sitting in Hafren, I know where I'd rather be . . . . .
P.S I wouldn't call the current WRC cars "weedy"
(turn up the sound for the full effect.....)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZQyOHRlm8k&fea...
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/fdad2ed4-2845-4...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sKON4sOktI&fea...
Nowt vaguely "weedy" about this classic clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTAPpsL2xOU&fea...
Edited by Slippydiff on Monday 3rd December 18:47
robwales said:
Some bad crashes: http://www.motorsportmad.com/view/2994/wrc-rally-g...
I've justr got back from marshalling in Wales and was one of the marshalls at that very point. When Rautenbach crashed my girlfriend, I and another marshall were literally standing above the spot he crashed into. He and his co driver (David Senior) were unhurt but he was a little bit annoyed to say the least. The second crash in the vid with the scoob, you can see me in all in black with an orange tabbard on walking away from the imminent impact. Again driver and co were fine but their scoob landed on top of the bonnet of the Rautenbach's Citroen (I guess when you have a bad day you can have a REALLYy bad day).Edited by robwales on Saturday 1st December 23:31
Also at the very same site Tony Jardine rolled his car off a rock onto his roof and Hirvonnen (SP?!?) stacked the ar$e of his car into the same place. Fortunately he just drove straight off again.
We've marshalled the WRC for the last 3 years and love it but never seen so much car based activity in one day. I'll post picks up later and do a better write up in a day or so - I'm knackered.
Zac - nice pics, love the one in the dark, great sky.
A couple of our pics - day 1. Not so good for photography really, but shows how foggy/wet/muddy it was.
Gronholm at Resolven 2. The safety landrover nearly disapeared into that puddle in front of the car, it was a deeeep hole. Hirvonan was soooo slick through this hairpin it wasn't true. Worth standing in the rain for an hour just to see that.
Various from Rheola 1, just visible through the cloud.
A couple of our pics - day 1. Not so good for photography really, but shows how foggy/wet/muddy it was.
Gronholm at Resolven 2. The safety landrover nearly disapeared into that puddle in front of the car, it was a deeeep hole. Hirvonan was soooo slick through this hairpin it wasn't true. Worth standing in the rain for an hour just to see that.
Various from Rheola 1, just visible through the cloud.
Slippydiff said:
Regretably the very reason I haven't spectated on rally GB since 2001.
In days gone by (I know, I sound like a right old giffer, I started spectating on the RAC in 1983) there were always a few "comedians" out spectating, but the majority of spectators were those die hards "in the know" who'd made the effort to get into the forests because they had a real passion for the sport.
In 2001 I was shocked by the number of numpties who were drinking large amounts of alcohol, dropping litter, letting of fireworks, shouting and swearing and thought that excessive use of their air horns was absolutely hilarious.
I'm not a killjoy (hard to believe I know !) but I like to hear the cars (not a bunch of brain dead numpties shouting and blowing air horns all the time a car is in view)
The herding into "spectator areas", pretty much guaranteed abysmal weather and lack of well organised access to the stages, means I have spectated abroad since 2001.
Mmmmmm...I've only been to one before, in '93 up in the kielder forest stages, and I do remember it being less "organised", but probably better. You could certainly wander along the course and find somewhere to stand, rather than being penned in to a few hundred yards. And I don't remember there being any idiots about.In days gone by (I know, I sound like a right old giffer, I started spectating on the RAC in 1983) there were always a few "comedians" out spectating, but the majority of spectators were those die hards "in the know" who'd made the effort to get into the forests because they had a real passion for the sport.
In 2001 I was shocked by the number of numpties who were drinking large amounts of alcohol, dropping litter, letting of fireworks, shouting and swearing and thought that excessive use of their air horns was absolutely hilarious.
I'm not a killjoy (hard to believe I know !) but I like to hear the cars (not a bunch of brain dead numpties shouting and blowing air horns all the time a car is in view)
The herding into "spectator areas", pretty much guaranteed abysmal weather and lack of well organised access to the stages, means I have spectated abroad since 2001.
Thing I don't understand is, you'd think you had to be a keen fan to stand in a cloud on a hillside for several hours - but apparently not.
Maybe living in swansea really is that booring ?
I'll give them credit for the service area though, that was pretty spectator friendly I thought.
Here we are, a few quick shots while i was there.
- Although its nothing without the sound and the shear maddness of it all!
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With extra added interest to the weekend in that my alternator light came on at worcester and all started running rather erratically and dimly by the time i'd managed to pass bristol and get to my mates house.
- However it must have not been charging right for a while or so, because with a full charge off my mates charger it made it back to uttoxeter with ease.
- Although its nothing without the sound and the shear maddness of it all!
[/url][/url][/url][/url][/url][/url]With extra added interest to the weekend in that my alternator light came on at worcester and all started running rather erratically and dimly by the time i'd managed to pass bristol and get to my mates house.
- However it must have not been charging right for a while or so, because with a full charge off my mates charger it made it back to uttoxeter with ease.
The Black Flash said:
Mmmmmm...I've only been to one before, in '93 up in the kielder forest stages, and I do remember it being less "organised", but probably better. You could certainly wander along the course and find somewhere to stand, rather than being penned in to a few hundred yards. And I don't remember there being any idiots about.
The good news is your still not penned into spectator areas. I walked where I wanted as did alot of people.Edited by Pwig on Tuesday 4th December 10:15
Hi guys
Jo and I as usual went to Wales to marshall the Wales RAlly GB for the three days it was on and what an eventful couple of days it was. To put it into context normally you get a few days standing pretty close to all categories of rally car doing speeds varying from the sublime to the ridiculous whilst keeping the public safe and blowing whistles a lot. I.e. good but not great.
Not this year though.
Event city!!!
The first day was pretty quiet. We were at a junction (Jo which stage was it?) where the public were not going to be - just too remote for the vast majority and so we got down to the usual banter and given the number of us there were it gave me ample opportunity to get some photos taken.
The junction was a long tarmac hill with a 90 left at the top onto gravel / mud, a crest half way up and then a sweeping 60 right, all in all about a mile and bit long.
Of the whole weekend this is probably the best "photo of the moment" - it's Sebastian Loeb taking off going at about 80 mph.
I like the pic cos all 4 wheels are clear of the deck. I'm not a Loeb fan however.
Jo was having problems trying to fend off dirty old men...
..whilst drooling over the Scoobies (unsurprisingly)
Next time you see her, ask her to do her Petter dance.
One of the Ford works cars..
The rest of the day continued without much incident and plenty of rain. And I do mean plenty.
Now day 2 we were at (Jo please fill this in!) at junction 8 where all the action was happening.
Tghe road came uphill from gravel with the cars on gravel tyres. Our junction started with a cattle grid at the middle of the hill, continued to rise but on tarmac and then a sharp 90 right with a large bank at the end. Jo and I were standing at the top of the bank immediately facing the apex of the 90 right. As I was standing there I said to Jo "As long as no-one is hurt, it would be funny if someone slid strraight into this bank"
Then the first car came up and did this...
[URL=http://www.motorsportmad.com/view/2994/wrc-rally-gb-2007---crashes]A nicked link[/URL]
The first car in the clip, the Citroen, smashed into the bank at the base of where we were standing. Jo went one way I went another and then we both descended on the car to ensure that the driver and co were ok and started to go into full marshall mode. To give you some idea of how close it got, the Citroen "moustache" from the front of the car went over my right shoulder narrowly missing my hood. We had initially hoped it was Loeb.
Here's the car after we moved it.
Both occupants were ok and we carried on the mop up until the Scooby came up the hill. You can see how close it was to me - in the video I'm standing there on the right wearing the black jacket and orange tabbard. It passed me about 6' away at about 50mph. It lands on the bonnet of the Citroen in the location where we had moved it to, put the car in reverse and then sped off.
All was quiet for the rest of the first run apart from a few slips and falls from marshalls on the banks and general entertaining of the crowd.
On the 2nd run, Hirvonnen slid so far round the corner he ended up with his ar$e on the bank and just drove away making it look all very normal behaviour.
As the day was coming to a close, the night set in and the corner got trickier as there were 2 large rocks on the entry and exit of the bend. To say how big they were they took 2 big men to just flip one of them over. Tony Jardine (yes, he of broadcasting fame) came round the corner and clipped the 2nd one. He held it on 2 wheels for a few seconds and then eventually momentum carried him onto his roof. Jo is first on the scene and is speaking to TJ, whilst I drag his co-driver out and up to his feet as he is getting out on the side of the road where the next car is coming.
With a concerted effort we (me and a bunch of blokes, not just Jo and I) rolled the car back onto its wheels and that was then retired.
Day 3 saw us at Traswcoed and this was a sweeping right hair pin. Not much happened here so I shal let the pics do the talking for me...
All us marshalls
and all us marshalls pointing to our favourite part of the stage..
As we drove along the stage i.e. the actual course the rally goes the car can get dirty but the Scoob (for a road car derivative of a rally car) faired very well if a little mucky...
Jo and I as usual went to Wales to marshall the Wales RAlly GB for the three days it was on and what an eventful couple of days it was. To put it into context normally you get a few days standing pretty close to all categories of rally car doing speeds varying from the sublime to the ridiculous whilst keeping the public safe and blowing whistles a lot. I.e. good but not great.
Not this year though.
Event city!!!
The first day was pretty quiet. We were at a junction (Jo which stage was it?) where the public were not going to be - just too remote for the vast majority and so we got down to the usual banter and given the number of us there were it gave me ample opportunity to get some photos taken.
The junction was a long tarmac hill with a 90 left at the top onto gravel / mud, a crest half way up and then a sweeping 60 right, all in all about a mile and bit long.
Of the whole weekend this is probably the best "photo of the moment" - it's Sebastian Loeb taking off going at about 80 mph.
I like the pic cos all 4 wheels are clear of the deck. I'm not a Loeb fan however.
Jo was having problems trying to fend off dirty old men...
..whilst drooling over the Scoobies (unsurprisingly)
Next time you see her, ask her to do her Petter dance.
One of the Ford works cars..
The rest of the day continued without much incident and plenty of rain. And I do mean plenty.
Now day 2 we were at (Jo please fill this in!) at junction 8 where all the action was happening.
Tghe road came uphill from gravel with the cars on gravel tyres. Our junction started with a cattle grid at the middle of the hill, continued to rise but on tarmac and then a sharp 90 right with a large bank at the end. Jo and I were standing at the top of the bank immediately facing the apex of the 90 right. As I was standing there I said to Jo "As long as no-one is hurt, it would be funny if someone slid strraight into this bank"
Then the first car came up and did this...
[URL=http://www.motorsportmad.com/view/2994/wrc-rally-gb-2007---crashes]A nicked link[/URL]
The first car in the clip, the Citroen, smashed into the bank at the base of where we were standing. Jo went one way I went another and then we both descended on the car to ensure that the driver and co were ok and started to go into full marshall mode. To give you some idea of how close it got, the Citroen "moustache" from the front of the car went over my right shoulder narrowly missing my hood. We had initially hoped it was Loeb.
Here's the car after we moved it.
Both occupants were ok and we carried on the mop up until the Scooby came up the hill. You can see how close it was to me - in the video I'm standing there on the right wearing the black jacket and orange tabbard. It passed me about 6' away at about 50mph. It lands on the bonnet of the Citroen in the location where we had moved it to, put the car in reverse and then sped off.
All was quiet for the rest of the first run apart from a few slips and falls from marshalls on the banks and general entertaining of the crowd.
On the 2nd run, Hirvonnen slid so far round the corner he ended up with his ar$e on the bank and just drove away making it look all very normal behaviour.
As the day was coming to a close, the night set in and the corner got trickier as there were 2 large rocks on the entry and exit of the bend. To say how big they were they took 2 big men to just flip one of them over. Tony Jardine (yes, he of broadcasting fame) came round the corner and clipped the 2nd one. He held it on 2 wheels for a few seconds and then eventually momentum carried him onto his roof. Jo is first on the scene and is speaking to TJ, whilst I drag his co-driver out and up to his feet as he is getting out on the side of the road where the next car is coming.
With a concerted effort we (me and a bunch of blokes, not just Jo and I) rolled the car back onto its wheels and that was then retired.
Day 3 saw us at Traswcoed and this was a sweeping right hair pin. Not much happened here so I shal let the pics do the talking for me...
All us marshalls
and all us marshalls pointing to our favourite part of the stage..
As we drove along the stage i.e. the actual course the rally goes the car can get dirty but the Scoob (for a road car derivative of a rally car) faired very well if a little mucky...
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