Ideas for motorsports for someone with no licence

Ideas for motorsports for someone with no licence

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Discussion

richt1

Original Poster:

6 posts

142 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
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Folks,

I'm after some help to satisfy my petrol engined needs.

In short, my licence has been taken away after 20 years of driving and motorcycling. I love anything with an engine including all things motorsport. Unfortunately, some 15 months ago, I started having visual disturbances. After much investigating, these were classed as epileptic seizures even though there was no fitting, loss of conciousness or ability to drive of complete fine motorskills, hence the DVLA taking my licence.

I would dearly love to do some driving/riding but I can't find anything I can do. It seems anything managed by the DVLA or the MSA doesn't want to know.

Ideas gratefully accepted.

davepoth

29,395 posts

198 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
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Lawnmower racing? Stock car racing? Karting?

LDN

8,905 posts

202 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
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Sorry to hear that. Look at DMAX or Club 100 as a great starting point.

Piglet

6,250 posts

254 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
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I'm no expect on all motorsport by I can't imagine that there at many organisations that would allow someone with a revoked licence to participate. It would be a potential litigation nightmare.

Have you thought about marshalling to give you some involvement?

Tyrewrecker

6,419 posts

153 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
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I know a guy who raced in official club racing with no license via ARDS etc so it can be done

richt1

Original Poster:

6 posts

142 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
quotequote all
Thanks guys,

The difficulty is that most track day companies require a driving licence, I assume due to insurance/litigation concerns. Likewise the MSA control virtually all competative motorsport and despite many (ARDS etc.) not needing a driving licence, they require medicals which preclude me. It's ironic that when I get my licence back, I can drive a car on public roads where there is far greater potential for serious injury than on a properly organised race meeting!

The frustration comes about because of the broad brush of epilepsy. The "type" I have only has seizures involving mild visual disturbances which are controlled through medication unlike the more commonly know fits etc. The MSA medicals do not consider type or natuer of seizures with all seizures lumped together.

I'm not bothered if it's competetive or just track days, I'm just seeking a chance to do something I love again.

Thanks again

n3il123

2,601 posts

212 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
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I don't think that the lack of license will be the problem, more the reason for it being revoked.

I can't imagine any governing body allowing some that has had their license revoked for epilepsy out onto a track, sorry.

As others have said have you thought about marshalling/ timekeeping etc to get involved with the sport at least until you get your license back?

EDLT

15,421 posts

205 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
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Short oval/banger racing isn't run by the MSA, is it?

Tyrewrecker

6,419 posts

153 months

Saturday 19th May 2012
quotequote all
n3il123 said:
I don't think that the lack of license will be the problem, more the reason for it being revoked.

I can't imagine any governing body allowing some that has had their license revoked for epilepsy out onto a track, sorry.

As others have said have you thought about marshalling/ timekeeping etc to get involved with the sport at least until you get your license back?
chap I know def had it revoked due to police chase... smile

Jerry Can

4,422 posts

222 months

Sunday 20th May 2012
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autograss/grasstrack racing

PhillT

2,488 posts

224 months

Sunday 20th May 2012
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I'm pretty sure Club 100 karting doesn't require a license.

www.club100.co.uk

onomatopoeia

3,469 posts

216 months

Monday 21st May 2012
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Autosolo, autotests, car trialling. All take place off road at relatively low speed and not requiring a comp licence at club level, only a club membership card.

However, without researching it I don't know if your medical condition would prevent you from taking part.


Marc W

3,782 posts

210 months

Tuesday 22nd May 2012
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If you want something very low budget there's this;

http://www.fueltopia.co.uk/group/FBS

Not really racing as such but it is against another car as well as the clock.

RobFrost

1 posts

21 months

Monday 20th June 2022
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I appreciate I'm resurrecting an old post here but maybe this will be helpful for somebody - if we initially take the current UK participation rules as a given, for almost all motorsport you will need either a driving license or a Motorsport UK license of some form. Because epilepsy can start with one type of seizure and later exhibit other types, even if your seizures are "safe", you won't get a license until your epilepsy has been stable for a number of years - I believe that is 3 for a driving license and 5 for the most basic motorsport license.

If you don't take the rules as a given, epilepsy is a STATUTORY disability and that means no matter how slight it is, you're categorised in law as disabled. This affords you the following protection: You can't be excluded unless the excluding body can prove that excluding you is a proportionate means of accomplishing a legitimate aim.

Safety is clearly a legitimate aim, so you are left with proving that excluding you is not proportionate. In your case, with newly-diagnosed epilepsy you are going to struggle, because waiting to see how stable it is, is probably proportionate. Once your epilepsy has proven stable for a few years, assuming it doesn't impair your ability to drive, you'll probably get your driving license back. At that point you can participate in motorsports that only require a UK driving license, such as e.g. non-competitive track days etc. Currently however, MSUK excludes anybody with active epilepsy from competitive motorsport - so anything requiring a MSUK license will be out. In my view, this is illegal because it is NOT proportionate, because it unnecessarily excludes safe drivers from activities which they are safe to participate in. I'm currently encouraging MSUK to see the light on this. On their home page, the chairman asks what hope there can be for motorsport to be inclusive, when our world champion experiences descrimination and racist abuse. So I'm sure there's the will from the top to improve inclusivity in the sport. He might just have to clonk a few heads together lower down to get us there.

velocemitch

3,795 posts

219 months

Tuesday 21st June 2022
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This thread is a little out of date, in that it predates the introduction of the mandatory RS clubman licence. As mentioned in one post above, there were a variety of club events one could do with just club membership.
Now that isn’t the case anymore, you always need the RS licence. However, I am not aware If there are any medical Sections on the form. Does anyone know if it’s still the case that a person in the OP’s situation could compete on an RS licence?
I know when it was introduced a lot were worried about this, but I don’t think the fears were founded in fact, once it was in place.

velocemitch

3,795 posts

219 months

Tuesday 21st June 2022
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In a strange coincidence it appears all MSUK competition licence holders will have just received an email today.
I won’t copy it here, but it basically tells you that if you lose your drivers licence, you must also hand in your competition licence too.
It’s not compatible with being a responsible body to allow you to continue apparently.

JoelH

167 posts

29 months

Tuesday 21st June 2022
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Only if you lose the license by committing offences though.

Lot of people on social media getting upset over it but I don't see an issue personally and I was quite surprised that it hadn't always been the case.

velocemitch

3,795 posts

219 months

Tuesday 21st June 2022
quotequote all
JoelH said:
Only if you lose the license by committing offences though.

Lot of people on social media getting upset over it but I don't see an issue personally and I was quite surprised that it hadn't always been the case.
Is speeding an offence under the RTA?
It seems harsh if it is and a race driver were to loose his comp licence on that basis?
Or mine as a navigator for that matter.... I dont even drive on events!

( not that I have any points mind... )

JoelH

167 posts

29 months

Tuesday 21st June 2022
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velocemitch said:
Is speeding an offence under the RTA?
It seems harsh if it is and a race driver were to loose his comp licence on that basis?
Or mine as a navigator for that matter.... I dont even drive on events!

( not that I have any points mind... )
Well given the number of times they would need to get caught including the obligatory speed awareness course in three years I'd say they would only have themselves to blame.



velocemitch

3,795 posts

219 months

Wednesday 22nd June 2022
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JoelH said:
velocemitch said:
Is speeding an offence under the RTA?
It seems harsh if it is and a race driver were to loose his comp licence on that basis?
Or mine as a navigator for that matter.... I dont even drive on events!

( not that I have any points mind... )
Well given the number of times they would need to get caught including the obligatory speed awareness course in three years I'd say they would only have themselves to blame.
I know what you mean, it I know a Lorry driver who’s career ended inside two days when he got picked up by the same speed camera four times.