Discussion
I can see the theory behind the HANS device, and I'm sure that serious injuries will be/ have been prevented since their use.
But what was the motivation behind them? Has anyone actually suffered an injury that would have been prevented with the device fitted?
I'm not saying we should stop adapting new safety wear etc etc, just curious!
But what was the motivation behind them? Has anyone actually suffered an injury that would have been prevented with the device fitted?
I'm not saying we should stop adapting new safety wear etc etc, just curious!
There are dozens of injuries and deaths which would have been prevented by the device, although through the mild haze of red wine I can't think of a high profile example at the moment. Every few years there it a death in a clubman series where the HANS device is not required in the regulations which would have been prevented had the driver been using it.
IIRC Dale Earnhardt was very against them, then died in a crash where one would probably have saved him. Try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Earnhardt
Edited by grumbledoak on Tuesday 5th January 21:48
SlipStream77 said:
Ah, Roland Ratzenberger was the example I was searching for, the 2nd last F1 driver killed during a race weekend at the same race where Ayrton Senna died.grumbledoak said:
IIRC Dale Earnhardt was very against them, then died in a crash where one would probably have saved him. Try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Earnhardt
It's unlikely a HANS would have helped Dale, as his harness was cut/failed in the crash, he was also known to wear his belts loose, which you cant do with a HANS, it's the harness shoulder straps that locate the HANS device in position.Edited by grumbledoak on Tuesday 5th January 21:48
A HANS device stops your head from extending forward in a frontal type impact, it doesn't help much in a side impact, thats why the current F1 cars and some saloon race seats have head side support built in.
An excellent read is Professor Sid Watkins book "life at the limit". It outlines all the major safety issues in modern F1 in a very interesting way, and talks a bit about HANS. From memory, it was available around the time of Senna but nobody wanted to be seen to use it. After the Senna/Ratzenberger weekend a whole load of mesaures were introduced and they became compulsory.
Miss Pitstop said:
An excellent read is Professor Sid Watkins book "life at the limit". It outlines all the major safety issues in modern F1 in a very interesting way, and talks a bit about HANS. From memory, it was available around the time of Senna but nobody wanted to be seen to use it. After the Senna/Ratzenberger weekend a whole load of mesaures were introduced and they became compulsory.
+1Sid's book is excellant
Hakkiinen's accident. Notice the extent of the head movement - despite being strapped tightly into the car.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1gqpQBkDuU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1gqpQBkDuU
For quite a while I have been wearing one of those foam rings that sit just underneath your crash helmet. I've known it's not ideal but better than nothing. I injured my neck back in 1994 at snetterton when mine and another car came together in the wet. So I've been meaning to buy a Hans device for some time but kept forgetting to get my arse into gear and go buy one. But that usually means a new helmet as well.
So I raced at Spa in Britcar, apalling conditions. The driver of this ferrari had quite severe neck injuries and had to be taken to hospital but he refuses to wear either a Hans or a Rubber Ring. So his mechanic tells me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOtNB4W12Gc
I was up at Silverstone in June and popped into GPR and bought a new Arai GP5K and the fibreglass Hans. £1100, Broke my hip jumping down off a wall at the end of July so I have not yet had the chance to use it. Certainly the newer design allows for a much less restricted head movement. I believe originally the earlier Hand devices had adjustable straps so you could choose just how much movement you had. Apparently Shue left his as loose as possible and I gather it would have been of no use in a big accident. Overall they are bloody expensive but how much is your neck worth. Wish I had one years ago.
So I raced at Spa in Britcar, apalling conditions. The driver of this ferrari had quite severe neck injuries and had to be taken to hospital but he refuses to wear either a Hans or a Rubber Ring. So his mechanic tells me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOtNB4W12Gc
I was up at Silverstone in June and popped into GPR and bought a new Arai GP5K and the fibreglass Hans. £1100, Broke my hip jumping down off a wall at the end of July so I have not yet had the chance to use it. Certainly the newer design allows for a much less restricted head movement. I believe originally the earlier Hand devices had adjustable straps so you could choose just how much movement you had. Apparently Shue left his as loose as possible and I gather it would have been of no use in a big accident. Overall they are bloody expensive but how much is your neck worth. Wish I had one years ago.
I think the HANS device was developed by Dr. Trammell from the US for the guys racing in CART on superfast oval circuits.
When it was made law for F1, the drivers whinged like hell and once a few bits of padding were added to cushion around their collar bones they didn't prove to be too unformartable.
When your body comes to a sudden stop and your head is carrying on, I think it your 2nd vertabrae down from the top of your spine that is the week point and goes twang and then your dead.
If you imagine a bowling bowl subjected to +20g (ie weighs 20 times more than when it's resting on your shoulders when you are standing up), this is the sort of load a HANS device takes.
I watched a HANS destructive test years ago and drove back home very, very slowly as it's quite a scary thing to take in.
A $10 head buys a $10 helmet, how much is your head worth, someone wise once said.
When it was made law for F1, the drivers whinged like hell and once a few bits of padding were added to cushion around their collar bones they didn't prove to be too unformartable.
When your body comes to a sudden stop and your head is carrying on, I think it your 2nd vertabrae down from the top of your spine that is the week point and goes twang and then your dead.
If you imagine a bowling bowl subjected to +20g (ie weighs 20 times more than when it's resting on your shoulders when you are standing up), this is the sort of load a HANS device takes.
I watched a HANS destructive test years ago and drove back home very, very slowly as it's quite a scary thing to take in.
A $10 head buys a $10 helmet, how much is your head worth, someone wise once said.
you never know if it would or wouldn't save you, but I wouldn't have fancied being in Kubica's boots at Montreal in 2007 without one.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WItGK4ZwlVc
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