| Marshaling Tips |
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| Posted on Wed 26 Oct 2005 by nitromonkey (1207 reads) |
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Stake out your turf! It's a good idea to marshal the same section every time if you can, because you'll become familiar with the crash zones in that section. Likewise, some sections have more crash zones, so some marshals will be busier than others. If you see an inexperienced or ineffective marshal struggling with a hard section, offer to trade positions with them. Don't block the driver's view. Drivers need to be able to see their cars on the track at all times. In some cases, this may mean that a marshal has to crouch throughout the race. A tall marshal may prefer to take a post on the perimeter that allows them to remain standing, and leave the squatting positions to shorter/younger marshals. Watch your section of the track, not the race! I know everyone's heard this one before, but it bears repeating over and over again. The majority of complaints I've heard about turn marshals stem from their not paying attention and staring off in another direction while there's a car on its lid right behind them. How many times has this happened to you? Help other marshals when/if they need it. At the same time, you need to keep an eye on your nearby fellow marshals and back them up if they're running to help someone. A crash may occur that's technically in their territory, but you may see it first and be the only marshal who can do something about it in a timely manner. Always marshal a car so that it points in the right direction when released. Obvious, you say? You'd be surprised how many times I've seen cars placed facing backwards on the track that crash again as they attempt to turn around. Don't throw a car into oncoming traffic and cause another crash! Wait until the track is clear before you set the car back down on the track. Always place a car back onto the track at the point where it crashed. You may think you're doing someone a favor by helping them cut the track a little to make up for the time they lost on their lid, but they could end up being penalized a lap because of it. All things being equal, strive to be fair in your marshaling. I hope you will resist the urge to help one of your buddies before someone else. Remember the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The car that crashed first should be marshaled first, and if you're watching your section of the track and not the race, you should know who crashed first! Of course, if I've got a lot of ground to cover to get to a crash victim and someone else crashes in front of me on the way, I'll usually help them first. If you notice that one car caused another to crash, help the innocent guy first. The guy who caused the crash doesn't deserve to be rewarded for it by being marshaled first. Never, ever cross oncoming traffic until it's safe to do so, for both you and the other cars on the track. Some drivers whine about how the marshal could have been there sooner--if you don't like the marshaling, don't crash in the first place! (I think a really interesting race would be one where the drivers have to run down off the stand and marshal their own cars!) Safety First! I have seen more athletically inclined marshals actually pull off some amazing feats of daredevilry, saving the day for some poor driver in a truly grand fashion. If you choose to go this route, don't say I didn't warn you. I just hope you don't fall on top of an innocent driver's car and take him out of the race in your efforts to get someone else who's already crashed back on the track. Safety first should be every marshal's primary concern and no one can fault you for it. If you do pull it off, I'll be the first to applaud you, but you better be absolutely sure you can do it, okay? A pair of inexpensive gardening gloves can really save your hands. They don't cost much--around $3 at your local supermarket. Gas engines and exhaust pipes get hot enough to sizzle flesh in a fraction of a second, and burned, painful fingers can impair your driving in your next heat. Sharp edges on Lexan bodies can slice you pretty good without your even knowing what happened until you see the blood dripping. Turn marshaling without gloves can also wreck your fingernails (before you conclude that I'm a "whiny chick" more concerned about her nails than doing a proper job of turn marshaling, let me add that I am a classical guitar player; my nails are my "picks" and one nail broken to the quick means about six weeks of trying to play with the equivalent of my big toe!) Ergo, I look out for my own best interests and always wear gloves when marshaling. Thongs and sandals are NOT appropriate footwear for turn marshals! Think about it-RC car barreling along at 70mph vs. exposed feet-guess which wins (duh!). Steel-toed Redwings are not overkill. Please be very careful about letting your children "help" you. Turn marshaling gas cars can be extremely dangerous! Your day at the track will be ruined if it ends with a trip to the emergency room! Racers - Get off the throttle when you're being marshaled! If you can't hang upside down for two seconds without flaming out, then you need to work on your tuning. Spinning wheels give turn marshals the equivalent of serious "rug burns" on their hands. When faced with a car that's being constantly gunned, I've gone so far as to stand back, put both hands up in the air and stare up at the driver's stand until the crashee lets off the gas. It's a very effective technique and the next time they crash, they are usually much more courteous. |
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