Offroad-Express

A free motorsport extravaganza with the NZFWDA setting up a 'twin track' short course to allow four wheelers a chance to go 'full throttle'!

Check the preliminary info on www.nzfwda.org.nz

Let me know if you need help with anything (its a given, but still had to say it). Sounds like a fun weekend.

PeterVahry wrote:A free motorsport extravaganza with the NZFWDA setting up a 'twin track' short course to allow four wheelers a chance to go 'full throttle'!

Check the preliminary info on http://www.nzfwda.org.nz

Fonganui Nationals that weekend or we would be keen

A review of the basic rules posted on the NZFWDA site has dropped the requirement for helmets, although they will be encouraged.

The course design will be aimed at keeping vehicles upright.

The aim is encourage wider involvement than just existing 4WD club members.

The NZFWDA article mentions winches, I assume winches are required to complete the 2 tracks?

A winch might be useful but the fastest way will be to drive the challenges. Remember that the activity will run over two days so things might change over the tracks.

Ok, so a winch should probably be fitted.... we've not dug the holes yet.

PeterVahry wrote:A winch might be useful but the fastest way will be to drive the challenges. Remember that the activity will run over two days so things might change over the tracks.

Ok, so a winch should probably be fitted.... we've not dug the holes yet.

You will have to design anchor points to winch off of as part of the track design.

It seems a little unusual that the NZ4WDA plans to allow members of the public to enter a speed event (where 2 vehicles are lined up side by side - and we know from trialling what effect that has on seasoned competitors), with helmets "optional" but "encouraged" and a rollbar required only for soft top vehicles. I would have thought that speed plus offroad equates to a significant increase in the chance of a rollover.

I am all for having fun and promoting the sport, but I would have thought that we had an obligation to promote safety and that we should therefore be setting stronger requirements for safety equipment. At the very least helmets should be compulsory...

If you are around Manukau over Labour weekend, stop by and check the event out. You might even want to take part. What you are likely to find, is probably a little different from the vision that you have and you can rest assured that there will be safety management.
The use of the 4WD trials as an example of managing safety is to me curious, as it is not unusual for at least one competitor per trial to finish up needing medical attention for injuries.

The short tracks will not be 'side by side' but running in opposing directions. It should provide safe entertainment with the occasional rev of engines.

Cleary wrote:It seems a little unusual that the NZ4WDA plans to allow members of the public to enter a speed event (where 2 vehicles are lined up side by side - and we know from trialling what effect that has on seasoned competitors), with helmets "optional" but "encouraged" and a rollbar required only for soft top vehicles. I would have thought that speed plus offroad equates to a significant increase in the chance of a rollover.

I am all for having fun and promoting the sport, but I would have thought that we had an obligation to promote safety and that we should therefore be setting stronger requirements for safety equipment. At the very least helmets should be compulsory...

I fully agree with this statement as you have read elsewhere Peter.

At a time when we are trying to get into SPARC for some stupid reason, and here we are forgetting about basic safety measures, like a helmet.

You have been around 4wding a very long time and you know as well as I do ,that things can and will go wrong, and quite frankly even if it was in my back yard, I would be staying away and distancing myself from such an event.

It just seems stupid to be side by side racing without the need for basic safety equipment.

Cleary wrote: At the very least helmets should be compulsory...

I do note that Peter V has completely ignored your pointing out helmets should be compulsory, much like the nzfwda forum, i'm all for including public on/in events but helmets would be the least requirement i would of thought, with tracks going either way they are still under the clock which imparts red mist syndrome, just need to watch youtube for mud runs and you will see loads of rolls, even at relatively slow speeds.

Pedro

PeterVahry wrote:The use of the 4WD trials as an example of managing safety is to me curious, as it is not unusual for at least one competitor per trial to finish up needing medical attention for injuries.

is this a joke or am i missing something? in all honesty i could count on one hand the times ive known of an injury and one of them was a spectator

PeterVahry wrote:The short tracks will not be 'side by side' but running in opposing directions. It should provide safe entertainment with the occasional rev of engines.

and i dont mean to be picky and a pain in the arse but isnt oposing directions more dangerous because your technically doubling your speed if you hit each other?

cool__bananas wrote:

PeterVahry wrote:The use of the 4WD trials as an example of managing safety is to me curious, as it is not unusual for at least one competitor per trial to finish up needing medical attention for injuries.

is this a joke or am i missing something? in all honesty i could count on one hand the times ive known of an injury and one of them was a spectator

perhaps if the spectator was wearing a helmet it might have helped

pedro

skid wrote: I would be staying away and distancing myself from such an event.

That's good then - because at the moment you are just criticising something that has yet to be designed, built and safety worked through.

cool__bananas wrote:

PeterVahry wrote:The short tracks will not be 'side by side' but running in opposing directions. It should provide safe entertainment with the occasional rev of engines.

and i dont mean to be picky and a pain in the arse but isnt oposing directions more dangerous because your technically doubling your speed if you hit each other?

Uhmm - could be 2 chutes that you can't jump out of and separated by 30metres?

BrentC wrote:

skid wrote: I would be staying away and distancing myself from such an event.

That's good then - because at the moment you are just criticising something that has yet to be designed, built and safety worked through.

we are merely pointing out that so far its been mooted as side by side drags where helmets are optional

the NZFWDA has gone to great lengths to try to get on board with SPARC and here they are promoting an event with minimal safety regulations

it just doesnt make sense as to why they would be so stupid as to be doing this

we are a national organisation and lately it seems that we have been taking steps backwards

you watch the news and someone gets injured or dies whilst out 4wding and we suddenly get more bad press and here we are promoting the motorsport aspect of it with out basic safety regs

all it takes is for one bored tv cameraman to visit on the day and film some footage and store it away for a later date when he can bring it out and harm our causes later in life


nobody here is trying to stir

Peter mentions that most trials have injuries

I believe he is only thinking of the ones hes seen and unfortunately these are more than likely north of the bombays

cool__bananas wrote:

PeterVahry wrote:The short tracks will not be 'side by side' but running in opposing directions. It should provide safe entertainment with the occasional rev of engines.

and i dont mean to be picky and a pain in the arse but isnt oposing directions more dangerous because your technically doubling your speed if you hit each other?

I read it as Moving away from the middle and not towards each other

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Skid, nothing you say or do will effect the outcome so breath deep and move on as it only causes distractions from all the other good work being done.

skid wrote:
the NZFWDA has gone to great lengths to try to get on board with SPARC

You are getting really boring now - time you got over that rant.

BrentC wrote:

skid wrote:
the NZFWDA has gone to great lengths to try to get on board with SPARC

You are getting really boring now - time you got over that rant.

OK, I'll let you and your fellow club members go and organise another dangerous event

have a nice day

skid wrote:

BrentC wrote:

skid wrote:
the NZFWDA has gone to great lengths to try to get on board with SPARC

You are getting really boring now - time you got over that rant.

OK, I'll let you and your fellow club members go and organise another dangerous event

have a nice day

Thanks for your kind wishes

OK, I'll let you and your fellow club members go and organise another dangerous event

er does that include me in that skid

As an update on the Full Throttle 4x4 activity, it was always stated that this was still in the planning stages, as we've been dealing with Manukau City events people. A meeting on-site this evening about the logistics of incorporating a 4x4 activity into the program on the Telstra Events Centre site, has identified that public vehicles won't be able to access the area set aside for us.

That will mean that only members of the NZFWDA clubs involved, will be able to participate in the driving.

We sorted a basic layout of the two tracks and arrangements for water to fill holes and wash vehicles. It looks like there will be a fair bit of mud unless we get some very drying weather over the next 3 weeks.

There is also the option now of creating a third track that can be used to drive through with members of the public as passengers, or simply as a 'play' area for club vehicles.

No helmets does seem a bit silly

If it was a winch comp we would have to wear them.

Madaz wrote::!: No helmets does seem a bit silly

If it was a winch comp we would have to wear them.

Its not a winch comp, no helmets required. We are not required to wear helmets on club trips and sometime speeds and activities do become dangerous even on club trips.

By restricting it to club members (i.e. a bit more experienced users/drivers inherently), the risk factor should be managable.

So who's aloud a go Pete?

A review of the basic rules posted on the NZFWDA site has dropped the requirement for helmets, although they will be encouraged.

I've got to agree with the boys on the helmet thing, any competition "should be seen to be safe" as well as "being safe" and requiring the use of helmets should be compulsary in any competition to promote safety as well as making it safe

For the ease of requiring helmets its not worth the risk

TJ wrote:

Madaz wrote::!: No helmets does seem a bit silly

If it was a winch comp we would have to wear them.

Its not a winch comp, no helmets required. We are not required to wear helmets on club trips and sometime speeds and activities do become dangerous even on club trips.

By restricting it to club members (i.e. a bit more experienced users/drivers inherently), the risk factor should be managable.

Sorry, i was under the impression from what I read that it was being marketed as a speed event?

And im pretty surprised at your comments regarding your club trips and events.

Sadam_Husain wrote:

A review of the basic rules posted on the NZFWDA site has dropped the requirement for helmets, although they will be encouraged.

I've got to agree with the boys on the helmet thing, any competition "should be seen to be safe" as well as "being safe" and requiring the use of helmets should be compulsary in any competition to promote safety as well as making it safe

For the ease of requiring helmets its not worth the risk

Still a lot of work to do yet Marty - in this instance Speed won't necessarily mean Fast, the venue is your typical wet Auckland clay goop.

However the organisers have a collective 100 years of organizing 4wd and sporting events - they won't skimp on safety.

BrentC wrote: - in this instance Speed won't necessarily mean Fast

WTF


excuse me, whilst I go get my dictionary