Mandatory H&N restraints again!

[Matt King]

All I ask is that you let me be the one who decides how to live my racing life.

There is already a pretty long list of things you don't have control over, like a fire system, new belts every 2-5 years, fire suit, SNELL helmet, arm restraints, proper height rollbar, homologated chassis, kevlar side impact protect, kill switch, fuel sample port, etc., etc. At one point in time, none of these things were required, and I'll bet every one of them was met with similar outcries when they were introduced. Times change.

[mark defer]

hey jay,
how are ya?
you obviously didn't read my posts entirely.
i was referring to the full roll cages as an example of a safety item response to the risk of cockpit intrusion or landing upside down on a barrier. people live with THAT risk because it's incidence is so rare. i was making an analogy because i believe the incidence of severe neck injuries at our level of racing is similarily rare..
also you didn't read where i said i already own a hans and wear it only when i have to [pro events]. at nationals it stays in the trailer.

mark d

[Tom Sprecher]

There is already a pretty long list of things you don't have control over...

You have no idea how long of a list that is beyond racing. All I ask is that you do not add to it at this time.

[Daryl DeArman]

I don't know where some of you guys get this stuff, but the over-the-top black helicopter SCCA paranoia is almost comical.

Well, primarily, the SCCA wouldn't be the first organization to mandate the use of the HANS. Secondarily, due to the term HANS morphing into the the "kleenex" of facial tissues, I am pretty confident at least one or two letters in support would mention their endorsement of the HANS being mandatory, even if they meant HNRs.

Has nothing at all to do with any black helicopter SCCA paranoia, but glad you almost found humor in my paranoia Laughter makes us live longer.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! Time to toss the turkey in the roaster.

[ric baribeault]

a lot of good points. the fact remains that racing is inherently dangerous. but at what point do we draw the line between big brother and ourselves in regard to personal safety. i'm confident that had i been wearing a HANS when i broke my neck, my injury would have been much less severe. however, they weren't available in 1988. on the other hand, the only fatality i have witnessed in recent years, in a formula car, from a head/neck injury, occured to a driver wearing a HANS. obviously nothing is foolproof. i think anytime we discard an opportunity to increase safety we use questionable judgement. i think they fall into the category of guns and condoms. better to have one and not need it, that to need one and not have it. that being said....i don't currently wear one.

[Peter Horvath]

Wouldn't it be interesting if we could see this exchange of opinions and facts from the people who are going to make the final decision in this matter?

[Mark_Silverberg]

Steve King died at Knoxville raceway in August of 2006 in a single car crash into the wall. Cause of death was a head injury. He was wearing a HANS

Chad McDaniel died at Knoxville raceway in May of 2009. He hit another car which had flipped. Cause of death was head and neck injuries. This was a USAC sactioned race and some sort of HNR is required in their races.

While I am a supporter of HNR and wear a HANS I think that its benfits are overstated and it requires very careful implementation to insure the integrity of the shoulder belts are not compromised.

[glenn cooper]

Russ, I'd loan you mine, but we're in the same group, so that's not happenin'...
BUT...
There's probably a guy in an Accord 2 races later that could use mine, and I bet he has a buddy in his race that would let you use his.

Ya'll followin' me?

Look, I'm no computer savvy, spreadsheet producing, tech geek.
BUT...
There's probably a guy out there that could!

I'll start the deal right now. HANS Model 20 L

Coop