Change needed to flaging when the safety car is going in?

[yesnomaybe]

something ive noticed both as a spectator and as a driver is that if you're further back than say 10th in the queue of cars behind the safety car then its hard to see when its lights go out, and therefore you have no idea when to get back to race pace and as a consequence the field gets spread out.. and that car that was inches in front is now 10 car lengths away.

Also a number of times ive seen the safety car go past marshal posts with its lights out but they dont start waving green flags, i know it has to work backwards from the line, but surely the call should go out from the radio that the safety car is going in and therefore start waving green flags around the circuit, no overtaking until the start/finish line, but without radio and with the setup as it is currently then its very easy to miss when the safety car is going in, and if it is going in then the track (where the cars are at least) must be clear and ready for racing

i remeber once when i was racing on the gp track at brands the safety car was out for a car off at clearways stuck in the gravel close to the circuits edge, after a couple of laps somewhere around stirlings i got the feeling that the pace had quickened and got up to race speed, and commited to clearways at race speed (where the accident had been) i had no indication that the safety car was going, (other than the slightly quickened pace of the cars in front) and the yellow flags were still waving, but you dont want to loose time for no reason

basically in summary when the safety car is going in something needs to be done so that the whole field knows that is the case

would be interested to hear other peoples thoughts on this

[Peat]

Not trying to hijack, but why after the SC goes in do all posts have to wave green flags all the way around the track?

Just seems surplus to requirement to me, and also distracting to drivers who might then see a waving flag out of the corner of thier eye, dismiss it as a green when it is actually yellow.

[ron1902]

waved yellows as always tells drivers no overtaking and be prepared to stop. the way it works i assume is so drivers at the rear dont suddenly see green and overtake unexpectedly before safety car goes in. one possible idea is waved yellows with stationary green to say racing about to begin.this will still warn not to overtake but be ready to go.what do you think

[wolfhound]

A possible solution is to withdraw the safety car boards when the safety car lights go out but leave the yellow flags out as there will still be a full course yellow until the start finish.
This is a job for the MSA

[Tim Falce]

I was once lapped at Brands because the lead cars had gone past the start line under green and a few of us who were held up by a slow car near the back hadn't passed the start finish line and couldn't overtake.

[terence bower]

Green flag is shown at the point the race gets back underway,at the start finish line. Can you imagine what showing the green flag would cause if it were shown before that point? Bad enough trying to keep everyone in check before hand. Just pay plenty of attention to whats happening a few cars ahead,not the one directly in front of you.

[westfieldbend]

Originally Posted by Peat

Not trying to hijack, but why after the SC goes in do all posts have to wave green flags all the way around the track?
.

To prevent the issue described in the first post, the flags going around both ways lets drivers further back in the train know that the safety car is going in.

As usual the bikes have a far better way of doing things and show a 'zero'* board to let all riders know the safety car will on in at the end of the lap.

(* that is a '0' on the board that is used to display black / black and orange signals at all posts at bsb events)

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by yesnomaybe

........ its hard to see when its lights go out, and therefore you have no idea when to get back to race pace .......

you don't say what you race but it sounds as if for some reason you have very limited visibility? if you read the relevant rules about safety car operation and simply keep up with the car in front you can't go wrong

Originally Posted by yesnomaybe

Also a number of times ive seen the safety car go past marshal posts with its lights out but they dont start waving green flags........

Good, because that's not how it works!

Originally Posted by yesnomaybe

....... i got the feeling that the pace had quickened and got up to race speed,......... (other than the slightly quickened pace of the cars in front)

er, you got up to 'race pace' but the cars in front had only slightly quickened? sorry but this does not add up.
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My view is I've done a lot of running under SC and never had a problem - except for people in front who don't close the gap and keep up.

[GT3]

I've also known for the Safety Car to put it's lights out, ready to come in only for Race Control to ask it to stay out and to put it's lights back on again.

As everything comes out from the Start Line, I'd say it's right that the Green flag is shown there first, and not (as others have said) at other posts.

When you see the Green Flag at the start line, you know the track is clear and the race has restarted and can then go for it!

[Stuart H]

Perhaps the black / yellow flag could be brought back and used as the safety car board. Yellow flags shown where the incident is.

[gravel_monkey]

this system is a problem for marshals too. flaggies have needless waving of yellow flag when no cars are there. you guys dont know were the incident is when we are clearing it and are trackside and the definition of a green is clear and go for it so we have to penalise you if you overtake before the line. dont like at all

[275 GTB-4]

Originally Posted by yesnomaybe

something ive noticed both as a spectator and as a driver is that if you're further back than say 10th in the queue of cars behind the safety car then its hard to see when its lights go out, and therefore you have no idea when to get back to race pace and as a consequence the field gets spread out.. and that car that was inches in front is now 10 car lengths away.

Also a number of times ive seen the safety car go past marshal posts with its lights out but they dont start waving green flags, i know it has to work backwards from the line, but surely the call should go out from the radio that the safety car is going in and therefore start waving green flags around the circuit, no overtaking until the start/finish line, but without radio and with the setup as it is currently then its very easy to miss when the safety car is going in, and if it is going in then the track (where the cars are at least) must be clear and ready for racing

i remeber once when i was racing on the gp track at brands the safety car was out for a car off at clearways stuck in the gravel close to the circuits edge, after a couple of laps somewhere around stirlings i got the feeling that the pace had quickened and got up to race speed, and commited to clearways at race speed (where the accident had been) i had no indication that the safety car was going, (other than the slightly quickened pace of the cars in front) and the yellow flags were still waving, but you dont want to loose time for no reason

basically in summary when the safety car is going in something needs to be done so that the whole field knows that is the case

would be interested to hear other peoples thoughts on this

Can't comment on what happens in UK (like)

But in Australia...the system works reasonably well...

Lights go out on the Safety Car...which is a signal to all to get ready to race soon...

Safety Car peels off and leaves the lead Driver to control the field until Green

Circuit goes Green, either progressively or full course...

PS a local incident or dangerous spot can still be covered by a waved Yellow(s)