Summit is just going along with pretty much every other track. The liability exposure is just too great.

 

One, how many S2000's do you really think they're going to lose? And how do those numbers compare to the the utilization of the facility as whole? The number is negligible. If it saves them(BSR) money in isurance costs, it makes sense. They are a business and in case you didn't notice, we're in a bit of an economic downturn. Numbers for the track in '09 will undoubtedly be lower. 2008 already has shown a decrease in entries as a whole(many organizations rolled up). People are still tracking, but possibly fewer times per year.

I can't help but think that the recent RTA debacle put liability at the forefront of BSR's mind. I hope it wasn't because I did not follow through on my scheduled track day in September.

Now, if you have a rollbar installed, you'd better be using harnesses. If you do not have a rollbar, you should not be using harnesses. And the broomstick test is a joke. Always has been. That's one of the reasons most taller owners have hardtops.

 

Why must you use a harness? If you have a bar and normal belts how is your risk of injury increased? Just trying to better understand this as I just bought a HD bar (with stock belt tabs).

 

You're right that it is all about liability . . . they're trying to take action to reduce culpability of a foreseeable risk(law school finally comes in handy! haha). I don't understand why tracks wouldn't just contract around this liability and put a few new clauses into their waivers at track days . . .

This does kind of irritate me though. I stayed with the S so I could start tracking again in the spring . . . but with this news, it might be time to move on to another car, one that is more suited to be a DD, but can still be tracked. evo, sti, z, etc.

 

[QUOTE=dc_s2k,Oct 26 2008, 07:19 PM] Why must you use a harness?

 

The issue is having the bar so close to your head. In the event of an accident, the stock belts won't be enough to stop your head from hitting the bar. Even with a helmet on, I'm pretty sure you don't want your head to hit a solid metal bar, and if you're on the street without a helmet, you could have some serious brain damage.

 

If that were the reason for the new clause(which it isn't), mandating a hardtop would satisfy that requirement(buried in rollover). I do remembr the guy out of chicago that did, in fact, roll his S at the track in a sand pit. He posted it on this site.

Weird thing about all of this is that NJMP supposedly is allowing S's to run with stock rollover protection. Why is this odd? One of the owners of that facility is the owner of VIR- a track that forbids our car to run without an aftermarket bar regardless of the renting group.

I do agree that the HD bar is quite a bit more substantial than factory protection, but at a cost. Harness bar heighth is sacrificed if one keeps the stock interior pieces and softtop. Since nobody actually checks the bars, the Safety21/Cusco bar seems like a reasonable alternative despite its less-than-adequate protection with regards to a bar. It does not require cutting/removing of any interior pieces. Consequently, it can be removed easily enough for street use.


Disclaimer: I am not suggesting that anyone use any type of safety equipment, merely throwing possibilities out there. I will not be held liable for any injuries or damages as a result of executing any of the above.

 

This is not as big of an issue(but still a viable concern) with the Hard Dog bars as it is with the Safet21/Cusco type bars. The HD bars are not attached at the floorboard like the Safety21/Cusco bars.

 

Why would being attached to the floorboard intead of the shelf make it any less of a concern?

 

I don't understand that. The roll bar is further away from my head than the factory hoops, and that little plastic cover on them isn't worth much, from a head banging perspective. I have both with stock belts. I will be installing six points, to use at the track, but will keep my stock belts for street.

The chances of me rolling on the street are slim enough for me to take that gamble, whether it makes any difference or not. I would say the odds of that are less than being struck by lightning. (Hopkins ;~) )