Breath testing at BRCA meetings!
 

Seems anyone found under the influence could now face some form of action at brca meetings



Random breath testing was conducted under BRCA general rules at the recent tc meeting, (not down to tc section or drivers)

I wonder what the term `under the influence` actually means ? Could be one drink, could be 5 depending on how its interpretated

Is it actually possible to race these things drunk?!

Best buy some mints, my breaths always bad at the track, far to many sunday cigarets:lol:

I think this is ridiculous. If I go racing with some mates and one of them is driving, does this mean the ones who aren't driving home later can't enjoy a beer or two? I mean its toy car racing for gods sake.

So do we know what the limit is going to be? Surely it has to be higher than the legal drink drive level?

I guess its in-line with motoring regulations, 80mg or whatever per whatever, the normal breath test. Certainly a couple of beers impairs your ability (I've checked several times), a substantial amount could easily make you dangerous.

We have never had a problem at the Invernational, some thick heads on Sunday morning but never a problem with freshly razzed up individuals trying and failing to get round the track safely.

Probably a good thing to wait to see where the BRCA take this, then use the AGM to discuss.

Fun whilst it lasted, I best find a new hobby :(

Apparently there was an issue at a BRCA event (not touring car though) where a driver 'under the influence' became rather abusive.
Also from what I have read it might well void the insurance if there is an incident and the driver is worse for wear...

I have no idea regarding the law around this, but is it legal for a person, other than a law enforcement type, to demand a breath test in this manner?

seems to be it Keith

they were using breath test kits at tc so i assume its the legal drive limit, (even if you have not driven to the track) and it can have implications on the BRCA insurance. it has been a rule in the handbook for years, just never seen it in action before, as its in general rules then it would apply to all meetings run by brca clubs

Was told this at the E8 nationals.... does seem a bit OTT, but guess it will only be enforced if a driver is absolutely wasted..

It has always been the case that an intoxicated individual is not allowed to race, it has always been there in the rules. A measure of what 'intoxicated' is can only back up existing rules. I'd like to think that a driver with a small amount of alcohol in their system would be no problem, and vice-versa for lots of alcohol.

The boundaries of what is and what is not 'drunk' would need proper discussion with the BRCA.

If I was the steward of a meeting and a competitor that I suspected to be drunk refused to take a test (as is their right) I would exercise my right and ask them not to race.

Yup, did that in the 90's and did rather well drunk, wasnt a problem as i wasnt drinking whilst driving my real car.

:thumbsup:

Hi

Amazing isn't it - that nobody ever bothers to actually:-

a) Read the rules
b) Stop and actually think that somebody might be trying to help you..


You will find in your rule book that it's been a rule for donkey's years that anybody 'under the influence' will be expelled from the meeting

That is an obvious (and anybody who thinks differently should take up another hobby) health and safety basic requirement.

But

When an official turns round to you at booking in on a Sunday morning and says 'You're worse for wear - go home'.
(Which is a increasing problem in several sections unfortunatly, so we'll all be under the spotlight until it improves..)

And all you've been doing is munching a giant size pack of wine gums all the way there:D how do you PROVE otherwsie?

Correct, we've now got a fix..

You use one of the disposable breath testers each and every section have been told to go and get.

Takes all the argument out of it - for everybody concerned.

We Will Protect Our Officials.

As Unfortunatly there is a very vocal minority that think the officials are just verbal punchbags, and some who think race meetings are places to get drunk - and while that continues we'll all have to put up with some inconviences I'm afraid.

The long term fix for this is in YOUR hands..

It's also BASIC health an safety to not operate equipment when taking certain antibiotics so will we be checking to see what tablets people are taking lol

I'm guessing though the "drunk" as people are referring is to people drinking at an event an not being hungover from the night before?

The Sunday morning thing is not about having a hang-over, it's about still being razzed up.

I sort of thought Jim had sewn it up there, he makes total sense to me.

testing
 

might as well start testing for performance enhancing drugs too may have a lance armstrong type figure in rc with super fast thumbs:lol:

If its drunk at a meeting the yeah I understand, just thought I may have to become a recluse on a Saturday nite lol

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Hi

Unfortunatly we've had to discuss this too - makes me a bit sad really but there you go..

If You EVER see drugs (and don't be clever and type about Asprin - you know what I mean) being used at a race meeting you're at, then make sure you do the right thing, for all our sakes:-

report it to race control and Call The Police.

If we ever have to go into testing for that we might as well all go home as that really will be beyond what any of us could ask anybody else to volunteer to do.

Unfortunatly the world we currently live in is making volunteering to organise or run anything (like a national, regional or YOUR CLUB) a large thing to take on - it can come with significant responsabilities

We all need to do our bit to keep our sport clean and safe.

Haha I did think about you! Ahem!

The main reason i did nationals was to get away from the wife and kids for the weekend and get pissed with mates you see 4-5 times a year.

Take the fun out of nationals and there's no point doing them, for me anyway.

If they think numbers are down this year they're going the wrong way about building them back up. (Only if they implement this in 10th Off ROAD of coarse)

oOoos FTW

How does this effect the invernational beer race :lol:

Is it a brca sanctioned meeting? Doesn't the participation require you to sign a waiver.

The rule applies to all club meetings up to nationals of all sections, as its in general rules.
Im sure its not to stop folk enjoying a drink on sat eve, but to be rat arsed and causing problems on race day is wrong.

Sorry to single you out buddy but some of us actually race for the purpose of racing, ie testing yourself against the track, the conditions and other competitors.

One of the reasons I learned a foreign language and planned to emigrate to Europe was to get away from the destructive British drinking culture which to me has the effect of alienating anyone who wants to have a meaningful social interaction but when it came down to it I really wanted to carry on racing (which I realised I couldn't afford to do if I was putting everything into moving to another country) so I decided to stay in the UK for now.

Being in the situation of trying to race as competetively as I can on a low income in Ripoff Britain, balancing running a home and full size car to achieve this and trying to get an Open University degree in order to eventually leave this country never to return, I don't see why my day's racing should be ruined by someone unfocussed who can't stop themselves from "just having a few beers", it's ridiculous. Plus the fact one purpose of "nationals" is to determine who is the best driver/team in Great Britain in a particular discipline of RC (the clue is in the word!) in order that they might represent us on the international stage.

If you want to get pissed with your mates, taking part in any form of motorsport is not the place for this. I've nothing against people getting wasted, it's not as if i'm teetotal myself (ahem), I just happen to think they should apply a bit of grey matter and do it in such a way that it doesn't affect other people.

The drinking culture of the British appears to get in the way of everything. When we're not drinking at RC car meetings we're drinking at upmarket ski resorts in Switzerland and then flying down the mountains injuring ourselves and other people. It's an embarrasment. If you want to drink until you can't control yourself that's fine, just make sure you're a long way away from me.

Perhaps i used the term "getting pissed" when i should of said "having a drink"

I have seen plenty of sober people cause trouble and drive like dicks at Nationals too!

I respect the fact that you want to try hard at Nationals and thats your choice, i know im never going to win a national.

I can see to the letter the implications with insurance which can't be disputed. However I have never once seen anyone behave badly on track or rostrum as a result of a beer or two but plenty who are sober. There are a select few who might actually benefit from a mild relaxant to calm them down a bit.

Interesting that no-one has mentioned families and young people.
I've attended a few meetings recently where I have seen and heard things I would not want my young sons to be subjected to - should I not bring them into the sport?

Some people need to grow up - there's a time and place for drink - and it's not whilst racing. After racing, when kids are asleep, people have finished racing / gone home etc, fine obviously - but i'd still say getting totally smashed is out of order.

Sadly, careless of the nationals, I think the implications on clubs who operate and run within the BRCA framework, will put them in an awkward position. To be cantacerous, you would have to define 'under the influence' as this can be drink, illegal drugs AND legal drugs. So you can prove alcohol, but how many clubs can afford to have a stash of breathelizers in stock, but the other two are so much harder to test.

I fully understand the reason for the rule and how it operates, but I just don't understand why the 'mate you are off your head, go sleep it off' as you can't ask them to go home, as if they are to worse for wear then they can't be legal to drive either. Then you would have the problem that if someone IS sober and turns down the option of a breath test, do they get asked to leave?

Steve, i agree.

Also how can you tell if they are a diabetic and have a low sugar level. Resemblance is almost identical to being drunk.

You smell their rancid breath from 100yds away.

The message here is not as complicated as it's being made to look: be responsible. Simple as that. As grown adults it shouldn't be too hard.

The message isn't complicated and been known for years Col, what is complicated is that the BRCA is setting a standard for assessment rather than make a simple rule complicated.

But as James has said, a Diabetic could be mistaken, then there are those driving under the influence of prescribed medication etc. It is more 'how far do you go' rather than the simple 'your drunk, go away'. For most club days, this would never be an issue, but weekenders will be far more problematic.

I used to run karting events and if you've been drinking there is only one rule. You're gone. If you don't go then the event is cancelled.
I realise RC racing is a little different but what if you're racing against someone who is under the influence and they run your car off the track causing expensive damage?

if its a weekend event its also a chance to meet with friends, have a few beers on a night an race the next day, i think people are worried that they'll get turned away an not able to race which i take it thats not really the case, is it more to do with ripping the total a*%e out of it an being totally minging the next day. is that correct or is it just no alchohol what so ever?

Well that a couple of minutes of my life a ain't gettin back stop smelling ur own farts and saying how much better you are wanting to get out of the country LEAVE THEN !!!!!!

I don't understand all the fuss. Nothing will change, race meetings will
Still be the same. Now lets all calm down and have a drink :woot:

If we go down that route then, what happens if someone jumps the track, spins out on the straight etc, once you start apportioning blame on crashes and who should pay is a sad route to take...

personally i think this is a great idea ,no one wants drunks screaming and shouting at marshals having temper tantrums when cars cut or throwing things at there pit crews while racing .......

........trouble is this happens all the time......drunk or not :p:p



of course worse than this is the strange smell of wacky baccy drifting over the pits ..i wonder at times if the race organizers are oblivious of this or havent got good noses .... track it down to a certain pit tent/table and take action there and then kick the whole lot who are using that area out ,this way it should be self policing ,,i.e if 1 member of ur team are on the baccy and the smell is tracked back to ur tent/table etc then all the team gone off circuit :cry:

think it makes sence