The good & bad side of marshalling

[gainsy]

Yesterday i encountered some of the best & worst marshalling i have ever seen
In my second heat my track rod came clean off, not only did the marshal go & find the trackrod but had me back in the race within 30 seconds thanks dude

In the final a similar thing happened but just 1 end came off, a different marshal picked my car up & attempted to put it back on, not a racer but someones father i think, he shouted at me to stop reving the car, not what i was doing, it was just suffering from interferance as i had to use my old 27mhz set up, now instead of turning the car off my car was flung into the nearby fence/bush, not placed there but flung, couldn't believe what i was seeing to be honest, i know at least 2 other club members saw this from the look on their faces as i went to collect my car from the bush, to say i was furious was a understatement but as there were kids racing & watching i didn't say anything, upon inspection of my car i found that where the car was flung to the fence there is a post there that has cracked the top front chassis on my car now even more unimpressed
What irk's me a bit is i caught this guys sons car earlier in the day as it rolled out of control at full speed towards the same poxy post thereby saving it's front end
I have never shouted at a marshal yet but that was as close as i have ever come
Will have to be more careful next time & only crash near the good guys
Venting over now

[Si Coe]

Hmmm!

Technically:

1) Marshals aren't supposed to fix cars.
I know lots do, but thats not actually what they are there for. If the marshal was faffing with someone elses trackrod and he crashed nearby you'd be fuming that you weren't turned over promptly. Can't have it both ways....

2) Marshals aren't supposed to turn over cars that are still revving.
It doesn't really matter why the wheels are turning, intentional or not - you still don't what to get your hand in there!

3 ) If your radio gear is glitching that badly, the car is not in your control and should not be on the track.

Admittedly flinging your car in a fence is a bit off, but considering all the above I suspect he was as annoyed with you as you seem to be with him.

[gainsy]

Then i guess he should have just left my car alone as i wouldn't expect him to fix my car if someone else needed marshalling, all i expected was it to be put down with a bit of care not launched
Also my car was only suffering interferance at that part of the track, it was fine round the rest of the track

[lordnikon]

As a newbie to racing (in many years) and the etiquette (sp) of marshalling I wouldn't even dream of messing with someone elses car. If its broken and withdrawn then take if off the racing track and leave it on the side. At most i would turn it off if safe to do so.

I have no idea if this is right or wrong but i know i wouldn't like someone messing with my car so treat them the same. If it means i dont finish the race then so be it.

It does sound in this instance that it might have been alittle harsh, but without being there its impossible to know/say tbh

[Skye]

I was there and it was definitely a little harsh. I take on board Si's comments but when marshalling if a ball joint just needs popping back on then we all do it, don't we?? I know I do....

I also get he may be a little annoyed if he thought the car was being deliberately but it's inexcusable to throw another drivers car under any circumstance.

[OneKiwi]

agreed with most of the comments but any day racing with not the greatest marshalling is still a good day racing.. you guys have mid week racing and Im sure you can race nearly every weekend, thats a dream for me

[Darren Wales]

From what I have read here, it is my professional view that the action of said marshal could easily be construed as criminal.

Whilst I note Si's points, I feel he has misread the point raised by the initial author, yet in doing so, he has also agreed with him.

I too would never shout at a marshal, as it is mostly my fault they are needed. But to throw another persons property so recklessly as to cause damage is criminal and the oaf that did so, what ever his reasons, should look to remunerate the cost of repair.