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Post by tom W on Dec 13, 2004 11:42:03 GMT
Just heard that some poor guy in S.A. nailed himself badly on his first run. Severe head injury, C.P.R. + Airlift = Coma. Anybody else got any news? Not yet sure of his precise condition, but it sounds like his chances are pretty slim (But then again, Leander made it through against the odds...). Likewise, not too sure of the exact circumstances of the crash, but one thing we do know is.... he was wearing a skydiving helmet... Ride hard, stay SAFE. Tom W.
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Post by BOS on Dec 13, 2004 13:27:12 GMT
The only thing ive heard from SA is that Rian won! What was the guy doing? I persume stand-up, if he was wearing a sky diving lid! From what i heard Leander was pretty bad when he did himself in! So if he made a full recovery i guess anyone can! Heres hoping!
BOS
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Post by Joel on Dec 13, 2004 15:44:00 GMT
A lot of the yanks are now whearin those lids for Luge, Chaput for one. personally I totally dissagree with their use. At speeds of 70mph they are just no good. That and the rules quite clearly say the helmet must be motorsport approver. And they are not. I have already expressed my concern over these helmets, and do so again.
Joel
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Post by Tom W on Dec 13, 2004 17:13:54 GMT
I think it was only a temporary allowance made only this summer:-
Standup riders can wear pretty much whatever hat they want so long as it is full face. Likewise for luge, but it must be motorsport rated.
At the Swiss Nationals they allowed luge riders to use skydiving helmets, but they were all warned that they would not be allowed at the Red Bull Almatrieb in Germany the following week.
Loads of riders complained, as most of them had flown out with only one hat, and to ban them for the Almatrieb would be to disqualify most of the competition. (Especially so for riders like Chaput, who were riding Standup as well as Luge - why take two helmets on the plane?).
In the end, Markus lat them ride in Skydiving hats, but made it very clear that it was a one-time only concession.
What worried me more, was that when wearing an Icaro helmet on a luge - the long pointy 'tail' of the helmet actually gets in the way. It hits the headrest of your luge meaning you can't ride flat. This means that it is extremely uncomfortable, and difficult to see because the helmet keeps choking you with the chin-strap every time the tail hits the luge.
To get round this problem, a few riders (mainly Europeans) took to un-doing the chin strap, and re-clipping it BEHIND their head - So that the strap / clip sits on the nape of your neck. This enabled them to tip the helmet further forwards over their face - allowing them to see more, and lie flatter on the luge.
Obviously, the major flaw in this plan is that without the chin strap done-up, there is absolutely nothing holding the helmet on in the event of a crash. Pretty stupid really...
Once Markus spotted that people were doing this, he went absolutely APE SH*T, and spent the last two days of the competition at the start line checking chin straps on EVERY helmet before EVERY run - and even then he was still catching people...
As far as I am concerned, there is absolutely no benefit to wearing a Skydiving hat on a luge anyway (Wedge helmets still are, and will always be the best). Those riders who did wear skydiving hats this summer, mostly only did so because it was the only hat they had brought with them.
Ride hard, stay safe.
Tom W.
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Post by luke on Dec 14, 2004 10:43:54 GMT
Just found out, that it was a stand-up rider that crashed, still in a coma, unfortunatly it is quite likely he will be brain damaged if he makes it through, its a guy called Lloyd McPherson. I've left a message on the SA board to let them know we are thinking of him. This does highlight the point that licensing riders and tech inspection cannot be ignored, this was a first run fall, this is generally the most dangerous time on the hill, people are unsure of the course and may have just finished setting up equipment, the first runs are about finding the lines, and checking your equipment functions correctly. The Icaro helmets are not designed for ANY impact, they are for skydiving, a helmet i would only wear on final runs. As you may know i have plenty of first hand experience of this having sucessfully used my head as a brake at Almatrieb (followed by a stay in hospital), i know that the helmet I wore then saved my life. Any helmet is better than none, but a motorsports approved one is the best bet especially if you are a novice or inexperienced rider.
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Post by Tom W on Dec 14, 2004 13:16:29 GMT
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Post by Tom W on Dec 15, 2004 8:03:50 GMT
Lloyd 1990-2004/12/13
Lloyd passed away last night, sad, sad news indeed.
He is donating his heart to help save another life.
Ride hard, stay safe.
Tom W.
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Post by BOS on Dec 15, 2004 12:44:05 GMT
Thats really bad. Its sad that it takes incidents such as that to change/inforce safty requirements. I hope that we (UKGSA and SSSPRINT) take something from this. I dont claim to know much about stand up racing or impacts effecting the head or for that matter the merits of any helmet out there! But there are a few dodgey helmets out there that are being used in our events! I dont want to get anyones backs up, but maybe this is something we should address as an organisation/organistations.
BOS
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Post by UK Gravity Sports Asscociation on Dec 15, 2004 12:55:33 GMT
BOS,
I Agree 100%. It's another very sad day for gravity sports.
The UKGSA pride ourselves on running safe events. We place bales bloody everywhere and keep the road clear of traffic. BUT SAFTEY CAN'T STOP THERE.
Each rider should (and I hope Will) have thier helmet checked at each event. If it aint up to spec You don't ride!
What rules we use & what saftey standard of helmet we use needs looking into. What do people think?
Cheers,
Graham
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Post by will2 on Dec 15, 2004 13:23:27 GMT
It is a very sad day for all of us to hear the news of this I totally agree on the issue of helmets i saw sum at the white air and instanlly did'nt like the look of them as there just isn't enough foam to take the impact. we need to become stricter on this issue. Will
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Post by mobbsy on Dec 17, 2004 14:33:42 GMT
Shit, I hate it when this happens..........myself, Darren Rathbone and JonnyX met Lloyd and a whole bunch of local SA chargers at the DHX Red Bull event, unfortuneatley just after another downhill stand up terminal accident when a young girl died with head trauma after crashing on a serious hill...........
We do need to get our rulings straight on headgear before it happens again. OK, some may want to risk things abit when the going is slow, but even at Ventnor and Gurston it just takes a wrong landing......But now we have Dalby..........I was saved by my helmet at Dalby when I crashed and somersaulted into a tree......needed stiches to my face despite the full face helmet, but was VERY LUCKY!!!!!! I actually race with a powerboat race helmet, which has inflatable bladders inside to keep the helmet secure and give the skull an all over bubble wrap, but at fast hills i'd still ride a motorbike helmet for the first few runs if I felt the hill needed it.....good point that needs discussing, just a shame it has to be bought up like this.........
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Post by Mikey on Dec 17, 2004 14:47:45 GMT
What terrible and sad news! We very obivously need to look at the rules we run at our events. I suggest that we should have a motorsports helment only rule at all of our events. I suggest we discus this at the meeting in January, so that rules are set in place well in time for Dalby.
Regards to all. Mikey
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Post by Joel on Dec 17, 2004 14:52:12 GMT
Considering Tom and Nick were the only people wearing moto helmets at White Air this may not be too popular. Everyone is saying how terrible the accident was, rightly so, but how many will actually be willing to get new helmets because of it?
Joel
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Post by Tom W on Dec 17, 2004 17:18:25 GMT
I was out trying on new hats only yesterday Joel.... HJC "Fuel" MotoX helmet, with a decent visor would make a lovely standup crash hat. They are DOT motorsport rated....and it even matches my leathers. This is the same kind of hat that saved Luke's life at the Almatrieb this summer - I was well impressed. Ride hard, stay safe. Tom W.
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Post by Joel on Dec 17, 2004 17:31:47 GMT
I was out trying on new hats only yesterday Joel.... My point exactly, so far as I remember, forgive me if I'm wrong, but you havn't already forked out muchos £££ for a new skydiving lid. Those who just have, Wookie, Luke, etc. may be a bit miffed if we ban them. Personally I would feel more comfortable if people wore helmets that were actually built do do the job, but this is a democracy... Joel
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Post by UK Gravity Sports Asscociation on Dec 17, 2004 18:08:32 GMT
The UKGSA is run as a democracy as far as possible
Safety issues will be discussed BUT....
If, after investigation, the UKGSA decide that the safety these helmets offer is not up to speed they will be banned.
I guess that the IGSA will be setting new standards for stand up helmets in the near future and seeing that we are in discussion with them about running our races as IGSA recognized events next year we will have to follow their rules to the full.
In the end it might not be an UKGSA decision.
How many of you stand up riders are happy with the sky diving helmets after the events in SA?
Graham
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Post by Joel on Dec 17, 2004 18:15:46 GMT
I honestly hope they and we do, I also hope that, unlike in the past, they and we can be strong enough to enforce these rules, without exception!
Joel
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Post by UK Gravity Sports Asscociation on Dec 17, 2004 18:21:46 GMT
I think we'll set Derek on that mate.
I'm sure that he'll not let any bugger race without the right kit from here on in.
Graham
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Post by Joel on Dec 17, 2004 18:25:56 GMT
I'm sure. Which reminds me, we havn't yet had a proper tech. inspection at any of our races so far. How about for this coming season we make a point of it. Have the rules printed off and there, and someone who knows them well to check equipment.
Joel
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Post by UK Gravity Sports Asscociation on Dec 17, 2004 18:42:56 GMT
I think we will need to start doing this.
I plan to get the rules up on the website in the new year once we know where we are at with the IGSA.
Even if we don't need to make sure kit fits into any rules there should at least be a saftey inspection of all the kit. Leathers & helmets included.
Knackered Helmets and leathers are no good even if they are motosport approved
Graham
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