Motorsports safety for photographers

[ryant35]

Originally Posted by YamahaRob

I've been in race cars that have done all sorts of bizarre and wonderful things. Upside down in an open cockpit car sliding into a gravel trap is an entertaining feeling. Always joked we needed to put sponsor logos on the underside of the tub of my cars.

Some of the off road karts for kids I shoot have sponsor logos on the bottom & I even saw a sticker that said "If you can see this flip over immediately"

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by Mark Kemp

OK I need to explain the concept of 'probability'. I too have seen cars do all sorts of bizarre and wonderful things and crash in all sorts of crazy places. But the reason they are bizarre and crazy is that they usually don't do this. If 90% of crashing cars go in roughly the same direction and the rest go anywhere at random then my suggestion is not to be in the most likely area.

So your happy getting hurt 10% of the time

Originally Posted by YamahaRob

Upside down in an open cockpit car sliding into a gravel trap is an entertaining feeling.

Ouch, Sounds like a nice way to get a face full of gravel.

[Mark Kemp]

So your happy getting hurt 10% of the time

No If there happens to be an accident then I am happier with a 90% chance of the crash being nowhere near me and a 10% chance of maybe having to run or duck. The other way around is not so good.

[YamahaRob]

Originally Posted by Moppie

Ouch, Sounds like a nice way to get a face full of gravel.

Gotta love Simpson helmets. Visor stayed put. No pea gravel in the face.

[kb9tdj]

I'm glad I found this thread. I just picked up my credentials today for the Indy 500 this year and will be covering it for a local paper here in Indiana. I've been to the race many times as a fan, but this is my first time covering it as a photographer. Any advice from anyone who has covered the 500 recently would be greatly appreciated. I'm excited and a little overwhelmed at the prospect of being down there inside turn 1 (or 3) on race day, but at least I'll be able to attend many other practice days, pole day, etc to help me scope out the territory and learn the do's and don'ts of the speedway.

[sigma pi]

I use to work for a NASCAR Craftsman Truck series team. I was working on the Truck not taking pictures back then. The only place I really saw as dangerous that people got a bit lazy on safety was the garage area. Practice was the worst. You have people running back to the trailer to get something then running into the garage to put on the truck. Then you have other trucks coming in to get adjustments. So race trucks are driving by, and people are running around. That was the only time i ever saw some one get hit by the truck. I am sure if you have your eye in the viewfinder you might be oblivious to the fact that a car or truck is coming. So just make sure you set yourself up in a safe position before going for the shot. I never took one photo the whole time I worked on the damn things, kind of a bummer

[Jaws17]

I have been in the infield of many short tracks in the Northeast the last few years. Rule #1 never turn your back to the track when races or even pre race warmups are going on. It could get you hurt or killed.

I always am behind the barriers, or guard rail or whatever they have in the infield. (some tracks don't have much in those cases I try to stand behind a safety vehicle.

Safety First!

[Richard Brewer]

It's not always the cars you have to watch out for...
A couple of years ago at the Burcharest street circuit I was stood with other photographers on the outside of the first corner behind a tyre wall and concrete blocks, with a 20 foot mesh debris fence mounted on top of the concrete.. A Ferrari 355 (I think) ran out of brakes and hit the tyre wall in front of us, moved the concrete blocks, causing the 20' mesh fence to come crashing down on top off all of us!

[Chippy569]

Does anyone know of any good articles, books, etc. outlining some guidelines? I want to make a blog post about safety for audio people on track (basically same rules as a tog) and would love a few more sources than just this thread.

[Big Pete]

Originally Posted by Chippy569

Does anyone know of any good articles, books, etc. outlining some guidelines? I want to make a blog post about safety for audio people on track (basically same rules as a tog) and would love a few more sources than just this thread.

I find it really bazzar that people are looking for 'guidelines' when trackside Self preservation is what it is all about.

I have been walking around race tracks since 1970 and three things I have learnt are these:
'If it looks dangerous, don't go there!'
'Keep your eyes and ears open!'
Most of all... 'use your common sense!'

Accidents Happen! The recent accident at the ambulance gate at Brands Hatch just proves an accident can happen anywhere.. For years togs have stood at that spot, including me. It has taken almost 25 years for that to happen. Now it's out of bounds?

[YamahaRob]

Originally Posted by Big Pete

I find it really bazzar that people are looking for 'guidelines' when trackside Self preservation is what it is all about.

I have been walking around race tracks since 1970 and three things I have learnt are these:
'If it looks dangerous, don't go there!'
'Keep your eyes and ears open!'
Most of all... 'use your common sense!'

Accidents Happen! The recent accident at the ambulance gate at Brands Hatch just proves an accident can happen anywhere.. For years togs have stood at that spot, including me. It has taken almost 25 years for that to happen. Now it's out of bounds?

Unfortunately we seen alot of "photographers" wanting to go into the dangerous places at the track. Some even argued with corner workers about it to the point security removed them from the premises. Or snuck out to the spot without anyone seeing them. Now the only way any photographer can get beyond the spectator fence is to have a track photographer pass and they have to do a "safety course" before they get one.

[Flores]

Originally Posted by YamahaRob

Unfortunately we seen alot of "photographers" wanting to go into the dangerous places at the track. Some even argued with corner workers about it to the point security removed them from the premises. Or snuck out to the spot without anyone seeing them. Now the only way any photographer can get beyond the spectator fence is to have a track photographer pass and they have to do a "safety course" before they get one.

which is very sensible. the stories I have heard from a friend who is in charge of safety at a local track.... it's like they think because they are behind a camera, they can't get run over...