Upgrade to enjoy this feature!
Vital MX fantasy is free to play, but paid users have great benefits. Paid member benefits:
- View and download rider stats
- Pick trends
- Create a private league
- And more!
Only $10 for all 2024 SX, MX, and SMX series (regularly $30).
The Shop
#Thanks for taking time out of your day to comment DC.
How about riders don't try and direct traffic?
If a rider slowed down every time he saw yellow flags, he's get shuffled to the back in every single moto.
I'm all for safety, but..
Multiply the number you think would be sufficient by the cost per flights, hotels, rental cars, meals, pay, etc.
I had a different angle on that action. The bike was in a totally blind spot. It's actually amazing that only one rider hit it. Aaron ended up off the side of the track because he wisely ran to the side and hurdled the banners.
Could they have more aggressively tried to guide the riders? Yes.
Experienced flaggers are a must. One of the two was an official, but I'm not sure he could tell where the bike was from his position.
By standing where he was, it suggested moving right.
As for why guys wouldn't slow down? It's the second lap of a moto, where everyone was still pretty bunched together. None of those guys are going to give up any advantage unless they think there's a big enough issue to merit it.
Pit Row
Did you ever saw a marshal jump into the oval to make the NASCAR racers obey the Yellow Flags?
Did you ever saw a marshal jump into the track to make the MotoGP riders obey the Yellow Flags?
Did you ever saw a marshal jump into the track to make the F1 drivers obey the flags?
No and do you know why? Because they know what yellow means. That riders just ignore rules make the sport idiotic. Because 100% of every petrol head knows what yellow means, everyone who sees this coverage on ESPN Bloopers will know what those marshals were doing. But they also will notice that the riders don't give a damn.
When I say well trained, I mean shown all blind spots at their respective circuits and given specific direction on how to flag very specific situations in those blind spots. They need to be shown how to get a racer at race pace to go in the direction away from danger. I flagged probably over 50 events at Indian Dunes (it's how I earned money on my off-weekends) and at 10-11 years old I was doing what Nick Wey did with riders like Holley, Ward and O'mara coming at me on a given weekend. We need flaggers that you can trust to take control of a situation and because of that they know they are allowed to take control of a situation. I get it, there are insurance liability issues and I totally understand not letting a guy you don't know much about to enter the track, but a well trained crew seems like it would be less of a liability.
I talked to the (Blue Shirt) flagger in this video and was told he is pretty much given a small area where he is allowed to stand and where he can go. I was told they are directed that under no circumstances are they enter the track for any situation. They get in trouble and possibly fired if they modify that area at all. He felt his hands were totally tied and was even put in a more constricting situation with an MXSports official right there at the top of hill. I think from talking to him that he wanted to do what Nick Wey did, but felt his hands were tied.
The least they should expect is flaggers who are competent.
In this particular case, there is video evidence of any and all (flaggers, Plessinger, other competitors) who may have violated the rules...will there or should there be any consequences?
Every flagging station has two easily movable "tuff-blocks" that an "official" can swiftly move into place to block a side of the track (yes sell sponsorships on them as gruesome as it may end up being). One on each side of the track so no one has to cross the track to get it into position (There's plenty enough industry personnel, man friends, towel waving fluffers to accommodate this).
Put a damn whistle around a flaggers neck and they'll get the attention of all those around and can then direct the people closest by what to do quickly.
Lastly... yellow means no jumping or passing.
Oh and by the way the flagging video I made 13yrs ago that the AMA turned their .... oh screw it. Just work on it. Thanks.
I do not think taking a complete flag crew on the road is going to make much difference if the riders are going to ignore the flags like they did in this situation.
Thanks for chiming in. It appeared to me that the riders didn't see the flaggers in time. The flaggers appear to be more in a blind spots. They need to be on the front side of the jump so the riders had time to react to the flaggers. Not complaining just giving you my opinion. Thanks
Post a reply to: Those flaggers don't know how to flag