Rolling At The Starts - Growing Problem?

[tyretrax 2,258]

Rolling isn't the problem, the problem is refs who don't know the difference between rolling and anticipation.

[screm 8,069]

Cant we wire the tapes up to the electric, that would stop the tape touching.

[BangerBoy 47]

Rolling isn't the problem, the problem is refs who don't know the difference between rolling and anticipation.

as long as they dont touch the tapes then it does'nt matter.

[FAST GATER 855]

Who cares as long as the tapes aren't broken let them do what they like I have never had an issue with it but I was brought up on 70's speedway and no one stopped going watch the sport because of rolling starts as far as I know.The sport has a reputation for being "bland" ,predicable and boring ,nothing better than Mauger ,Olsen and Co being sent back to the pits for breaking the tapes HAPPY DAYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.The starts are half the race for me and I hate seeing four robots in line leaving the start as if they were welded together no wonder there are so many restarts with all four riders hurtling it the 1st turn side by side.No one got injured from a flying start as far as I remember so maybe the present rules for starting could be deemed dangerous LOL

[hulvik 73]

Personally I think the Refs are as much to blame for this having watched the sport since the 70's I've seen a fair number of rolling starts and a fair few were the rider just antipated the tapes going up only to be called back. Added to this the fact some refs have a reputation for holding riders at the start longer than others. It's my understanding that there can be up to 5 seconds between the green light and the tapes rising maybe if the Human element was removed and this was made more randam electrionicly it might help

[MACK1 0]

Rolling isn't the problem, the problem is refs who don't know the difference between rolling and anticipation.

[Fromafar 10,455]

Rolling isn't the problem, the problem is refs who don't know the difference between rolling and anticipation.

I agree,but if the ref excluded the rider who he though was rolling completely from the race and no replacement or 15 mtr handicap allowed.the riders would soon sit still IMO.I would prefer just to let the race continue if nobody touched the tapes.

[tyretrax 2,258]

as long as they dont touch the tapes then it does'nt matter.

Tell the ref that.

[Vince 9,459]

Best thing that ever happened to Speedway was to make riders keep still at the starts. The old system with riders rolling over tapes and pulling back and rolling again made the start a lottery and ruined a lot of potentially good races in my opinion.

 

The solution is easy, riders called to the tapes by the start marshall have to respond immediately and put their front wheels within two inches of the tapes. Once he is satisfied he signals the ref and if any rider moves backward by even an inch the ref puts the red light on and guilty rider (not a replacement) goes from 15m. Otherwise if a rider doesn't touch the tapes and happens to get a flyer good luck to him.

 

Any rider not coming forward when called in by the start marshall is given one warning, second offence in the same meeting and he is excluded from the race with no replacement. One or two start marshalls will need keeping in line by the ref but that should be easy enough.

[Catabracadabra 14]

Totally agree with some of these comments. But I would agree rolling at the start adds a element to the racing and causes a talking point. It's not a bad thing. Some Speedway years ago had riders rolling at the start, the racing was still good. The meeting was quick and run at a fast pace. The worst thing these days is when the ref puts the red lights on for a re start. Come on, we want the meeting completed not dragged out till midnight. It's so boring keep watching the riders coming back for a re start than watching a rider maybe make the jump or anticipate the start. It's a sport but it's also entertainment.

 

Rolling at the start is the least of British speedway's problems.

[oldace 1,678]

. Otherwise if a rider doesn't touch the tapes and happens to get a flyer good luck to him.

 

 

 

 

You might as well say if a rider uses a 550 cc motor and gets away with it good luck to him, or takes banned substances etc.

 

The idea is for a reflex action start, nothing else. The rider should be still and not move until the tapes are released, anything else is cheating.

 

In Athletics there are not even allowed to go exactly on the gun. If they go within (I think it is) 1/10 of a second of the gun it is a false start because the human brain cant react that fast.

 

The only time a ref should leave the race to run is if the offender ends up at the back, otherwise bring it back

[stratton 1,491]

Best thing that ever happened to Speedway was to make riders keep still at the starts. The old system with riders rolling over tapes and pulling back and rolling again made the start a lottery and ruined a lot of potentially good races in my opinion.

 

The solution is easy, riders called to the tapes by the start marshall have to respond immediately and put their front wheels within two inches of the tapes. Once he is satisfied he signals the ref and if any rider moves backward by even an inch the ref puts the red light on and guilty rider (not a replacement) goes from 15m. Otherwise if a rider doesn't touch the tapes and happens to get a flyer good luck to him.

 

Any rider not coming forward when called in by the start marshall is given one warning, second offence in the same meeting and he is excluded from the race with no replacement. One or two start marshalls will need keeping in line by the ref but that should be easy enough.

Often then the rider who was rolling got punished anyway, for me not a problem it adds to the drama.If the rider anticipates good luck to him he took a gamble and he won if he gets it wrong he is punished.As others have said the sport has endless more problems to sort than this,nothing worse than endless restarts.And it seems to me some refs are trying to get the rider beat by delaying the start (ect) just like that Micky mouse referee Frank Ebdon used to. Edited July 25, 2014 by sidney

[Brian 63]

I can just imagine the fuss on here if it was a free for all at the start and a teams star man was pulling back when the ref released the tapes, there'd be 20 pages of conspiracy theories.

I want riders to sit still at the start until the tapes go up and their start depends on their reaction.

[stratton 1,491]

I can just imagine the fuss on here if it was a free for all at the start and a teams star man was pulling back when the ref released the tapes, there'd be 20 pages of conspiracy theories.

I want riders to sit still at the start until the tapes go up and their start depends on their reaction.

This is an entertainment first and foremost Brian, the rulers sometimes forget that, this sport is obsessed with the rule book most of them petty and unnecessary.If we were getting 3000 fans plus through the turnstiles fair anough but we are not get the product and entertainment levels right first.

[kelvinht 356]

At least you knew where you stood with Frank Ebdon...and meetings were run quickly and efficiently - as they should be!