On August 31, I wrote:
> PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read and understand section 3.7 of your rulebook,
> which describes what your car numbers must look like.
>
> They should be at least 8" tall with at least 1.25" stroke, uniform in
> color, and the color must contrast with the background.
>
> IMPORTANT: Red and black are both dark colors. Red numbers on a black
> car, or black numbers on a red car, are basically invisible unless
> it's very sunny. As a T&S worker, I'm very tired of trying to read
> these.
Now that I'm back, I want to say that the majority of cars had good
numbers. However, there were a number of truly awful ones.
If I am a Chief of Timing and Scoring again next year (and I don't know
yet whether I will be), then I *WILL* submit official protests against
cars with unreadable numbers.
I'm confident that said protests would result in "protest upheld, no
penalty, fix it for next year" results. But maybe that's the only way
to get people to wake up and read the rulebook (section 3.7).
Here's a small, incomplete list of offenders. I wish I'd kept a more
thorough list.
(1) Steve Telehowski/Matthew Braun (27/127 BS). White numbers simply
don't contrast on a silver Miata. Unreadable except up close. Get a
clue.
(2) Paula Leverone, Chang Ho Kim (42 DS/DSL). Red on Black, both dark
colors. No contrast. Being the chair of the event doesn't excuse you
from this.
(3) Abe Potter/Duane Potter (25/125 ES). An excellent example of
someone who really tried, but utterly failed. White numbers on a white
car, but with a red border, very tall (12" or so?). At the far side of
the course, all you could see was that there was *something* on the side
of the car, but couldn't even tell they were numbers. Nice try, but
how about solid red next time?
There are lots of other examples, particularly of the white/silver and
the red/black combinations. DO NOT COME TO NATIONALS NEXT YEAR LIKE
THIS! This isn't exactly rocket science, folks. It's really hard to
have any sympathy at all.
Mark
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