Mark--
> The fact of the matter is that the only justifiable reason to wear
> harnesses in Solo II is for driver performance, not safety.
I will disagree with you on this for one primary reason -- the widespread
use of inertia reel belts in modern cars that do absolutely nothing for you
until the accident has begun to happen. For what we do, you might as well
not be belted in at all. Even the most rudimementary seatbelts from the '60s
were superior in this respect.
Therefore, what Stock class drivers are primarily trying to achieve in
their 21st century cars is seatbelt technology that approximates what
existed 40 years ago -- at least to the respect of holding the driver in
place.
That said, I rather like your concept of OEM belts (or replacement LAP belt
only) in Stock class cars. In classes where seats may be replaced, then so
can the restraints up to and including full harness.
--Rocky Entriken
(At the first Nationals driving in GS I managed to pop my belt open near the
end of the run [for reasons I won't go into here], went through one last
3-cone slalom and took the finish sitting on the handbrake. I think most
would agree that was not a very safe thing to have happen.)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Sirota" <mark@sirota.org>
To: "Loren Williams" <Loren@invisiblesun.org>; <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, August 25, 2005 2:25 PM
Subject: Re: Harness bar...
> --On Tuesday, August 23, 2005 3:24 PM -0700 Loren Williams
> <Loren@invisiblesun.org> wrote:
>> Honestly, with all the specs they have on roll bars, I'm surprised SCCA
>> doesn't spec minimum requirements for a harness bar. The way the rule
>> is currently written, you could make a harness bar out of electrical
>> conduit and compete in a car that is LESS safe than stock, which I'm
>> sure is not the intention.
>
> The way the rules are currently written, you could put a piece of rope
> around the back of your seat and your hips and be legal, no other belts
> or harnesses needed. (To be more protest-proof, use a piece of flat
> nylon webbing.)
>
> The rules are amazingly non-specific about seat belts and harnesses.
> There are no specifications, no mounting requirements, nothing of the
> sort. When I was on the SEB I tried to push this button but there were
> always more pressing matters...
>
> I think the right solution is in Stock, require the OE seat belts to be
> worn (with the existing exception for pre-1968 (?) cars), and disallow
> harnesses and harness bars. Those can be allowed in other categories
> that also allow seat replacement.
>
> The fact of the matter is that the only justifiable reason to wear
> harnesses in Solo II is for driver performance, not safety. If it was
> about safety, we'd have definitions for harnesses and mounting systems,
> like the GCR does. These driver aids do not belong in Stock, IMHO.
>
> Mark
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