Too close to the track?

[tecboy]

I was at the Sonoma Drift Winter Jam. I saw several photographers got too close to the track while cars were drifting. Is that pretty safe? They were standing behind the barrier. What if a driver loses control and rams those photographers?

 

[KmH]

The photographers would probably be injured or killed.

 

[Overread]

So long as they are where they are allowed to go within their capacity and they are not obstructing the vehicles or other staff at the even then yes they can be there. And yes if a car crashes into them they can be hurt or even killed. Some forms of photography are safer than others.

 

[tecboy]

No wonder they made us signed a contract.

 

[robbins.photo]

I was at the Sonoma Drift Winter Jam. I saw several photographers got too close to the track while cars were drifting. Is that pretty safe? They were standing behind the barrier. What if a driver loses control and rams those photographers?

Force = Mass X Acceleration

So is it safe? Umm.. nope. But what in life truly is? Last severe injury I got wasn't caused by bunji jumping, parachuting, or anything cool - I wound up in the ER just trying to carry a box down a flight of stairs, didn't see something that was on the stairs and tripped. I made it to the bottom of the stairs - the hard way. My arch nemesis gravity had won, yet again. Point being life isn't safe. You just have to figure out if the risk is worth it to you personally.

 

[KmH]

No wonder they made us signed a contract.

What they made you sign was a indemnity waiver, not a contract.
It is not a best practice to sign legal documents you do not understand.

Basically the waiver says that you are there at your own risk, and if you are hurt or killed the track is not responsible.
The race car drivers and pit crew members have to sign the same document.

 

[KmH]

 

[MK3Brent]

Good thing you read the "contract."

 

[KmH]

If not for the tree...........

 

[KmH]

 

[KmH]

 

[tecboy]

No wonder they made us signed a contract.

What they made you sign was a indemnity waiver, not a contract.
It is not a best practice to sign legal documents you do not understand.

Basically the waiver says that you are there at your own risk, and if you are hurt or killed the track is not responsible.
The race car drivers and pit crew members have to sign the same document.

Well Indemnity Waiver, but it didn't say anything about standing near the track and waiting to get hit.

 

[ratssass]

No wonder they made us signed a contract.

What they made you sign was a indemnity waiver, not a contract.
It is not a best practice to sign legal documents you do not understand.

Basically the waiver says that you are there at your own risk, and if you are hurt or killed the track is not responsible.
The race car drivers and pit crew members have to sign the same document.

those waivers carry very little legal weight in here NY,where you cannot sign your rights away.I carry 3 types of insurance,I never take my eye off the action,and I'm always on one knee behind the wall.From that position I can go flat very quickly.Hopefully,quickly enough.I think I would be safer tight to the wall,than anywhere else.

 

[weepete]

What's life without a little risk?

Probably the most dangerous thing people do is cross the street.

 

[12sndsgood]

You always have to be aware when your on or around the track, Those K-rails aren't enough by any means to stop a car. You always take your life in your hands when your photographing on the track. I wish more photographers would be smart enough to realize this. you will never find me sitting on my rear or relaxing when im close to the action especially with drifting. we don't get thru an event without several crashes at the pro/am level. case In point.

1. slid into the barrier. the two objects you see about 15-20' in the air are his fender and his door. you can see my media buddies jumping out of the way. amazingly no one was hurt.


MDU4-210 by Square1 photography, on Flickr


2. And for those that think a K-rail is enough to stop a car this lightly modified 350z destroyed 3 K-rails in this crash, I was standing where he went thru the wall about a minute before this happened. I watched him take several practice runs and could see him having issues at that spot and decided i'd move out of the way before he plowed the wall. 60 seconds later I was capturing him driving thru it. bought the car 30 days ago, hadn't made a single payment on it, and they pulled it off the wall with a forklift, totaled. Depending on the wall type Ratsasss you may want to rethink hitting the ground.


DriftIndyF-5 by Square1 photography, on Flickr


DriftIndy-48 by Square1 photography, on Flickr


Last year they let a media guy out with her girlfriend, she was just sitting there, back against the K-rail when a guy lost control and hit the barrier head on. hit the K-rail right next to her and missed hitting the one she was leaning on by about 6". it would have thrown her 10' or more if he had gotten her.