This ACTUALLY Happened
 

At VIR with FSR on Friday. I had a student in Blue Group who was Solo rated by MOR at Mid-Ohio but was new to VIR. The assumption was that he would get quickly up to speed and could get signed off solo at VIR. In the day’s third session, as we approached the climbing uphill esses, a waving White flag was thrown. Assuming the student had not seen it, I asked, “What’s a Waving White?” Without hesitation, he braked hard and came to a full stop in the esses within view of the flag station. How I am alive today, I do not know.

Always a crap shoot at the beginning of the day.

Sounds like it should have been yellow and white flag if they were waving the white flag. White with yellow is a common combination.

A full stop...wow.

And people like this are allowed to vote and reproduce

For a track peasant - can we get a readers digest of the above?

Holy smokes... smdh...

While that's a good idea, it's not a requirement. Heck, I've raced through white flags (no yellow) into Big Bend on Labor Day... Think of the prize money! ;)

White flag usually means a slower moving vehicle ahead. No action is required. A red flag indicates an urgent emergency somewhere on track, requiring all cars to come to a controlled safe stop within sight of a nearby corner station.

This ding dong made a staggeringly huge and very dangerous mistake

Thank you kind sir.

Yikes! I was supposed to be there this w/end and would have been instructing, but out recovering from some injuries.
Always good to quiz students on flag meanings before going out.... Sometimes I remember to. :rolleyes:

The drivers meeting yesterday and this morning had a comprehensive review of the flags, including the white one...

Ain’t that part of mandatory drivers briefings? It should, and it was in all track days I have joined so far.

I'ts always part of the novice student classroom sessions but Blue and above students are usually assumed to know their flags.

Yes FSR goes over the flags in the drivers meeting, but folk have a tendency to hear things and not remember them, especially when under stress. Learning a new track can be stressful, especially one as complex as VIR. Then if you have a student the knows the flags, the next challenge is getting them to look at the flagging stations.

Careful, you'll get the thread thrown into P&C!

It's funny that this goes both ways - full stop when not called for and full steam ahead for a red flag.

I've been fortunate to only have been in one red flag race - 2018 PCA at Summit Point. Car flipped in the rain.

And.. Check your mirrors first before slowing down for the Red Flag or you might get a fast mover who didn't see the flag go right up your tail pipe.

You raise a hell of a good point.

It's because people aren't paying attention...

Still think we need drills.