RickBetterley

Hans in DE; we are going pretty fast in Red.

mhm993

Hans in DE--

Perhaps there's interest in another Rennlist Hans group buy. I think we paid something like $725 in last year's group purchase.

TheOtherEric

In the upper run groups around here (chicago/midwest) you usually see between 0 and 2 H&N devices per run group of about 20. Almost always Hans. Never seen an R3 and only one Isaac.

sjanes

Others may wear one, but I've never see it. The only other H&N I've ever seen was a Hans device worn by a fellow instructor that came to one of our events from NER. My motivation was partly from the WGI incident last year, but mostly because of a high speed lawn mowing incident I had last year.

Edward

Thanks for all the feedback, guys! I was just curious, really. I have been planning to get one for some time now, and since it's time to replace the helmet it is the perfect time. But it seems the relative rarity of my seeing any "hans" style device out there in my circles is the same for you guys. But as a father and husband I, too, feel it is my duty to do what I need to do the help ensure my safety.

Eric (earlyapex),
Yeah, I'm planning on buttonwillow with Alfa Club on mem-day weekend. You gonna be there? ...it'd be great to hook up!

BTW, the comment was made that there is more risk/danger in race. While I see this as true compared to, say, DE, is this really true when compared to Time Trial? I understand the dynamics of racing, and the variables of dealing with other folks vying for the same piece of track. But assuming you are not racing for a purse and that you've been running with the same group of folks in your club (who you like and trust, and they mutually to you), then is race group necessarily more dangerous than TT? Perhaps this is a naive question, but everyone knows TT can get very fast and competitive, thus the risk involved "seems" nearly equitable to me. Am I off base on this point? (FWIW, I've been TT-ing for years, but never raced ...but hope to, one day, given the boss' permission

Edward

M758

I see very few folks in DE using any head & neck restraint.

The few I do see are mostly racers doing DE. It has been growing however since every race I tend to see another driver with a HANS. Never seen an R3 or ISAAC in person.

I wear my HANS and Firesuit when ever I am on the track in my car. Autocross I do not. Too little time in the car for the firesuit and too much head turning so the HANS gets in the way. I figure it is ok since the speeds are much lower in Ax there is so much less to hit.

I also wear my HANS when every I can when instructing.

mrbill_fl

I wore my R3, last weekend for the 1st time. also help gt3 driver with his new Hans.

use IS increasing....

Phokaioglaukos

HANS in DE only, Blue group. I'm not fast, but that doesn't mean I cannot benefit from the safety gear.

930man

does it make sence driving one of the finest sports cars ever made at ver high rates of speed... we have the harneses and the roll bar then we add 5 lbs +/- to our heads.... hmmmm $800.00 doesnt seam much to pay to reduce the neck injury.... they are lil awkward at first but you get used to them after second or third run.... i feel weird now taking student out when i dont use it with his three point seat belt...

i think instructors should wear them is set a good safe example to the newer folks comming into the sport.

baldheadracing

I should point out that my shock was more in relation to the attitudes towards safety of some of the people I know in RSR, rather than DE in general.

As for lawn mowing, if it is turn one a couple years ago that you are referring to, I was a few cars behind you, eh?

As for risk/danger, TT is different - at least for TT in Canada, which is called SoloSprint. Passing is never allowed in SoloSprint. Assuming one can control oneself, I think the risk/danger in (Canadian) SoloSprint is lower than PCA-type DE for that reason. OTOH, in SoloSprint, one may be pushing oneself harder than one ever should in DE, with the associated rise in risk.

DE risk is lower than racing simply because there is no fighting for track real estate, so incidents are less likely than racing (13/13 or not). OTOH, a not-insignificant portion of the DE incidents I've seen over the years involved cars that would have failed a race technical inspection (e.g., the turn one incident), or drivers that would have failed a race medical. (I'm referring to FIA vehicle inspections and medicals.)

In any case, the individual is the greatest factor in determining risk. If I'm taking a passenger around a track, and neither of us is wearing any safety gear, e.g., when I'm a pace car driver, I'm going to be driving totally differently from when I'm "driving" in, say, Live For Speed (PC racing simulator). Those are two extremes, of course.

As another example, my neck restraint is a Wright device. It isn't as "good" as a HANS or Isaac - at least according to marketing materials - but it is/was much less money, and has been tested and proven effective. Just like, say, non-CF helmets or seats, or nylon harnesses.

YMMV.

Sanjeevan

Isaac for DE's only,...but none of them lately

mooty

i dont race, but i wear a HANS.
i would think your life/neck is as valuable as any racers, pro or not.

mhm993

I'm pretty surprised by the comments about hardly seeing h&n devices at DE. At the recent DE's we attended, I bet that atleast two dozen of the regulars wore them. Admitedly, lots of us wore them for the first time.
A few of you may know that I made a mess of my 993 at the Glen last year. If my incident motivated a few more, I guess that's a good thing.
Marc

Rick964

I am planning on getting one of the devices for DE and TT use. Unfortunately, my PCA zone has not finalized the rules for 2007 regarding which devices will or will no tbe allowed. It looks like they may go with an SFI 38.1 requirement which will make the ISAAC useless out here.

Since many groups are starting to create H&N device requirements I encourage people to check the new or soon to be new rules to make sure they buy the right one. My head and neck are definitely worth $800 but I'd hate to pay it twice for no good reason.

Jason Judd

HANS for DE's...

As a wise person once said to me, "If there's a safety device out there and you're not using it; shame on you!"

Why wouldn't you use one? There is no earthly reason not to!

Jason