I knew this one would get some attention, but my question is more related to why at DE's people dont use blinkers as some do in Europe, it's easier and less hazzardous.

I know I've seen a guy point by at turn 12 at road atlanta with his arm out the window the whole turn. I was scared to pass because I wasnt sure anyone could take that turn one handed. And I've seen people point by at other places that arent very safe as well. Tracks like Barber dont give you much time either, you're turning, braking, or tracking out the whole lap.


I know some race cars may not have blinkers, but at most DE's there arent many, and those guys shouldnt be giving many point by's and if they do they should know when and how to do it.

 

Ever notice people who have their turn signals on for MILES before making a turn - in the opposite direction?

That's why we don't use turn signals.

You can't "accidentaly" give a point by.

And he shouldn't have his arm out for the whole turn, he should put it out just before the passing zone starts and he should tuck it back in as soon as the car(s) behind begin to pass by him.

 

Yes, we shouldn't change the point-by system just because some clown can't do it correctly.

I have seen people, who are doing the passing, have trouble with the use of turn signals to indicate the side to be passed because we spend years doing just the opposite for street driving.....normally moving to the opposite side of the signal for passing a turning car.

 

^ +1

 

I agree that blinkers might be a good system but not in US, fr some reason people here don't know what the blinkers are & how to ue them. I know it sounds silly but they just don't.

 

I usually have both hands covering my eyes down the hill and through that turn.

I would think doing it one handed would be easy.

 

Not all cars you might encounter on the track have working blinkers.

 

U.S. cars have blinkers??????????? We know most of the headlights don't function during dusk, dawn and cloudy days, studpid engineers.

 

I would just think if used properly it would be safer and only the people without working blinkers and race cars etc would use the point by system.

Not trying to cause any confusion here, it was just something I wondered after watching a forum members video at Silverstone, it seemed as though passing was much smoother at their track day.

But I've also seen some video's at some asian tracks where people dont do anyhting, they just go, dive bombing and all, at the DE.

 

I'm guilty of doing the one handed point-by through turn 12 but I have a firm right hand grip and don't take the left hand off until the car is settled. I drive a low hp car in a faster run group. I check the faster cars position coming up behind me as I negotiate 10. If there are several cars running together that are going to likely catch me going down the hill I try to give the first car advance notice that I know he is there and I am going to point by the pack as soon as possible. I have club endurance experience from many years ago and learned that driving a slower car means learning how to stay out of the way.
At one DE I changed my line allowing me to exit 12 towards the inside pit wall, allowing me to point by the overtakers to the natural line but the organizers discouraged the move as it was "unnatural"

 

I often do the point by after the apex of a turn as well. At that instant the over-taking drover is no doubt watching your car, and won't miss the point by. Once my car has set in the turn, it's very easy to one hand the wheel.

(I used the word "often" as a straight line for his Juper-ness)

 

I wasn't giving a pass signal...I was throwing cool signs at my friends in the pits as I was drifting down the hill!!

 

My initial point-by is before the apex coming down the hill. I don't hang the arm out over the top all the way down the hill but stick it out early with a quick point to let the guy know he's there. I used to do it in rearview but with the roll bar installed it's too hard to see. If timed correctly I can let 3 or 4 cars by before mid straight and jump behind them going up the hill. Diving a low hp car in a faster run group is quite humbling. My excitement is trying to hang onto the group up the hill and into the esses where I get to see them disappear into the distance. Every once and a while I get to run with them into 5! I had a student rider at the last event who noticed that it was not easy to drive a slower car with faster cars on the track. They mentioned after the session that they noticed for the first time there are lines other than the mother duck line, especially going into 6 after the short passing zone.

I'm not sure why they put low hp cars into the top run groups but I suspect it's done to keep the event from becoming a racing experience. Moving chicanes, if driven by "safe" slow people, must break up the "packs" and prevent banzai attempts to record spectacular lap times.

 

I guess it all depends on how fast you are traveling...........

 

I was flyin' -- about 45 or 50