Ritter v4.0

This is really aimed at casual racers or DE'ers who worry about safety overkill; don't think about it- GET ONE NOW.

I posted here a few months ago about getting a HANS or similar device.

At the RA DE this w/e a good friend hit the wall down the main straight at T10a/10b circa 130 mph. The car looks worse than it is fortunately, but it looks bad. He on the other hand is fine. Sore left side and slight headache (they checked him out) but the one sensation he remembers is the feel of the tethers impeding the travel of his helmet/head. +1

We both got HANS about 2 months ago after "thinking" about it.
Don't- just get one if you haven't done so already.

p.s. Video from the car behind shows after hitting the brakes the nose
swinging to the right suggesting a broken steering rack or suspension part was the root cause. The control arm was broken but hard to say if it was before or after.

Accelerator

For someone having factory seats (not GT3, or similar) the HANS device will be fairly costly when all is said and done. Guess you need to consider the value of intact cervical vertebrae.

I think it is a valuable safety device. My student hit a tire wall at RA this weekend (cosmetic damage only) and I was thinking how nice it would be if I could use my HANS with all students. Not gonna' happen.

Ritter v4.0

Blk Corvette?

Bryan Watts

Did he go through the sand trap at the end or did he nose into the sidewall that parallels the track?

Ritter v4.0

Both.

Nose hit first, then rear slapped the wall then he spun and ended up pretty far up in the pebbles *** first facing back up the straight.

I was planning on going for instructor certification next year but I pause when I think about getting in a car with just stock restraints. My hat's off to those who do.

Accelerator

Yes. Inside wall at 5. Early apex, pinched it in on track out and applied too much Z06 power.

Van

I also highly recommend the "sliding" tethers which give a larger range of head motion. (Although the brackets are plastic and look chintzy...)

I have seen instructors use a kind of HANS-like device that straps onto your back and may offer some protection with a factory 3 point belt. Anyone know who makes those or how well they work?

007DT

scary indeed!! The first thing he said to me when he got back from being checked out was Thank You for making me buy one of these. I had been on him for a couple events about not having one. I'm just sorry he had to employ it. But I thankful he's OK.

aussiebj

I do not see the video link.....

DanR

I think it is the R3

srf506

Glad your friend's ok. In racing the number one rule is there should be no budget for safety gear and if its available use it. Sounds like typical street car carnage at a RA DE event. I applaud any instructor that gets in those non-track cars with novice students. I'm suprised insurance companies haven't figured out this increased risk and taken steps to eliminate it.

Mahler9th

Interesting thread.

I have been using a HANS for 3 seasons and I like it. Purchased from the mfg. My wife and I share the same device, even though our neck sizes are quite a bit different.

When I first used mine, I installed everything correctly, except the angle of the shoulder belts was just beyond their specs. This did not work, and their specs are important, so I lowered my seat. I was planning to do that anyway. Alternatively I could have moved the horizontal in my cage, or added a higher one, or purchased and installed a bracket to reduce the angle. The angle is important and folks need to plan ahead.

Glad to hear the device worked as intended in the example here.

mrbill_fl

http://www.safetysolutionsracing.com/

Fortunately, I have yet to 'TEST' this, but have been using it (R3) for about 3 years.

works in student car with 3 point belts. and with 5-6 pt belts...

RedlineMan

David;

I would only offer a correction. Any available H&N device will improve your safety by a wide margin. Some are definitely better than others, but even the "worst" ones are better than nothing. Most of us will drop the price of an H&N on a set of R tires without even thinking about it, so saying you can't afford an H&N is bullshirt. Everyone should have one.

himself

You might consider editing the title.
I thought you meant "don't get a HANS" when you actually meant "stop thinking about it, just do it"

FWIW, when I clicked, I was anticipating reading how HANS doesn't work, rather than confirming that they do.

-td