(11-06-2015, 06:59 AM)eman1948 Wrote: I think this post has moved away from what Dave the original poster was getting at.

  Well, the OP was answered in the first reply.....at least this is still about flags!

Ye the question was answered correctly, and then as happens in a discussion forum the the discussion moves on and widens out , that is what forums do isn't it ? other wise why have one you may just as well google your question ,



.

It is interesting to hear from a racer's perspective that slightly wet roads can be worse than standing water. And that you can see standing water and avoid it at 180mph...very impressive! Our logic is that if it's raining, the riders know because it's on their visors. Rain flag indicates worse-than-obvious rain problems. By far the most common use of LoA is oil on the road....it even used to be called the oil flag. We don't have a cement flag (or coconut shavings flag), but once the oil is dealt with and been ridden over enough to make it safe, the flags come back in.

(11-06-2015, 07:31 AM)Steady the Edward Wrote: Ye the question was answered correctly, and then as happens in a discussion forum the  the discussion moves on and widens out , that is what forums do isn't it ? other wise why have one you may just as well google your question ,



.

So please excuse my deviation from the OP and lack of IOM TT knowledge but how many marshal points are there and why are they not all equipped with a full set of flags? and going on from there you appear to be saying that there is a lack of marshal's at this event? how can that be allowed?

Les

Based on our sector, I'd estimate there are around 270 marshalling points, and all have yellow, green and LoA flags. Red flags are only at locations where machines can safely pull in. Rain flags are at, roughly, every third position. Lack of visibility flags are only at the most visible locations. I don't know why only some locations have the rain flag, but the other exclusions make sense.

As for lack of marshals, there is a minimum of just over 500 required, and racing cannot take place unless this is met. We've had fewer volunteers this year, but have never been down to minimum.

Slightly off topic, but following on from Electric_Monk, I would urge the more dedicated fans/spectators to volunteer as marshals.
I did just that in 1989 after being 'just' a spectator for the previous four years. I was a marshal for the next 3 years and again in 2006.
I loved it, and it is a great experience. You get a better insight into the races and are giving back a little extra to the whole event, and that in itself is worth it.
Also, usually, you can get to see the races from some now forbidden vantage points.
Go on, you know you want to.

(11-06-2015, 09:30 AM)Electric_Monk Wrote: I don't know why only some locations have the rain flag, but the other exclusions make sense.

I guess the logic is that the cause of a yellow or stripy flag may well be local to a single post, but if it's raining, it'll be over an area covering many posts, so they don't all need to signal it.

What Dave and I was getting at a notable rider did not slow down significally compared to Dunlop and others and gained far bigger advantage by not doing so.

That has happened many times and has been the cause of many a debate , it can be a hard one to judge some times , but for me if I see a rider sit up , I think yes he or she is showing that they have seen the flag and are responding, and that rider gains my respect


.

(11-06-2015, 11:05 AM)AndyL Wrote:

(11-06-2015, 09:30 AM)Electric_Monk Wrote: I don't know why only some locations have the rain flag, but the other exclusions make sense.

I guess the logic is that the cause of a yellow or stripy flag may well be local to a single post, but if it's raining, it'll be over an area covering many posts, so they don't all need to signal it.

I sort of see that logic, however if I was a rider I'd want to see rain flags out at all posts. That way you're not guessing at whether there are no flags out because they don't have them at the post, or whether it's because it's not raining. If you know that every post has a rain flag and you come across a marshall position that isn't showing a rain flag (whilst the previous marshall positions had been showing them), you'd instantly know that it had stopped raining and so could push on.

(11-06-2015, 09:30 AM)Electric_Monk Wrote: Based on our sector, I'd estimate there are around 270 marshalling points, and all have yellow, green and LoA flags. Red flags are only at locations where machines can safely pull in. Rain flags are at, roughly, every third position. Lack of visibility flags are only at the most visible locations. I don't know why only some locations have the rain flag, but the other exclusions make sense.

As for lack of marshals, there is a minimum of just over 500 required, and racing cannot take place unless this is met. We've had fewer volunteers this year, but have never been down to minimum.

Thanks for the info, appreciated...

(11-06-2015, 09:37 AM)excollier Wrote: Slightly off topic, but following on from Electric_Monk, I would urge the more dedicated fans/spectators to volunteer as marshals.
I did just that in 1989 after being 'just' a spectator for the previous four years. I was a marshal for the next 3 years and again in 2006.
I loved it, and it is a great experience. You get a better insight into the races and are giving back a little extra to the whole event, and that in itself is worth it.
Also, usually, you can get to see the races from some now forbidden vantage points.
Go on, you know you want to.

I have been wanting to go since waving my Dad, Uncle and brother off to the island in the late 50's ... I need to get cracking soon... and yes i do want to...

ps they did bring me back a cat badge and a windmill on a stick...

Then get a visit sorted, its not difficult, you can do it on a budget if money is tight, and its only a short hop away, you'll love it.

Being the first on the scene of a waving yellow, sitting up and raising an arm to warn following riders is the 'respected' way of acting. Clearly, slowing down is the correct thing to do -- but exactly how much really depends what a rider actually sees. The no passing rule, for any yellow -- stationary or waved is of course vitally important in avoiding any further attrition, and it is nice when leading riders do raise an arm. I've more than once been made aware of yellow flag incidents, around blind corners -- by thinking riders that have the common sense to warn following riders. Yes - the Yellow flag rules are clearly very important, but more so is the unspoken etiquette used by most thinking riders.