Staging lanes and foot traffic

[wonderwoman]

I would imagine others are frustrated too over all the foot traffic in the staging lanes on a big race weekend, real chaos. I'm speaking especially at the curve where it comes into the straightaway staging lanes. Downright dangerous with people stepping in front of you after changing their mind which way they're headed, you have to come to a grinding stop while "burning up" your engine trying to get back to your pit to shut it down and let it cool off.

An idea: paint "DO NOT CROSS" lines at the edge of the staging lanes on the curve with designated crosswalks that say "YIELD TO VEHICLES". I know there's one in the staging lanes where the curve straightens out but NO markings "yield to vehicles". And we need another designated crosswalk in the curved staging lane area. Someone is going to get hurt and we need definitions who is at fault when it happens.

["Wild Child"]

Meh, I'd say it's just like driving in Walmart parking lot. We are the professional drivers, so we're expected to watch for pedestrians.

Signs or another cross walk would go unused I'm sure. I'm guilty. I walk across towards top eliminators 5-10 times per day.

Also, not to be rude, but if you have to race back to the pits to cool off, you might need to rework your cooling system. Us that can't drive back get towed back, and as far as I can see from others, most don't have a problem getting back without overheating.

[wonderwoman]

No rudeness percepted, but you're probably not an air-cooled engine like I am. No liquid cooling here, airflow is what it's about. I have electrical fans but they can only do so much cooling.

I'm just saying someone is going to get hurt the way things are and then something has to change. It's scary when you think you know which way the pedestrian is going and you're about to pass them (albeit at a slow speed) when suddenly then change their mind and direction which way they're headed. Of course, having a rear-mounted engine doesn't help I suppose.... .

I just thought of something--a lot of tracks have a basic wooden footbridge over the staging lanes.

[3rdgen]

Time slips should get thrown your lap and not looked at till your parked, especially on busy days like this past weekend. Keep it between the nice freshly painted yellow lines and keep a sharp lookout for the fans that keep our track open (smile and wave at them while they move for you). They are just as excited and don't understand like we do. Its our responsibility to do the right thing. Has worked for the last 50 years.

[bowtie1959]

I agree with 3rdgen, I have been a fan out here for the past twenty years, after these last two weekends I'm seeing things from the other side of the fence. It is frustrating when your driving or towing back and a fan is walking right down the middle of the staging lanes totally oblivious to the cars coming back to the pits. I think that maybe there just needs to be some announcements or some kind of awareness made to the spectators about the need to have the lanes kept open or at least pay attention to the race cars!

[kcarazy]

eh ..pedestrians always have the right of way..

[pumpgas540]

I agree with 3rd gen, I have almost been run into by another race car while they were looking at their time slip. We need to watch our speeds, especially since the new pavement was put down, some racers and others are driving way to fast even in the pits and there seems to be a lot of people darting from around campers/motorhomes and the like. Lets all take responsibility and drive accordingly.