*** "Simply because it says that (and it seems a fairly common response) drivers are prepared to complain about a) the standard of drivers b) the standard of marshalling
but aren't prepared to put in the effort personally to do anything about the problem." ***
Therein lies the difference. You'll never find me complaining about the standard of marshalling or officiating and I'll rarely (if ever) complain about driving standards. Most instances of poor driving really are a case of "it takes two to tango".
Moreover, using drivers as observers really wouldn't make any difference to the range of opinions on any given incident. Just look at the range of opinions on the Hamilton/Massa/Fuji incident. All (?) who commented were (ex-)drivers, yet many different interpretations of what is/isn't acceptable were present. Even worse is the "local boys" club mentality present at many circuits. In fact, I've witnessed this throughout motorsport, where reputation goes before reason, drivers are wrongly accused and a kangaroo court ensues. The range of comments, from drivers, on various issues regarding contact show drivers to be the LEAST reliable to make such decisions. Surely the range of driving standards alone proves this?
*** "I can see this being translated into a driving philosophy of "it doesn't matter if I fire someone off because it is the club's job to stop me"." ***
That's a nonsense. It would only translate that way to the drivers who think the punting is acceptable anyway. Using these same people as driving standards observers seems pretty ridiculous.
*** "So it is up to the people who want to prevent bad driving taking two responsibilities, the first to avoid contact and teh second to help their club." ***
I'd certainly agree with both statements, especially the first, since that is the root of the problem. However, forcing drivers to officiate will only turn people away from the sport. It's already a long enough and busy enough day as it is (especially for those of us that drive and prepare several karts as well as helping novices and others with problems).
*** "As for increasing entry fees, when clubs have reduced entry fees they have seen 100% growth in the classes. I agree it is in co-operation with other efforts, but if the increase in drivers in TKM at Clay (for example) is a response to a 50% drop in prices, I hate to imagine what an 20% increase in prices will do!" ***
More often than not, drops in prices see a shift in drivers (or at least, they are only new drivers to the club, not new drivers to karting). Moreover, reduced entry fees are not sustainable. If karters want a more professionally officiated and presented sport, they have to pay for it.
Dave
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