Bikes on track
10-09-2012, 11:30 AM
#46
Are the kids riding laps around the track on bikes?
Do things that go with a track. Put up a finish banner over the start/finish line. Then maybe a couple other jumps of the track put up a banner with the club name. These could be simple plywood with a painted surface, cheap and easy to make an would prevent kids from riding the track.
Putting chain across the track is not a lawsuit waiting to happen if done right. RC cars only need 20" of clearance, put up a chain(painted a high visibilty color) that goes across the jumps right at the lip. The chain does not need taken down to drive the track but again makes it impossible for bikes. Same with the banner I mentioned earlier.
You reasoning for not allowing 1/8th scale is pretty funny. A reason to not allow 1/8th scales is because there are no other clubs and the only 1/8 scales come from you local hobby shop the promotes and sells them? How is this any kind of reason to not allow them? Sounds like a mmissed opportunity to grow and expand your club. Then to say the 1/8 scales in your area are bashers. A large majority of racers got there start as bashers. You need to stop finding ways to exclude those that do not drive a 1/10th scale "race worthy" car and find ways to included them. Otherwise you do come across as a elitist racer only club that will struggle down the road with membership.
Do things that go with a track. Put up a finish banner over the start/finish line. Then maybe a couple other jumps of the track put up a banner with the club name. These could be simple plywood with a painted surface, cheap and easy to make an would prevent kids from riding the track.
Putting chain across the track is not a lawsuit waiting to happen if done right. RC cars only need 20" of clearance, put up a chain(painted a high visibilty color) that goes across the jumps right at the lip. The chain does not need taken down to drive the track but again makes it impossible for bikes. Same with the banner I mentioned earlier.
You reasoning for not allowing 1/8th scale is pretty funny. A reason to not allow 1/8th scales is because there are no other clubs and the only 1/8 scales come from you local hobby shop the promotes and sells them? How is this any kind of reason to not allow them? Sounds like a mmissed opportunity to grow and expand your club. Then to say the 1/8 scales in your area are bashers. A large majority of racers got there start as bashers. You need to stop finding ways to exclude those that do not drive a 1/10th scale "race worthy" car and find ways to included them. Otherwise you do come across as a elitist racer only club that will struggle down the road with membership.
10-09-2012, 12:00 PM
#47
The first thing I would do is talk to the city council and ask them what you would be allowed to to. I like the idea of putting barrier 3-4 feet in front of the jump sections and 3' above the track surface. Put one just before the jump and one 4-5' beyond it. You could even ring each jump section so they can't cut in from the side.
Put up couple big signs with pictures of the damage to the surface and explain how many hours of work go into fixing the track every time it happens.
Unlike most of these guys I understand that it would be BETTER to constrain the track to 2-3 1/0th scale classes. There is a tendency to change classes every time a new car comes out. What winds up happening is that there are 2-3 cars for each class. I also understand that mixing scales can ruin the track for some cars. It works both ways. If the track is too tight and technical running a 4wd SCT or 1/8th buggy is a PITA.
I also agree with not allowing nitro cars at a public park. Someone will complain. Trust me, when I ran boats we lost 4-5 ponds we had used for years to noise concerns over a 2-3 year period. Once you lose it you will NOT get it back.
Put up couple big signs with pictures of the damage to the surface and explain how many hours of work go into fixing the track every time it happens.
Unlike most of these guys I understand that it would be BETTER to constrain the track to 2-3 1/0th scale classes. There is a tendency to change classes every time a new car comes out. What winds up happening is that there are 2-3 cars for each class. I also understand that mixing scales can ruin the track for some cars. It works both ways. If the track is too tight and technical running a 4wd SCT or 1/8th buggy is a PITA.
I also agree with not allowing nitro cars at a public park. Someone will complain. Trust me, when I ran boats we lost 4-5 ponds we had used for years to noise concerns over a 2-3 year period. Once you lose it you will NOT get it back.
10-09-2012, 01:45 PM
#48
Put up i sign that says "no bikes" and have one of those fake security cameras next to it. They have ones that move and ones with blinking lights. just a thought
10-10-2012, 05:57 PM
#49
Wow I posted this thread a few days ago and haven't had time to look at it and just read through it all. Seems there are quite a few views on this.
Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
We are a small club and still growing. We would love to be able to run 1/8. But the track is small and technical for now. Maybe at a later stage when we have the funds and time we can look at running 1/8 to help the club now
The committee and other members are all very busy so we dont have alot of time on weekends to be grooming the track. This is our justification for not running 1/8 at the moment. Also clay is very expensive here. $13 a cubic meter. And the amount we loose with the larger scale is pretty costly.
Although We would love to be able to do this at some point. We just dont have the time to repair it after every meet we run which we would have to do if we run 1/8
The kids dont ride it often just when it rains. And they go right for a puddle and cut it up. Then it sets bloody hard and its pretty crap.
The idea of setting up some jumps next to the track is a good idea. Maybe something worthwhile. My only concern is if we do that it might attract alot more bikes. And while some may stick to their jumps the problem could increase alot.
Hopefully we can come up with something for our small growing club. Thanks for all the help.
Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
We are a small club and still growing. We would love to be able to run 1/8. But the track is small and technical for now. Maybe at a later stage when we have the funds and time we can look at running 1/8 to help the club now
The committee and other members are all very busy so we dont have alot of time on weekends to be grooming the track. This is our justification for not running 1/8 at the moment. Also clay is very expensive here. $13 a cubic meter. And the amount we loose with the larger scale is pretty costly.
Although We would love to be able to do this at some point. We just dont have the time to repair it after every meet we run which we would have to do if we run 1/8
The kids dont ride it often just when it rains. And they go right for a puddle and cut it up. Then it sets bloody hard and its pretty crap.
The idea of setting up some jumps next to the track is a good idea. Maybe something worthwhile. My only concern is if we do that it might attract alot more bikes. And while some may stick to their jumps the problem could increase alot.
Hopefully we can come up with something for our small growing club. Thanks for all the help.
10-10-2012, 06:45 PM
#50
Just leave the bike ruts there and call it an off-road track. LOLz.
Put a board with plywood holes in the muddy puddle. When they ride over it, the hole will squirt muddy water up in the air. (I used to be a kid to, baseball diamonds near home)
They'll also be too lazy to remove the board and get their hands dirty.
You could also put a sign up that says: "Track built with manure for extra traction. Wash hands with very hot water before eating." No kid wants to ride on that!
Put a board with plywood holes in the muddy puddle. When they ride over it, the hole will squirt muddy water up in the air. (I used to be a kid to, baseball diamonds near home)
They'll also be too lazy to remove the board and get their hands dirty.
You could also put a sign up that says: "Track built with manure for extra traction. Wash hands with very hot water before eating." No kid wants to ride on that!
10-11-2012, 03:29 PM
#51
Sorry if I am repeating an earlier reply, I haven't read them all. When I was a Club memeber interstate, we had the same problem. Unfortunately, since your track is on council land, I'm sure you have very little recourse when it comes to limiting access to the general public. As it is public land, everyone has a right to be there. Since the riding of bikes is allowed in the park, it's allowed on the track too. Yeah, it's BS, but that's the way it is (some one correct me if i'm wrong). Putting up barriers and the like may not sit well with the council as liability comes into the equation in the event that some kid injures themselves trying to jump a chain across the track. The best solution we came up with that had some sucess was placing a sign that basically said '1/10th scale eclectric radio control cars only' (to stop horespower heroes with 1/8 ntiro buggies destroying the track as well). At least this way kids on bikes etc. cannot plead ignorance when/if you bust them. More than once we also had parents with their little ones who genuinely thought it was a mini bmx track (or so they said). Such a sign would help remove such stupidity/ignorance. Note too the track also had a perimeter fence similiar to one that sorrounds the park your track is in. Access to the track had barriers in front of them to limit access by bikes but you could easily walk through.
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