Jaf1977

Over here I think (but could well be wrong), you are only covered by the BRCA's insurance policy if you are a spectator or are a marshall (but only while you are at your marshall point and probably only if you are wearing your high viz jacket).

Therefore, if you are a marshall and go out on to the track to marshall a car and get hit, I believe you would not be covered....is basically your responsibility to make sure it is safe.

Same if you are a mechanic and are going to retrieve a car...you are doing so at your own risk.

I believe the BRCA does provide more details/information in the handbook or at least how to obtain more specific information in their handbook etc.

At the end of the day, I would assume it is the racer's responsibility to ensure that they are taking all the precautions they can to make sure they are safe....and to be aware of how they are covered before attending meetings. If the included cover is not sufficient for people, I guess they would need to look at taking out their own policy to get the cover they want/need.

J-MAN

iTrader: (1)

This is 100% why tracks and organizations close in rc, they already dont make enough to pay for them selves, but it is a catch 22. Their is no way to have everything covered and i agree it should be, mainly for the kids they are the future.
I hope everyone that was involved is ok.

071crazy

iTrader: (8)

If a racers is taking all the precautions they can to make sure they are safe, then there would be no marshals.

ghost68

Seems pretty clear cut to me... On the other hand the racer that caused the injury IS responsible and if they have home/renters insurance they should pay up...

Roelof

So if a marshall gets hit by a car, you just throw the marshaller over the fence and say it is a spectater....

I believe the Dutch NOMAC is covering it all, all people on the accomodation and I do even think when a car gets over the fence hitting a 1:1 car.

bwalton

iTrader: (3)

this is what is wrong with America. No one is responsible for anything. This is a hobby. We do it for fun. We are standing in the open with 8 lb cars flying everywhere and we look to someone else to cover our expense when we get hurt? Hopefully you understand you may get hit by the flying car. I think it is perfectly acceptable to cover the spectators only. They may not understand the danger of the toy cars and are protected by the fence. Outside the fence is the "safe zone". Inside is the demo derby. Please guys, when something happens, sometimes you have to pick up the pieces and move on.

Jeff Werner

iTrader: (30)

Reading this can make a person wonder what they really are getting for their membership. So I have to pay a membership to protect a random person sitting in the stands at an rc event. Been racing for many years and that number of "spectators" is a very tiny number. Also if a track has it own insurance do they not also have to provide insurance for those same spectators? Who covers the person when they are at DB this weekend watching the event?

I understand a person gets to run at a cool big event like RC Pro. I have been there many times too. But when you tell someone they need to buy something and then what they are getting is not really of value to them I would bet that gets to be harder to sell. The Futaba Race did not require any memberships at DB and had over 200 entries. Races that require memberships like Rc Pro and ROAR are getting harder for some of us to attend because are they worth the extra money vs. the large amount of non sanctioned events that are successful for less money.

This will be interesting to see how it plays out.

C.Harper

iTrader: (3)

On the whole marshal vs. spectator argument: a marshal is actively participating in the race whereas a spectator is not. There is your distinction... I think.

C.Harper

iTrader: (3)

Not at all accurate...

cordarrow

iTrader: (17)

Well put. The wording of the liability coverage left no doubt. Law 101.

There is no reason for anyone in this endeavor or any other to be responsible for wiping my ass. I'll handle that myself, thank you.

ghost68

The way I always looked at it was like this: If you hit me hard enough to send me to the doctor while I am marshaling I'm keeping whatever you hit me with until you pay my medical bills. But your kit is collateral til they are paid off...

There is never a good reason to hit a marshal but its part of racing and we all know the risks.

Jaf1977

@GHOST68 - If you walk out infront of someones car and get hit....I hope they sue you for causing the accident and drag your butt to court to recover any damages and potential loss of future sponsorship deals etc caused by you slowing them down/ruining their race!! Seriously though, you know the risks and you take the chance....if you don't like it, look at taking out your own insurance to protect yourself and possibly those you hurt if they decide to come after you...

Imagine what the costs of having full coverage for everyone at a race meeting would be....(if you can even get it)....it will surely be more than $20. If for arguments sake it went up to $250 to include full coverage for everyone, how many people would it put off racing/the hobby? I'd imagine a lot...and then what happens!?!?! No clubs, no tracks...no hobby...

The whole claim culture sucks.....next well be having to take out additional insurance for our 'toy' cars or people will start suing each other for breakages caused during qualifying/races!!

ghost68

The crazy thing is most of us responsible folk ARE already insured... If you have renters/homeowners insurance then generally accidents caused by you are covered. I know that if I were to accidentally drill someone I would do whatever I could to help them out... That said I have been hit half a dozen times while marshaling without any major injury and had so many close calls from a-hole drivers that are 'in the zone' its not even funny...


All I ask is get off the gas when I approach and slow down a touch when you see me trying to clear your path... Piss me off by showing your lack of regard for my safety and I DARE you to tumble in my corner...

offroad dude

iTrader: (31)

I think everyone should sign wavier just like sports players. With that said, I also believe that the host of that race should get a mass liability policy (and it will be cheap) to cover the masses and not charge each individual a fee. A RC Pro race usually gets 200+ entries I believe that should be enough to foot the bill for property insurance for the weekend. I think charging each person a fee is unreason because the hosting track already has property insurance that should cover everyone. Just like a slip and fall accident at a department store. I can almost asure you that everyone's insurance fee is not getting turned in for insurance, becuse if it was they would need your ssn, health history, and your rate would be based off of your driving ability. For instance a Pro caliber would pay less than a novice because they would be less likely to hit someone. Just my $0.02

Oh yeah whatever happen to the term self-responsibility...... Ok now I'm done....

cconwell

Maybe I am wrong but when people have asked why the entries cost so much we are always told that it is expensive to run a large race series. Carlton in years past has always said that insurance is expensive and he passes it on to the racers. As a person that runs a track, I too always worry about someone getting hurt, so we do carry insurance to cover racer as well as spectators. My biggest complaint about this situation is that David never walked over to check on the racer, or to talk to the boys parents. When I asked him about the insurance he told me that the boys parents would have to go after the parks department first, then Dirtburners, then finally the Pro Series. When we agreed to host the Pro Series Dirtburners recieved a copy of the insurance cert. from the Pro Series naming Dirtburners as a Cert. Holder. The policy stated the dollar amounts of the policy (ie property damage, and injury). As I understand the risks of marshalling and racing (I was hit by car and broke my foot) of which I paid for myself. But the rules are made by the Pro Series, and there policy says nothing about spectators. The only reason why I posted any of this was to let people know what kind of crap that people whom run tracks have to deal with. I don't think that it was right or fair for Dirtburners to charge racers the fees (that RcPro sets) and for the track to give 50 % of the fees to RC Pro. And one other note which tracks have had over 200 entries on the Pro Series?