I like Ferraris.
I know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but why am I in this well !!! I'm a Ferr...
I like Ferraris.
I know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but why am I in this well !!! I'm a Ferrari now because I'm red, AND that cheekychicken keeps on at me about cars.
Still reading the ops of Sue26 also.
Member since:03.04.2002
Reviews:27
Members who trust:56
EEyy-up, here comes that lunatic again...Is this the talk of people walking past the nearest asylum ??? No, it's spectators at a motor race meeting talking about the guys on the other side of the fence - those unpaid volunteers - the marshals. Well, during my “career” as a marshal, I was at most circuits at one time or another but as I actually started at Silverstone when I was knee high to a grasshopper I’ve decided to put this opinion here, there being no other category !!
I first decided to take my life in my hands and become a marshal when I owned an MG Midget, about 27 years ago. My intention then was to get into racing, but that never happened !! The first way to marshal is to join a club, such as The British Racing and Sports Car Club (BRSCC) or The British Automobile Club (BARC), both of which have marshalling sections. You have then learnt the first aspect of the activity, it costs money .
The next thing the aspiring idiot has to do then is to volunteer for meetings, in my time I was a member of many clubs and volunteered for most meetings prior to the beginning of the season, this is sensible for another reason "Motor racing is dangerous ", and the earlier one applies the more insurance cover can be arranged. Are
you getting the idea of this ??
Then, about ten days prior to the meeting you get your only bonus, the free tickets for your days marshalling. On the day, pack all your kit and food very early, you will need to arrive at the circuit at about 7.00a.m on a weekend morning. There you sign on, another important event, the organisers don't want to collect your signature, they just need it for insurance purposes.
There are many levels of marshalling, and to progress is actually probably harder than becoming an F1 driver.
Level 1 - Paddock Marshal If one wants to progress as a marshal there is a grading system where you have to obtain 12 qualified persons signatures at that level before going on - Trick no.3, it's not often possible to work with a qualified person !! However at Paddock marshal level you also encounter trick no.4 - you don't see any cars on the track, you are just ensuring that the racing cars park in their allotted slots.
Level 2 - Pits Marshal Having progressed, here is the next trick _ you still don't really see any cars on the track, you are really logging cars into and out of the pits for safety purposes, and also to keep the pits clean and safe.
Level 3 - Course Marshal Once you have endured the previous tasks, you are then allowed onto trackside. Bad news, you've now got to go and pay out for fireproof safety overalls. Once your money has been taken from you, your task is to clear up after accidents, such tasks as sweeping the track and dragging broken cars around. However, at this point the adrenalin starts flowing, you get cars flying towards you from all angles, and must learn to take avoiding action -- which takes experience I can tell you. I've had cars flying upside down towards me at 150mph - the driver got out of that one and said "Don't think I'll be racing that one to quickly !" (or words to that effect !).
I once had three trucks coming at me at 100mph , I made a funny face and climbed the fence .Marshalling still gets a lot of volunteers for some reason (and you do meet the drivers ) You also make friends with the marshals and here I'll tell you about my good mate Les. He suffered from stammering, and one day he was in charge of a post during a truck meeting, well two trucks decided to have an accident at Les's post, and totally demolished his hut. Well, Les reached for the emergency phone but.....it was up a tree!! We said (imitating Les) "S.s.s..s.tttop tttthhhhe...... Oh forget it they've gone by now".(He was intending to stop the race by the way)
Level 4 - Fire Marshal More money, you are not going to progress without actually putting car fires out, and for this there are training days - generally the marshals club together and buy old cars and petrol, set fire to the cars in a pool of water and when it is well alight - put the fire out ! The time I did this at Farnborough Airfield I successfully put the fire out, took my helmet off - and burnt my hand on the helmet as you have to really get close to the fire to put it out. Maximum time allowed - 30 seconds or a racing driver would have been incinerated by then. Excellent feeling though once you can put fires out quickly and well. Funny story here - I was at the Belgian Grand Prix once and the late great Ayrton Senna came up to me with his Lotus on fire , which I promptly put out. Ayrton said to me "You b***t***". My dad said to me "He's not a very nice man is he ?" Apparently he wanted to use the car again that day !!
Level 5 - Flag Marshal This job is actually very hard to do well, the main requirements being to face the racing and use the blue flag to warn oncoming drivers of overtaking manouevres, this is VERY , VERY diificult to do and requires years of experience. The other task is to face away from the racing, and when there is an accident , get that yellow flag out as quickly as possible, I DID this, I was marshalling Paddock Bend for the British GP at Brands Hatch when Jacques Laffitte had his big one and I'm there on TV with my flag !!The guy on the blue flag who, of course, is facing the action is meant to warn you of any imminent danger and jump for your life!
Level 6 - Observer . Another unpaid job. Here one is in charge of a sector with a team under one's control . Me, being me, was quite laid back about this task, but it was important to control the team and make sure to brief them about keeping safe and not putting themselves in danger when attending the scene of an accident and never to cross the track during racing etc. However one did have a phone in the marshal's hut to phone the wife and friends - eeerr no sorry to ring race control with all the relevant events in that sector including stopping the race if there was a serious event which required the assistance of race control vehicles, such as more powerful fire trucks, ambulances etc.
Level 7 - Examining Observer After 20 years at trackside one arrives at this level, the main difference from that of above is that one is able to sign the grading cards of everyone in the above grades .
Before this becomes a book, I think I will finish here. There it is then, I visited every track and every corner in this country and some abroad, drove my car on most of the circuits (another small bonus as long as one is careful ...but Paddock Bend at Brands Hatch is grrreaat at speed .) Spent several thousand pounds and lost many hours of sleep but met many, many previous and current racing drivers.
Would I do it again - PROBABLY.
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when you said that you were a marshall, I went and researched for what a marshall was. I am glad that I know a little more of what a marshal is . Found it very useful.
Happiness always,
Pallavi
marandina1 04.07.2002 17:57
It's THAT weekend again which makes our lives a misery :O(
Say, when is the wedding?
christopherj84 28.05.2002 11:58
Great review of the 'job', it seems very rewarding, Chris.
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Advantages: Britain’s Best, Great Track, Okay Facilities, Good Transport Routes, The History Disadvantages: A Bit Old, Rocky Car Parks, Long Walks, Expensive Experience
Modena 24.05.2001 (24.05.2001)
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May 17th, 2002
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