Flaggers

bitteroldman · Flaggers

I do not know if this has been a issue in D-4 or not but there has been a lot of problems in some other districts that i have read about on the web. As of 2/1/08 all flaggers in a AMA event must be a MIN. age of 16. This is a AMA rule and will be enforced by them. Maybe the older flaggers will be more alert than some of the younger ones that i have seen on the track. This may be tough on some tracks getting flaggers over 16 as i have heard on the speaker system in the morn. promoters trying to round up enough flaggers to run a safe race.

mx241

i don't care how old a person is, flagging is a HARD JOB and only can be done correctly by an experienced racer or a racers parent who is experienced in watching flaggers screw up. you need to know what it is like to look down track and you have to be able to PAY ATTENTION!.

I don't think it will be a solution to just make a mandatory age limit.

we've found a few things that seem to help. switch the flaggers out at half day. this is obviously hard if you are already short of help. we also go around periodically and see that they are paying attention. but the most helpful thing we've found it to actually go and stand with the flagger during practice or racing and show them exactly what the are looking at an doing. This accompanied by paying them well so they come back to the next event is key for us.
every track has a few goofy flaggers and a few really good ones

How about some TALES of AMAZING FLAGGERS Very Happy

we had a flagger who watched a crash on an extremely blind jump in front of spectators. the spectators were yelling at him to hold the flag up but he totally froze. he was in such panic that he started crying and fled the track.

i think one of the most amazing things i've seen at our track is a flagger sitting in a chair with his back to the track reading a book.

This has been TALES of AMAZING FLAGGERS Exclamation