To Inspect Or Not To Inspect?

[scorpa3]

Last year I posed a question concerning one of our events which we were planning to make 'No Inspection Allowed.'

The idea was to make the single lap road trial, simple and straight forward and suitable for riders to ride without needing to stop and look at the sections. I've ridden trials like this in the past and really enjoy this style of event.

However, at the time I did have concerns as to the safety implications of riding into a section blind; if the worst came to the worst and someone was injured.

With just a few days to go before the event, the ACU (John I believe it was yourself) contacted the club and advised us that we were to (must) allow inpsection.

I assume that this will still be the case for this years event, especially as the wording in the ACU handbook has changed from 'should' to 'shall' allow inspection.

But; what if the event dropped it's National status and ran as a closed to club/closed to centre event, would we then be able to make it 'no inspection allowed' again?

With around 120 riders entered, allowing inspection creates long queue's early on in the trial and will force us to use shorter sections.

Is there dispensation to make a club/centre trial 'no isnpection allowed' if we wish?

Before I get into trouble; I'm only asking

[spud]

Last year I posed a question concerning one of our events which we were planning to make 'No Inspection Allowed.'

The idea was to make the single lap road trial, simple and straight forward and suitable for riders to ride without needing to stop and look at the sections. I've ridden trials like this in the past and really enjoy this style of event.

However, at the time I did have concerns as to the safety implications of riding into a section blind; if the worst came to the worst and someone was injured.

With just a few days to go before the event, the ACU (John I believe it was yourself) contacted the club and advised us that we were to (must) allow inpsection.

I assume that this will still be the case for this years event, especially as the wording in the ACU handbook has changed from 'should' to 'shall' allow inspection.

But; what if the event dropped it's National status and ran as a closed to club/closed to centre event, would we then be able to make it 'no inspection allowed' again?

With around 120 riders entered, allowing inspection creates long queue's early on in the trial and will force us to use shorter sections.

Is there dispensation to make a club/centre trial 'no isnpection allowed' if we wish?

Before I get into trouble; I'm only asking

I've rode the odd couple of long distance trials on a trail bike and i too wasn't allowed to view the sections. However there was queuing at each section and i did see the sections from afar before i rode them, but didn't walk them. Not sure is this answers John's point?

[rabie]

current advice/recommendation from John Collins is that we can't stop a rider from inspecting a section, because the rider doesn't then have the opportunity to say "i don't feel competent to attempt the section" and request a 5 for the section.

over in mx, we have a similar thing - ie the riders sign on to say they are competent to attempt the course ie offering them the chance to back if they are not. presumably road race and grass track do the same thing. however I'm unclear where one would stand with a rally, enduro, H&H, etc where its unrealistic to expect a rider to inspect the course (your lucky if they walk the special test)

Don't get me wrong, if we (the clubs), asked the ACU to ask the insurance company, i think the risk in insurable, it just might be there are issues re our "duty of care" as organisers

personally, one could set out simple sections, with starts (esp at LDTs) far away that discourage but don't prohibit riders from seeing much/inspecting the section

[blocky]

Would there be any merit in having a roped off path or observation area next to the section where riders could either stand or ride into before attempting the section thereby allowing them to "see" the section without actually getting the chance to walk it

[scorpa3]

Would there be any merit in having a roped off path or observation area next to the section where riders could either stand or ride into before attempting the section thereby allowing them to "see" the section without actually getting the chance to walk it

Tha main advantage of 'no inspection' events is that it helps to reduce queuing as riders don't spend time walking the sections, so this wouldn't really help.

[john collins]

OK

[scorpa3]

Thank you for the reply.

Just to calrify the ACU's official standing on this matter.

If I've got this right; unless the Championship conditions (such as in the Trail Bike Championship) actually insist on allowing inspection, then organisers are allowed to run an event on a 'no ispection allowed' basis.

[spud]

John, you make so very good points, but you didn't say (unless i missed it) what happens if a rider falls between sections?..... Last Sunday I rode a trial and came off on some black ice on a 25 foot bank in a section. i did walk the section but missed the black ice.

Scorpa 3, I don't know if this can be worded into your regs by a solictor or someone....i'm thinking of a clause in the regs saying something like "riders are not permitted to view the course or sections and ride at there own risk knowing this".....not forgetting your seeking an ACU permit with insurance so might you need to run the event under a different governing body perhaps.

[scorpa3]

If the ACU say that we CAN'T run 'no sinpection allowed' then we won't do it. But is that what the ACU are saying?

[john collins]

I hope through my rather long reply that I have explained out thinking and theory on the matter of section inspection. On many matters we are more than a little reticent to put everything in print and one can always try to circumnavigate a rule

[bdmc]

If I walk the section before riding what marks will I lose??

[scorpa3]

If I walk the section before riding what marks will I lose??

I believe that organisers who run events on this basis (for example the Wyegate LDT) deem you to have failed if you walk past the begins cards. This incurs a five mark penalty.

[trickymicky]

The biggest disadvantage is that no inspection sections are not fair. By that i mean they favour some riders and not others. A rider who has ridden a no inspection section at an event the previous year will know what to expect whereas a first time rider wont. A good example of this is the Weighbridge section in the Cotswold Cups trial. Its no inspection but regular riders know to look out for a sharp deviation towards the top of an otherwise traditional section. Newcomers invariable ride straight up it and five it.

Hollinsclough in the Reliance is another- regulars and locals know it like the back of their hand (and can quite legally ride up it the week before if they wish). Of course section plotters have an advantage as well if they happen to mark it out and ride, or if the landowner where these no inspection sections are happens to ride too....