Proposed Ama Sports Rules For Club Trials

[dbrown]

Comments are solicited on the proposed revised section on Trials rules for the AMA Sports Rulebook. The draft version of this document is available for viewing and comment at the USMTA website. You are welcome to send comments directly via that website. I'll also monitor this board occasionally to view discussions, which we hope will be constructive. We would very much like to have comments from the leaders and "backbone" members of each of the major clubs around the country, and each club has a couple of people that take responsibility and make things happen and you all know who they are. Some of them don't spend much time on computers, so please help by getting them to look at this and provide comments.

Judging from recent posts on this board, there certainly seems to be a lot of interest in standardizing classes. The approach that has been proposed is to define a series of rider classifications using a simple letter system. similar to the enduro system, and to tie these classifications to specific skill sets in the lower classes and to the nationals at the higher levels. It is unrealistic to expect every club to change their names for classes that have been used in some cases for over 30 years to a different set of names, just because some other club thinks their names are better. However, if the simple letter system provides a universal point of reference, then progress will be made and there may be steps in the direction of acceptance of at least the universal reference system.

Also there is a lot of room for improvement on the section about organizing a club or competitions or non-competitive meets, etc. This needs to be brief and concise but with enough real information to be useful to someone trying to organize a local club.

Looking forward to discussion of the proposal.

Dan Brown

Edited July 17, 2006 by dbrown

[alan bechard]

No discussion's? No additions? Anybody print and read this yet?

Here is your chance to put in a positive change, wording or whatever on a document that is going up to the AMA. Now is the time to make it happen, not after it has gone forward and nobody bothered to comment.

[brian r]

I read it and thought it was pretty good. I noticed that it says we get 4 feet at the gates. I'd better bring a tape measure!

[sirhc]

I think the lack of responses must mean people like it. People only say stuff when the want to complain. I know I liked it.

Brian R Posted Today, 07:01 AM

I read it and thought it was pretty good. I noticed that it says we get 4 feet at the gates. I'd better bring a tape measure!

I thought the same thing about the four feet. The last trial I was at there was several gates that the handle bars could barely fit through. See what I mean here I am complaining again

[dabnabit]

The ATA has always used the four foot gate and section width RULE.

Edited July 18, 2006 by Dabnabit

[alan bechard]

I was thinking we had a 36" rule, but I can garuntee that those trees in section 4 of day 3 at the YN were not that far apart.

However, depending on how you read it, the gate could be that wide, and still have another tree stuck between the gate which would make the available area to pass through, much smaller.

Sound like a Lawyer talking now.

But really folks, that is the kind of stuff that needs to be looked at, and thought out, and role played around a bit, to make sure that it is answered prior to it coming up.

What did you guys think of the class descriptions and naming convention?

[dabnabit]

The class descriptions and naming convention seem fine to me.

One thing in the revised rules which pertain to us in arid areas of the country.

U.2.C, Section Boundaries, "The tapes should be at a minimum height of 4 inches and a maximum height of 12 inches."

With mostly rocks and sandy terrain in some locations, the ribbon is laid on the ground and wrapped around

loose rocks. Its hard to find a place to drive a stake in the ground where it would be secure enough not to be displaced easily.

ATA scoring rule pertaining to ribbon on the ground.

Scoring, Article 110. Definitions

Boundaries,

Edited July 18, 2006 by Dabnabit

[dbrown]

As regards the 4" to 12" high tape and the 4' (1.2m) wide gates, these are the exact dimensions that are current in the FIM rules and in the NATC supplemental rules for the nationals. I think we've historically used 3' in STRA, although it now says 1m (which is 39.4 inches).

We could add a commentary something to the effect that these section guidelines are strongly encouraged for all AMA sanctioned trials, but local variations may occur, consult your doctor, use as directed, your results may vary.

dan

[sirhc]

You beat me to it Dab. I was going to say the same thing about the ribbon. Also the trials that I have been at where they go around the trees with the ribbon they always seem to be higher than 12". I think that rule doesn't need to be there.

Also in section 5-b for doing the points it says only count 1/2 the events plus one. That means two people could go for a championship and only ride together once. Maybe just drop one or two events. We don't have that many trials to begin with.

As far as the classes, I like them . If they use numbers or letters for the classes makes no difference.

[brian r]

39.37

[dabnabit]

39.36996

[alan bechard]

I see what you guys are saying about the ribbon on the ground, but I would also say that if you have the ribbon up a bit, it sure avoids some marginal calls of, I was on, no you were over, no I was on.

Now I am thinking of Tennis.........

Where is McEnroe?

I think like Dan say's the rules have to be written pretty broad, then parts modified to fit the locality.

Say time limits,

STRA just does not use the time limit in the section portion of the national rules.

But for these rules, they need to be there. (just read that they are in the NATC supplemental rules and FIM rules.)

I just realized reading this, and looking at the part about timekeeping,

Does this mean there will be

AMA rules and NATC supplemental rules seperate from each other? I bet they have always been there, just have never looked at the AMA ones assuming that they were the NATC ones.

Edited July 18, 2006 by Alan Bechard

[dabnabit]

I would also say that if you have the ribbon up a bit, it sure avoids some marginal calls of, I was on, no you were over, no I was on.

I see your point Alan.

Most riders are eyeing that front wheel when they are close to the ribbon and there is usually no question on a out of bounds call. If it's close it usually in the riders favor and scored the same for all.

I can not recall where it has been a problem.

[brian r]

Dave, you need to move here. We have these wooden things in the ground called trees.

[dabnabit]

We have a few of them tree things here also but they get in the way of my chosen line and they catch on fire!

Edited July 18, 2006 by Dabnabit