rear bumpers

[tom]

I was just looking at the rule changes for next season and it appears that the rules for rear bumpers have been changed to prevent extended rear bars that cover the rear wheels.

Most injuries i have had karting (broken collar bones, broken rib, bruised back, dislocated shoulder, lacerated arm) have been the result of karts riding over my back tyres and landing on top of me. I have witnessed a LOT of similar incidents with other karters also, and i believe the main cause of karts rolling over is due to launching off rear tyres.

Most other karting organisations worldwide recognise this, and the majority have made extended rear bars of some type compulsory for safety reasons.

AIDKA in it's wisdom have banned them?

I'm sure the insurance company will be impressed if i race, get an injury similar to one i have received in the past, and inform them it was preventable with the kart set-up i have run for the last 2 years with no problems!

I'm not saying extended bars should be compulsory, but can't really see the reason for banning them.

One more reason for the kart to stay in the shed i guess

Can anyone enlighten me with a reason that extended rear bars (max. width not exceeding outside of rear wheels) should not be an option ?

[Deleted]

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[tom]

Wow. I can see by the number of responses why the rear bumper rule required change!
<sarcasm>

[Deleted]

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[outlaw19]

Just another one of those really unimportant rule changes that which comes up which and the executive pass. There are more important safety issues than this. Especially track saftey which the Track Inspector needs to address just more ineptness on AIDKA's part again.

[tom]

kart 19, extended rear bars are COMPULSORY in just about every form of karting on the planet.

I'm yet to hear of anyone coming up with a reason they are unsafe (or even unsuitable) for AIDKA, yet they change a rule. I was just a bit mystified as no reason was given other than "to standardise rear bars"

Personally, i also think the plastic extended rear bars should be allowed, providing they are never wider than the outside of the rear wheels. I'm actually thinking that within the current rule-set, there is nothing stopping me using the extended plastic rear bar, and calling it a number plate. (There is no maximum dimension or size for the rear plate..)

Like i asked, does anyone have a good reason to prohibit extended rear bars ?

AIDKA made neck braces compulsory, then allowed people to use foam collars that have been demonstrated to be useless for neck protection. Seems like a little research is lacking in the rule change process.

Keep fiddling with the rules, and making new ones just to be seen to be doing something, and AIDKA will end up following the path of the AKA. Now wouldn't that be a lovely place to be?!

[Brook]

Hey Tom maybe you have been using those rear bars for barging or something! Any one with a Benson has to outlay more money and replace their rear bar as the muffler protecter (there to save us money) makes the bar illegal, can be cut off but then it looks crap. AIDKA are not doing themselves any favours at the moment, they seem to be jumping into decisions without true thought (Title qualification etc.) and hence members are getting a little disgruntled. I know members like yourself and I would be happy to sit on rule panels to discuss these issues and with our years of experience surely would do a better job. Have a great Xmas, hope Santa brings you a new rear bar, Brook. P.S. Maybe they were just jealous coz your rear bar was bigger than theirs, size does matter you know.

[John]

I'm not for or against rear bars but would like to make a point of clarification.

The AIDKA rule changes are voted on by the Council not the Executive and the Council consists of delegates representing each club. The club delegates normally vote in accordance with the decision made by their respective club members at their individual club meetings.

So essentially the AIDKA members (mainly drivers) vote on the rule changes. If a rule change proposal is accepted then the majority of affiliated clubs have voted for the change.

[tom]

I agree with you John. Unfortunately this rule was worded in a way that masked the fact that it would make some factory karts illegal, and make all full length rear bars illegal.

The onus should be on the rule proposer to fully explain all rules, and ramifications, in the rule change request.

If this is not done, the rule should be rescinded (or revised), regardless of the outcome in my opinion.

It just seems odd that our association is banning full length rear bars when most karting organisations are making them compulsory for safety reasons.

[John]

I also agree with you Tom. I assisted AIDKA by participating as a member of a Rule Change Sub Committee for a few years. There were a lot of rule submissions that the sub committee sent back to the clubs of origin. They also recommended word changes to make the rules clear and highlighted implications wherever they were known. I'm a bit out of touch these days so not sure how the rule change process is working.

[Brook]

The rule changes are working terribly John, AIDKA seem to have knee jerk reactions recently to incidents. Bet the driver that ran the rear wheel in the straight at the Aussie Titles and got badly hurt would have loved to see the bumpers go out to the edge of the rear wheels. I wonder if our insurance company had a choice which one they might pick. The constant changes hit us in the pocket all the time, dirt karting is not cheap anymore at $210 per senior license, even worse when your kids are not juniors anymore. Our rule change system does not work as clubs vote on these rules but as a lot of committees are "closed" and often do not have many drivers on them they assume that this is what drivers want and pass the motion without true thought to the final consequence, I have seen this far too many times in my karting life. Also a lot of clubs do not vote on the big picture and only worry about there small club. i.e. Blanchetown has the same voting right as Angas although a lot smaller in membership. The big question is should the rule changes go to the drivers to vote on. I could go on for hours with this issue, I have proposed changes in the past that did not get passed only to have members of the clubs that were against it question me on why it did not get passed. Is a majority or really a minority voting on these changes? Think about it!