Do clutches teach better driving?

[tom]

Taking some information from the thread on clutches in the rule change section of this forum, i'd like to separate out some of the discussion..

Specifically, how do people think that clutches assist in teaching a driver to be better?

To my way of thinking, karting is about getting around the track as fast as you can, finding gaps at the starts, being able to make clean passes when stuck behind slower karts, and positioning your kart so that you minimise the chances of being crashed out by other drivers..

How does having a clutch assist in any of those areas, or have i missed something?

[Kart 9]

Clutches do not teach better driving. Children need the shock of not finishing a race in order to improve there driving ability. I have seen some juniors take of there clutches and they are hopeless drivers.

Clutches teach children that if they crash they can keep going and this is not always necessarly good. When the move onto a KT Class they won't know how to drive. Also look at the125cc class if they had no clutches I bet you my whole life savings that there wouldn't be so many crashes and desprate moves.

The only thing clutches are good for is so unfit parents don't have to push there children. Also for the younger driver in rookies clutches can be used but they don't even have to be used as when you crash in rookies you get pushed off again anyways.

Who need clutches? They don't teach better driving at all.

[Brook]

Hi Tom,

Running a clutch helps in confidence it gives that mental ability that you should finish all races. You watch the junior drivers (take out rookies as every driver wins a prize) a lot of them drive to finish so that they score points in hope of getting a trophy that day. Now if you know you are going to finish even if you do spin out you are going to try and drive faster therefore pushing yourself to your limits and therefore learning to control a kart at a faster speed. That goes back to your exact comment but when you are learning the clutch gives you that confidence. Its the mental thing that you are missing (not personally of course). Thats why I'm not sure AIDKA are doing the right thing here, allow clutches at club level for juniors, not J open or any State/National Title would have been a better solution. Surely with our juniors and rookies it's about helping them to learn to drive.

[kART 63]

I do agree with you there upsracing but under the new rule clutches are still allowed in rookies so I believe once you come into a Junior class you should be confident in driving your kart so you shouldn't need a clutch.

Also when you said " allow clutches at club level for juniors, not J open or any State/National Title would have been a better solution" this was put forward by many clubs but it was rejected as you can't run something at a club show but not a title event.

That's like saying everyone at club level can run open J motors and do whatever they want to the motors but at the title they have to run by the rules. It just didn't work.

I am confident in saying 3 clubs put forward a rule like you suggested but it was knocked back by AIDKA.

[Mr X]

Clutches do help drivers get track time but they can also cause driver to use dirty tactics.

[Brook]

Dont disagree with the dirty driving comment but should you tar everyone using a clutch with the same brush? The stewards of AIDKA are soft as they want to be everyones friend as well, they need to toughen up big time. We all want to race and the stewards need to control the bad driving harshly, taking 5 points off for aggresive driving is a joke, hit them with 20 points some drivers might end the day on minus points but I bet they soon tidy up there style. Everyone races to what standard the steward allows and when they get a tough steward they all cry but I bet the drivers rep gets an easier day with a hard steward compared to a soft steward. The clutch thing is a shame and I cant believe that one person can do so much damage. The survey that was handed around at Adelaide had waited questions and those that liked to run a clutch never got a fair say. I still say it should be about helping our drivers to become better, one way or another.

[sam]

I think not having clutches available to all classes is a major step backwards. In this day and age of litigation I would have thought being able to start a kart without lifting and running would provide safety advantages. Everyone has seen people run down by karts being push started, people slipping, falling and karts not starting and karts running into the rear of the kart ahead or back of the legs of the pushers ahead. This happens too often, in the past season I was hit a couple times, slipped once and went over the back of a non starting kart. Clutches would solve all this and prevent pushers running out all over the track at start up time. Also on the track they provide greater safety, for instance a spin or pile up can be avoided, you can stop and continue the race, slow down and pick a line through the chaos, but without the clutch you barrell through hoping you will come out the otherside.
I know the costs are dearer with cluthces but for the ease of use and safety it is well worth it. Perhaps another way to keep costs down would be a control tyre like with bitumen, a mandatory hard compound brand across the field for all.

[mike]

Im with you on that Sam. Been caught out myself a few times pushing then falling. Seen 2 guys break there arms before too. Personally I think all classes should run them just for the safety factor, let alone the time it saves getting all the Karts going in one hit.

I dont think they teach driving any different to a kid. Apart from the obvious if they spin , generally they can get back out there. How many times ahve you seen some kid get taken out on the first lap and cant continue. He sits and waits for say 1 to 2 hours at the meeting to get on the track then in the first 30 seconds he's gone. Now wait another 1 or 2 hours.

The thing that teaches kids is laps. The more they do the better they become. So if a clutch is the way to get more seat time im all for it.

Maybe on the cost side, approach Strike or another manufacturer see if there could be a group deal or something

[Karterdude!]

They do teach better driving but with clutches only being optional it is a little unfair on drivers who can restart and have clutches and those that don't have them and crash out.

[CRUTCHLESS]

considering aidka havent told anyone what is going on with rule changes are you guys aware that ROOKIES are only allowed to use a STRIKE clutch how many people is that going to upset how do you think this will improve the sport when 90 % of rookies do not have a strike clutch!!
ps. they voted in two clutches @ the rule change meeting then 1 week later no clutches allowed and only strike clutches for rookies. go figure

[Kart racer]

The new rules have LEFT the OPTION for Rookies to use a clutch .
Rookies have been able to use clutches optionally for many years . Over years few have used them , compared to many whom haven't .
It didn't use to matter what brand or make of clutch a rookie could use , I think that was the case in 2009 as well for Rookies, so it might pay to check if only strike or if any clutch type is OK for Rookies in 2010.
Because rookies are only educational / learning & not racing the many issues of clutches in ''Racing"" are not the issue here.
So don't be too concerned if you have a Rookie starting out .
Something cheap & second hand would be the best to keep the costs down if you want to try one , & when you go to Juniors & start ''Racing'' , then sell it on someone else .
Usually they are more trouble , maint, & cost so thats why many don't choose them even for Rookies.
Someone from AIDKA must have the rules listed by now , but who is on AIDKA seems a mystery.

[__[Race Fan]__]

Do clutches teach better driving?

i say no and looks like AIDKA say no as well

[mike]

I have a feeling that I will rock up to the first meeting and then my brothers kart will get rejected for the clutch. I am not taking it off till its written in black and white and I have read it.

Maybe if the clubs could give a grace period to comply it would be good.

[tom]

One issue with clutch karts is that when a driver spins it is very unpredictable as to what they are going to do by way of re-joining the track.. This is even more of an issue with rookies that don't have much experience to check for oncoming traffic before getting on with their race..

[Clutchy]

Tom makes agreat point , a stopped kart is one that can be safely driven around , a clutch kart in frt of U can suddenly move forward & be un predictable .
How many times have you seen a kid crash a kart & be a bit out of it or injured , but rather than the kart stop , it continues on out of control with the kid in a state of shock .
Angas had an incident in 2009, where luckily a parent on the infield chased after the kart that continued on after a bad accident & this parent was able to pull the spark leed off , before the 2nd accident would have occured.
An incident like "" the kart is out of control"" may be the end to a young driver wanting to every go out again.
This made a lot of onlookers see a bad side of clutches even for young rookies.
A rookie must be taught by the parent to be able to know what to do if these situations arise ragardless of clutch or not.
There again , Clutches can be a great tool to teach start / stop & understanding the pedals , even before going trackside.

Parents should act responsable & give a clutch or direct drive, a good consideration when deciding what is best for their driver.

[goughey888]

i recently in the past have had the chance to run a clutch and opted not to for example turn 1 in a title race with a field of 20 a person with a clutch starting off 17th position goes up the inside way to hot and posably in the back of his head thinking "i have a clutch i will be ok if i spin im no worse off as i started at the back anyway". i think it makes for a more aggresive driver

[briggsy45]

May 1, 2010 16:00:21 GMT 9.5 goughey888 said:

i recently in the past have had the chance to run a clutch and opted not to for example turn 1 in a title race with a field of 20 a person with a clutch starting off 17th position goes up the inside way to hot and posably in the back of his head thinking "i have a clutch i will be ok if i spin im no worse off as i started at the back anyway". i think it makes for a more aggresive driver

Sorry mate, I disagree.
Clutch, no clutch doesn't stop the "I'll win the race in the first corner" idiot!
So I propose this:
No Clutch.....
The idiot, takes out 2 or 3 karts, doesn't matter what lap it is, the field is reduced, so therefore, the racers and spectators miss out on all fronts.
Clutch.....
Same scenario as above, but all 2 or 3 rejoin the race and hey, we have seen what good chargers can do.....
Look, at the end of the day why reduce the spectacle of racing with a reduced field because of a spin, love tap and driver error?
You're point of aggresive drivers doesn't wash, solely because, anybody that is a half assed racer is aggressive in the first place. It is only differentiated by the "clean" driver, versus the "dirty" driver, clutch or no clutch.
The end of the day, we all want to race, not sit on the sidelines because of the aforementioned problems that can and does occur.
Remember, do it sideways, get dirty and have FUN!
My 2 cents woth anyway, hang on, do you round that up, or is it for free
Briggsy45

[mike]

Totally agree with you Briggsy. Happened lots last weekend , Clutch or no clutch.

I still dont think the issue with the clutches should be if they teach better driving or not. As far as I have seen it has just been a lot safer. If someone spins on the track they can get off it without getting out the kart and possibly continue racing, making it safer than getting out and dragging the kart off the track.

As far as push starting. I seen a few people pushing the KT's go over and take some bark off. No one in the juniors of which most were running clutches (bar 1 driver) got run over or had issues.

[karter #94]

i totally agree ppl i race a 125 heavey and having a clutch allows to complete races i have been on the reciving end of the love tap and been spun by idiot drivers. so im all for clutchs for all class and there a lot safer on the out gird.

[yorkie157]

Dec 17, 2009 16:48:11 GMT 9.5 @Kart 9 said:

Clutches do not teach better driving. Children need the shock of not finishing a race in order to improve there driving ability. I have seen some juniors take of there clutches and they are hopeless drivers.

Clutches teach children that if they crash they can keep going and this is not always necessarly good. When the move onto a KT Class they won't know how to drive. Also look at the125cc class if they had no clutches I bet you my whole life savings that there wouldn't be so many crashes and desprate moves.

The only thing clutches are good for is so unfit parents don't have to push there children. Also for the younger driver in rookies clutches can be used but they don't even have to be used as when you crash in rookies you get pushed off again anyways.

Who need clutches? They don't teach better driving at all.