Howlin' Wolf Challenge

It's an interesting one but I think it needs thinking through a great deal more.

Firstly are we saying it will apply to all classes? I thought the purpose of the classes was to allow people to start out with effectively a standard car with one winch and see how they get on. If a person tries one event and has to buy two helmets as well as pay the entry then it makes it very expensive. I know that even within the classes the vehicles range from fairly standard to very modified, but we have to consider the beginners. Perhaps the reason it is popular is that you CAN start cheaply.

Secondly what is likely to protect most - helmet or roll cage. I specifically changed from a well specified (and battered) Disco to a similarly specified (and battered) 90 because it had a cage. OK it is also smaller and lighter as well - but the main reason was the security of the cage. I know this opens a whole new can of worms on what is appropriate for our style of events (and there have been a load of posts on it as well on other forums). However I think that most people will happily add value to their motors rather than buy helmets - perhaps cages should be compulsory for classes 2 and 3? This would still leave an entry route.

Thirdly - if we are concerned about head injuries then perhaps attention should be paid to the likely causes of damage - is there anything loose in the vehicle. I meticulously strip everything from the cab area so if I do roll nothing is likely to hit me. I don't know if the scrutineers look at this?

Fourthly - any risk assessment that is carried out has to assess the likelihood, the severity, and what can be done to mitigate it. Presumably the likelihood of a rollover is fixed regardless, if there is a cage and bodywork fitted then the likelihood of head injury is low, if there isn't it is higher, so the logical conclusion of this is helmets should be worn in vehicles without a roll cage! This quite goes against my initial views, but it is the logical conclusion of a risk assessment.

Personally I would say cages before helmets, helmets before harnesses, but I'm not convinced we need any changes. perhaps these need to be considered more in the light of how modified the vehicles are, and perhaps we need more classes?

Hope this helps - Jonathan

Having being involved in setting up these events for the last few years we are constantly faced with finding a balance between difficulty and safety. As the trucks get more capable this balance is harder to find. To make things tougher then they become more dangerous and therefore more thought has to go into the safety built into the vehicles. I can't think of any other form of motor sport where helmets arn't compulsary, my only concern would be that the weight of a helmet can put a loty of strain on the neck, especially in a roll over situation - fortunately you guys arn't traveling at speed.

As a driver and winchman i get to engoy the challenge scene from both ends.We are a modifided team. Helmets would be o.k if u want to wear one but if you dont then the day would drag on. i dont stop running all day and i love it, a helmet would slow me down considerably but why when im not ever in the motor! i beleive glasses would be more benefitial to a winchman as your more likely to poke your eyes out in the bushes attatching a strop than get a bang on the head, if u knock yourself out with a srop do you must be doing things pretty wrong and at this level can you afford that? As a driver i trust my cage, harness and headrest to do the job of protecting me WHEN the day comes that i roll! It comes to most people at some point no matter how good a team or machine is involved which is why we spend hours on end perfecting these machines!? All loose items shoul be removed because even with a helmet things will go everywhere and could cause you a lot of grief. If u cant communicate shout louder or wear a helmet with intercom Team choice seems fair???? It should be down to each team then down to each driver then co driver as to wether they wear a helmet or not.simple! And cages compulsory before helmets surely!