Post by W. Dean Furr on Jun 30, 2013 9:57:52 GMT -5
Let me be blunt: Some of the numbers and letters in use are causing delays in the event, and may be causing penalties to be called on the wrong car. Don't believe it? Ask the folks who work timing.
Rule 3.7 is there for a reason. Blue masking tape on a blue car might be readable from twenty feet at Tech, but try reading it from fifty yards on the shady side of a moving car. That's what we were trying to do yesterday at ZMax. And it DID cause delays and frustration. Five-inch tall numbers? Violation of 3.7E (minimum of 8" tall). Numbers written with 3/4-inch wide masking tape? 3.7E again (min 1.25 inch stroke). Silver numbers on a silver car, or white numbers on a white car? 3.7D (adequate contrast). Same goes for black numbers on a red car, or blue numbers on a brown car: Take a black-and-white photo and tell me if you have enough contrast. Half the numbers in black and the other half in white? 3.7D second sentence. Numbers and letters the same size? Wrong. See the second sentence of 3.7E. (This was especially bad early in the year. If all the numbers and letters are the same size, is it 171 ES or 17 IES or I 71 ES?
It might seem trivial, but there is no way we can hold an event with 200 drivers and expect to finish before dark unless everything runs smoothly. Just a little hold-start while we figure out who hit that cone? Sure. And the driver you worked for your group may just be the one who gets cut out of a run because there were just enough delays to chop a half-hour out of the day. Those numbers and letters are not decoration. They are there for a reason.
Rule 3.7 is there for a reason. Blue masking tape on a blue car might be readable from twenty feet at Tech, but try reading it from fifty yards on the shady side of a moving car. That's what we were trying to do yesterday at ZMax. And it DID cause delays and frustration. Five-inch tall numbers? Violation of 3.7E (minimum of 8" tall). Numbers written with 3/4-inch wide masking tape? 3.7E again (min 1.25 inch stroke). Silver numbers on a silver car, or white numbers on a white car? 3.7D (adequate contrast). Same goes for black numbers on a red car, or blue numbers on a brown car: Take a black-and-white photo and tell me if you have enough contrast. Half the numbers in black and the other half in white? 3.7D second sentence. Numbers and letters the same size? Wrong. See the second sentence of 3.7E. (This was especially bad early in the year. If all the numbers and letters are the same size, is it 171 ES or 17 IES or I 71 ES?
It might seem trivial, but there is no way we can hold an event with 200 drivers and expect to finish before dark unless everything runs smoothly. Just a little hold-start while we figure out who hit that cone? Sure. And the driver you worked for your group may just be the one who gets cut out of a run because there were just enough delays to chop a half-hour out of the day. Those numbers and letters are not decoration. They are there for a reason.
