Premier State Rally - Brindabella Motor Sport Club

Bede · 30-08-2004, 06:01 PM

Things of interest from Premier State Rally...

1. Never ask the service crew of a car that have been involved in an 'incident'. Twice on the weekend I was told total bullsh*t by service crewmembers about things that had happened to their cars/crews during the event. Either the service crewmembers didn't know and were making it up (if they don't know they shouldn't say anything all) or (and this is what I actually think is the case) they are deliberately misleading people.

To give you an example, on rally.com.au there is a comment by Mitsubishi, at the bottom of the article here about Ed's accident, being concerned at inaccurate information going around about Ed's accident. Of all the information I heard/read/got about it, the only stuff that was completely wrong was from members of the Ralliart Service crew... The rest was damn close to the mark. Perhaps if Mitsubishi are concerned they should get it right themselves.

2. 'Cowboy' Police need to be stopped. On several occasions on the weekend a cop, 'apparently' in an unmarked car, was pulling over competitors and making life very difficult for them. As a result at least 2 had to withdraw, one due to them going to be ‘out of late-time’... The Police officer was claimed to have said, “I am going to hold you here as long as I can.”, “There would be no rally if it was up to me.”, “I hate the rally.”.

IMHO, someone should report this cops behaviour to the regional Commander who presumably had to 'okay' the event for it to take place. Independent of the reasons, this cop still should NOT target the rally on purpose. This attitude does not help anyone.

Perhaps some letters sent to the councils, government departments, etc, involved with rally saying that if these councils, etc, wish to gain the revenue for the region, they should NOT have 'cowboy' cops going around with a chip on their shoulder trying to stuff the rally up for everyone.

Adrian · 30-08-2004, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bede

As a result at least 2 had to withdraw, one due to them going to be ‘out of late-time’.

The crew that were pulled over have no one to blame but themselves, They were weaving all over the freeway to "warm up the tyres" this attracted the copper, then they did not have a number plate, and when asked to produce the rego papers they did not have them in the car as is required as a condition of the permit, then he had no licence to show them, "game over.

Having said that the copper gave us no end of grief on Saturday and we are taking some action.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bede

IMHO, someone should report this cops behaviour to the regional Commander who presumably had to 'okay' the event for it to take place.

The copper happens to be the area commander who had to "OK" the event. So as you can see this is a delicate balancing act.

Heard from Ed today, he is fine a bit sad and sorry for himself and pissed at having scratched the car.

Spac · 30-08-2004, 07:53 PM

Interesting situation... In some ways it makes the event a lot more vulnerable (obviously). But then again, if he's carrying on like a twit, then he's really vulnerable as someone with his rank should be well above the personal grudge against the rally type of behaviour... And making personal opinion statements to aggreived competitors would have to be A Very Silly Thing to do...

Interesting times ahead... Good luck!

As an aside, I've been wondering what happens if a competitor was pulled over for one of those 'random breath tests' where the cops check out the car... (if you don't think this happens, then try driving a modified car and/or with some P-plates!). Defects can be handed out very freely nowdays... Obviously rally rego can beat most possible defects, but a suitably motivated copper could legally harass a "non attention seeking" competitor until they were well and truely out of late time...
Interesting scenario, and I'm certain that it will happen sooner or later. Be nice to have some thought put into it before it happens!

Jimmy · 31-08-2004, 11:32 AM

I was co-driving in a car following one of the competitors that was booked in the liaison stage ater the first Service on Sat morning. He was driving on Mandalong Road at what looked like the speed limit based on our car's speed and was being followed by a white car which turned out to be an unmarked police car. On one corner of Mandalong Rd he ran a bit wide and touched/"crossed" the centre line. He was pulled over and booked. The police officer apparantly told the driver he was "a menace to the public".

After the the positive briefing we got from Highway Patrol Sergeant "Vic" at the drivers briefing it appears that Saturday was less than competitor/organiser friendly from the NSW Police Force/Service??.

Amazingly didn't appear to be a problem on Sunday??

Jim Gleeson

MikeW · 31-08-2004, 01:00 PM

The troublesome copper was not on duty on Sunday.

Bede · 31-08-2004, 01:04 PM

You mean he didn't swap shifts with whoever was on duty just so he could cause more trouble? Clearly he isn't committed to his 'Rally Hating' cause then is he?

gloworm · 31-08-2004, 01:13 PM

Mr Policeman also paid our start control a visit to harrass us about the road not physically being blocked and the fact that we allowed some motorcyles into the stage (they were officials) and a few other things.

There was a fully marked car doing laps up and down Yarramalong Rd on Sunday and did pull over one of the competitors as he pulled into the control - don't know what triggered it, but they got off with a warning.

Apparently there was also a car (I don't recall whether it was marked or unmarked) sitting in the "quarry" just after the finish of our stage on Sunday waiting for unsuspecting victims.

BEN · 31-08-2004, 01:24 PM

hmmm, kinda makes you want to go and 2GO and this event next year !!!

Not if these coppers are still floating about.

Ben.

MikeW · 31-08-2004, 02:34 PM

The copper was supposed to have the whole weekend off but he decided to work on the Saturday. On the most part the police there are very good it just happens to be this one Senior Seargant who looks for trouble.

RD Mullet · 31-08-2004, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeW

The copper was supposed to have the whole weekend off but he decided to work on the Saturday. On the most part the police there are very good it just happens to be this one Senior Seargant who looks for trouble.

He didn't get transfered down from Buladelah did he ?

Rallydat · 31-08-2004, 08:41 PM

RD, I think they eventually transfered the Cop from Buladelah done to Cooma Area to chase Ski Bums in their Porsches.

grahamthompson · 01-09-2004, 12:02 AM

Can someone please guide me to results of the State round of this event? It seems to have left few ripples in the water. What happened to John Mitchell and our regular contributor Jamie Neale? I hope their accident refered to in the www.rally.com.au summary of retirements was not serious.

jpdesousa · 01-09-2004, 12:12 AM

Talking to John on Sunday night the "accident" could be better described as a slow rollover after losing it into a bank, having overshot on a L'hander after getting too much air on a preceding crest. They are both OK.

dk_mfoto · 01-09-2004, 12:44 AM

Some pics, well.... a heap of pics are now online at Mfoto, taken by Gareth and myself, including some pics of Stewart Reid's car a long, long way down a gully on Walkers Ridge Rd. They actually managed to winch it out apparently! The photos don't do justice to the steepness of the slope.

Good to catch up with you on Friday JP. Greg really looked "on it" all weekend, got some nice shots of you guys too. It was also good to see the BMSC mafia wandering round the spectator points on Saturday.

Jme · 01-09-2004, 01:02 AM

The roll was fairly light. As JP said.... we just flew a R5 1/2 on Crest when we didn't think we would, and the L3 got a bit big.

We had decided to have a big go, and were 4th to the split only 2 secs behind outright.... then the car ended on it's roof. Only moment of the event.

The car stopped on the first SS and we lost 1m 35 while fixing the problem. Clawed back to 10th O/R and 1st NSW on Saturday.

As an aside, there were some photographers out there in some bloody stupid places- especially through the cutting on middle ridge- crazy!!!

Thanks to Kel C and friends for sending in some sandwiches, drinks and lollies for us via Giddo in the course car..... John rang Giddo and told him to stop at the bottle-o and pick up some "turkeys"!!

We were recovered by Tony Sullens and Southy- with Sue and Quinno.... cause our crew were still chasing Dean Ridge. Thanks.

Also to Colin Hill who rebuilt the car in a few weeks and "understood" when it got rolled again. John and I were keen to try to get on the pace of the top 5, and to do that you have to be "ballistic" everywhere. That was the plan, and it ended upside down about 7 k's into the heat. Bugger.