New safety rules

[IainR]

With just a few days left on the FRA committee, I hope the following comments are seen as they are meant - a defense of people who do a lot of work and take on a lot of responsibility for little Thanks - rather than a pat on my own back!

It irks me when these debates talk of the runners and the race organisers 'against' the FRA - the FRA committee consists of nothing but fellrunners and race organisers - many very very experienced.

These runners and race organisers have to make some very difficult decisions on behalf of the FRA membership and I can assure everyone that we don't sit round the table at meetings and think up means to make the sport more complicated with ever increasing rules, just for the sake of it. All decisions are made with the best interest of the sport of fellracing in mind and are usually a direct response to something we've been forced to deal with!

Luckily there are some very capable people on the committee to take on some of these issues - it could be very scary and overwhelming otherwise!

Britta

Then why not treat runners with the same respect? the bin bag comment seemed needlessly dismissive of the argument, which is clearly valid, that a defined HH would be preferable..

Instead of explaing why a defined HH is not needed the author decides to use a needlessly dismissive and poorly constructed argument by using the big bag... you would expect, one with experience could formulate a suitable argument...

Afterall we have recently had 'what is a suitable waterproof' come up when an RO rejected a waterproof.. which by almost all possible definitions was a waterproof jacket.. so it is something fell running has had to deal with...

[Stolly]

Well I've decided to make a curmudgeon like stand and, to quote Jack Black in School of Rock, 'stick it to the man'. I intend to hold to my deeply held principles and continue to fold my race number and pin it to my shorts. I will also wear my windproof if I want to even if it means I'm lugging my waterproof too (that'll show 'em) and may even run topless if my tan needs topping up.

Join me comrades

[TheGrump]

With just a few days left on the FRA committee, I hope the following comments are seen as they are meant - a defense of people who do a lot of work and take on a lot of responsibility for little Thanks - rather than a pat on my own back!

It irks me when these debates talk of the runners and the race organisers 'against' the FRA - the FRA committee consists of nothing but fellrunners and race organisers - many very very experienced.

These runners and race organisers have to make some very difficult decisions on behalf of the FRA membership and I can assure everyone that we don't sit round the table at meetings and think up means to make the sport more complicated with ever increasing rules, just for the sake of it. All decisions are made with the best interest of the sport of fellracing in mind and are usually a direct response to something we've been forced to deal with!

Luckily there are some very capable people on the committee to take on some of these issues - it could be very scary and overwhelming otherwise!

Britta

Couldn't agree more; the target of frustration should be the minority who believe that the few simple rules do not apply to them. They are the cause of proposed changes.
- The man who entered an AL in the Lakes as his first fell race, with by his own admission no map or compass skills. Survived by playing follow my leader.
- The woman, who ran round an AM race course including all the check points and finish funnel, without having entered.
- The man who ducked out of a finish funnel, before his number could be recorded.
- Those who fold their race number to the point of being illegible, making it difficult to record finishers.
- Those who won't carry kit, but expect others to look after them if they get into trouble.
- Those who argue that a bin liner is acceptable body cover (yes really, Iain)
- Those who enter, but don't start, and fail to inform the RO. Similarly those who drop out of a race, and go home.
- RO who place finish funnels on downhill slopes, race number recorders who stand at the start of a funnel; yes both points are specifically mentioned in RO guidance.

All it takes is to read the rules and documentation, ask if not sure, and cooperate. If not, we may well find that a 3rd party starts to dictate how the sport is controlled. Cue ambitious but incompetent politician.

[Stolly]

Those who fold their race number to the point of being illegible, making it difficult to record finishers.

Haha. A couple of weeks ago I was at the first checkpoint of the Carlton Midsummer Meander fell race in the north york moors and one runner turned up with his race number pinned nicely to his chest, totally unfolded..... but it was the wrong way round with the number on the inside. Doh!

[Bob]

Having just read the PDF, I hardly think the "bin bag" comment is dismissive, it seems that a lot of people are taking umbrage at something or nothing. Perhaps fell runners don't possess common sense when deciding what constitutes a waterproof, turning up at a race with a bin bag for a waterproof is frankly taking the p*ss.

Many of the rules have come about because of incidents and accidents that have happened in the past - it would be stupid for the FRA not to learn and advise from these. Like it or not, if we want to race then there are going to be rules.

Note that I am not and never have been an FRA committee member so I'm not on any particular side of the fence.

[Wheeze]

Expected to you to comment on the National committees...

Can't see what WA have to do with Fell running.... think we all know the WFRA are far more present in welsh fell running...

Que?? Utterly bemused by what you seem to have read into my post!

[bigfella]

It reminds me a bit of Bruces sketch from Monty Python but in this case all the even numbered rules would read "no d..k heads"

[sbrt]

Well I've decided to make a curmudgeon like stand and, to quote Jack Black in School of Rock, 'stick it to the man'. I intend to hold to my deeply held principles and continue to fold my race number and pin it to my shorts. I will also wear my windproof if I want to even if it means I'm lugging my waterproof too (that'll show 'em) and may even run topless if my tan needs topping up.

Join me comrades

As long as you dont run without your shorts:w00t:

[IainR]

Que?? Utterly bemused by what you seem to have read into my post!

I read nothing into your post... it was the WA in the PDF..

Bob.. yeah sure the odd person will say a binbag etc...

But we now have jesus knows how many jackets available.. you can understand confusion about what is waterproof... we have shower proof... water resistant.. water proof.. treated materials... such vague ambiguous terms.. but the one constant measure is HH....

I get quite a few requests for info on gear from people looking to start fell running due to various articles and you can't blame people for the confusion.. it seems a petty the FRA didn't use this to specify a HH... lots of other bodies have, it seems common sense to me.

Clearly a bin bag doesn't satisfy the new criteria (and old) wasn't hood specified, it is now at least..

But there is still a huge continuum of potentially suitable jackets...

[Witton Park]

With just a few days left on the FRA committee, I hope the following comments are seen as they are meant - a defense of people who do a lot of work and take on a lot of responsibility for little Thanks - rather than a pat on my own back!

It irks me when these debates talk of the runners and the race organisers 'against' the FRA - the FRA committee consists of nothing but fellrunners and race organisers - many very very experienced.

These runners and race organisers have to make some very difficult decisions on behalf of the FRA membership and I can assure everyone that we don't sit round the table at meetings and think up means to make the sport more complicated with ever increasing rules, just for the sake of it. All decisions are made with the best interest of the sport of fellracing in mind and are usually a direct response to something we've been forced to deal with!

Luckily there are some very capable people on the committee to take on some of these issues - it could be very scary and overwhelming otherwise!

Britta

Sorry your irked Britta. But there's plenty of fell runners and race organisers on the forum here. Perhaps with something to add, perhaps with lots of experience as well and maybe with wider experience than just fell running.
Also who do a lot of work and take a lot of responsibility for little thanks.
So it's not exclusive to the committee Britta.
We are all in it together and whilst I agree we have to be mindful and respectful of the committee members that accept this responsibility on behalf of the sport, they have to reciprocate.
I'm sure that you'll appreciate that anyone who puts themselves in to such position whether committee, selector, RO - they always will get some criticism and a thick skin is needed a lot of the time. The measure of them is often how they handle that.