Porsche Club of America, Northeast Region

Activities

Nor'easter News

Car Care

Membership

Other Cool Stuff

Sponsors & Advertisers

Administrivia

Porsche Club of America
The Northeast Region

By Steve Boris
NOR'EASTER Online - May 2002

Well, let me start by quoting that great screen actor, Bugs Bunny, “What a gulla bull”. I can’t believe how many of my closest friends in the club actually got halfway through my last article before they figured out it wasn’t true, especially when I gave it away in the 3rd paragraph. One person I spoke with actuality didn’t figure it out until I mentioned I raced at LeMans. That’s OK it was still fun to write.

One more thing before we get started. One of my buddies made the comment that my articles sometimes jump around from place to place without any rhyme or reason. It’s really quite easy to understand why this is. You see most people only use 10% of their brain and type with 10 fingers. That’s one finger for each percentage of brain use. All in all a pretty good ratio for getting thoughts down on paper.

I on the other hand use 87% of my brain and type with only 2 fingers. I can sometimes get a third finger to join in but it’s not very reliable and likes to randomly select letters just to keep the other fingers on their toes. Is that possible?

Anyway, look at it this way, my brain starts thinking about a new article slowly but eventually gains momentum as the article gains clarity. Well, those two fingers are able to keep up for a while, even having to keep the third finger in check. Once the brain gets rolling they start to fall behind and inevitably skip some thoughts in order to keep up. Think of it as a 4 act theatrical production. The fingers start, Act 1, …. Act .., …., Ta Dah! So when reading any of my future articles if you get lost and don’t understand how I got to a specific spot in my writing, blame my fingers.

Now on with our session. I think it’s time I addressed the area of flagging. There are a number of things relating to flagging that some people just don’t get, or refuse to try to understand. So I will describe each flag and try to help you remember them.

I refer to these problems as Flagging Phobia’s, or if you prefer the queens English, Phlagging Phobia’s (no queen in particular). Phobia is the Latin term for inner demon. You can see how this is true if you dissect the word into its true meaning, Foe be Yaself. I’ll admit it looses a little in the translation, but hey I’m driver not a linguist.

Before I get into individual flags I’d like to explain what the club does about flagging. The current trend at Driver Ed events is to have professional flaggers. This is a nice luxury for event drivers and also a great deal safer than having new students working flag stations. But I also think it is very important for new drivers to learn the importance of flagging and the best way to learn is by doing. In the past there have been slight problems while the rookies are flagging which is usually when the more experienced and faster drivers are on the track. They sometimes don’t understand just how important flagging is for the safety of an event. If something happens it is sometime so entertaining that they forget why they are there and meanwhile other drivers are approaching the area of trouble with no warning flags. What could have been a little problem now becomes a bit more intense because flaggers weren’t taking their duties seriously, and drivers are forced to do some fancy footwork to avoid compounding problems.

One of the ways the Northeast Region Track Committee hopes to remedy this is when we have professional flaggers to try and have rookie drivers work a flag station with one of the professional flaggers. This will give the rookie the opportunity to see just how important it is for flaggers to be alert and what to do should something happen. Later as the rookies become more experienced and much quicker on the track they will start to realize that the flaggers are the eyes of the track.

Now flags from Drivers Point of View.
First off, everyone knows what the Green Flag is for. This is your indication that you can start picking up the pace and passing slower cars when necessary. This can be thrown at the beginning of a session or later in a session if another flag has slowed or halted driving.

The flaggers may sometime start a driving session under the Yellow Flag. As you know yellow means proceed with caution. This is not like a yellow streetlight that means Go Really Fast Before The Red Light. This means, no passing, your tires are cold, your car’s cold, and you’re not warmed up so take it easy for a lap or two. Once they throw the Green Flag its business as usual, Slow Pokes Get Out Of My Way!

One of the most important flags is also the hardest to see. I don’t thinks there is a driver out there that has seen a Blue Flag. The Blue Flag is the flaggers’ indication to you that there are faster cars behind you so please give appropriate signals to allow them by at the next passing zone. The Blue Flag is also used in racing if a faster car is moving through the pack, to let him by as soon as possible. The inability to see the Blue Flag is not restricted to rookies. Some experienced drivers still can’t see the color blue. Although, those same individuals can be walking down a crowded street with hundreds of people, in an unfamiliar city and somehow think that the unbelievably attractive person waving, 1/2 mile away is waving at them. Who Me! You get that same person on the track with a flagger waving a Blue Flag right at them and they can’t see it. Or the drivers that see it but think it is for the other drivers. If you are not sure let the car behind you by, If you’re faster it will be more fun to pass them again. It all works out.

Another flag that requires your attention is the Debris Flag or Slippery Flag. This is a Yellow Flag with Red Stripes. This signifies that there is something on the track that could cause a problem. This can be a number of things from oil or anti-freeze to car parts, even dirt and stones from an off-track excursion. It also can signify wildlife on the track. I have personally had to dodge a large snapping turtle (moving speed bump) on the front straight at Lime Rock. He was even slower next time I came around. Another driver in our club vaporized a woodchuck doing about 100. I have even heard reports of deer. Oh there was also the time when my dog Bosco did a Houdini on the harness and steel cable and was running around the track at Mosport while the Black run group was driving. Needless to say, after I picked him up on Turn 3, I got my share of crap that weekend and Bosco stays with Dad now. Also any fluid that leaks onto the track will most likely be cleaned up quickly but they may display the Slippery Flag for a few laps for you to proceed with caution until they are sure it’s OK.

The White Flag sometime causes confusion to new drivers that watch races on TV. On TV the White Flag is displayed to signify last lap. In Drivers Ed and Racing the White Flag also signifies that there is a slow moving vehicle on the track. This could be a wrecker, an ambulance or even a car limping back to the pit. The tricky part is when the flaggers use this flag in combination with the Yellow. It is assumed that if you see the White Flag you will proceed with caution but some flaggers like to make sure you get that message with the Yellow.

Probably the most important flags to remember are the Black and the Red Flags. I mention these two together so that I can compare the two and you won’t get them mixed up which is easy to do. The Black Flag is the more commonly used of the two but they both demand equal respect.

When the Black Flag is displayed around the track all drivers must slow down and proceed back to the pit area in the correct direction. Don’t turn around if you just passed the pit. Complete the lap. The Red Flag on the other hand signifies that all drivers make a controlled stop off line in sight of a flag station. The Black Flag may also be directed towards a single car if it appears something is wrong or they want to speak to the driver. They may also throw a Black Flag with an Orange Circle. This is the Meatball Flag and it also signifies that your car has a possible mechanical problem or is leaking fluid on the track. The Red Flag will never be directed towards a single car. The Red Flag signifies that something really bad has happened on the track and any further movement by other cars could only make things worse.

One way I keep them straight is to remember, Black - Go Back (to pit), Red - Pull Over Ahead (safely in sight of flagging station). If you react calmly to these flags you and others will have a safe event.

As for the above-mentioned problem concerning the Blue Flag, I have to admit I am going only by other driver’s reports. I personally have never seen one and still think they exist only in the world of Unicorns and the perfect woman for me.

Anyway, My Drivers Window is Always Open…

Porsche Club of America The Northeast Region

Porsche Club of America
The Northeast Region