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trackday question

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Old 12-29-2007, 09:18 PM
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lets just say for arguments sake... if someone showed up to run a track day and only had one eye would most organizations allow that person to participate? safety wise??
Old 12-29-2007, 10:06 PM
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It's going to depend on the club, but most of them don't ask for a physical just to do a track day. How would they know if you didn't tell them?

Here's what's on SVRA's medical form regarding vision:
Good Vision- distant vision correctable to 20/30 in each eye, normal depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors (red, green, yellow, blue and black flags are used to signal drivers when on the course), and peripheral vision to 70 degrees in the horizontal median for each eye.
But, that's for racing, not just lapping. Racers trying to pass you at any opportunity is far different from track day traffic that isn't permitted to pass without the acknowledgement of the car being passed.

Realistically, I think it would be fair to at least tell your instructor so that he could watch for any signs that the impaired depth perception was hindering your ability to get around the track safely. That's really all that the typical track club is concerned about... can you get around the track safely?

I'd bet that a skilled one-eyed person could get around the track as well or better than some of the clueless "unimpaired" drivers we see on track. He'd just have to be much more concious of brake markers and such. The other issue might be peripheral vision, but surely a person who has been without an eye has learned to adjust for that. You don't have full peripheral vision with a helmet on, anyway.
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Old 12-30-2007, 04:13 AM
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I don't see a problem with it. < note the pun

Seriously, as Loren mentioned a skilled one-eyed person would do fine on lapping days.

Probably more difficult in an actual race environment though.
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Old 12-30-2007, 08:49 AM
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agreed, as this driver would have to go through the levels as anyone else would, trust me, I've been to some events where the entry levels should not be on the track, one stands out in my head where a wife and husband were sharing a race car with a fixed racing seat, he was 6'somthing she was all of 5'3" I admire her dedication to try it, but she could not see, as a matter of fact It looked like someones child had stolen their car. as she tilted her head back and up to see. that IMHO is more dangerous then a proper fitted driver with monocular vision.
Old 01-01-2008, 10:56 AM
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cool, thanks
Old 01-06-2008, 07:43 PM
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I have instructed a student that had one good eye. She did well.
After 10 years of adjusting, she had fair consideration of other cars. She also had a street( Neon) car that she knew well.
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