Trackdays & Damage Liability

robin · Post by **robin** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:30 am

Simon, I think you are being more generous than you should.

Being in a collision on track is a risk we take. Those that aren't prepared for it financially should either be prepared to be without car or take out track day insurance.

I would pay to repair or replace the car I was driving in the event of an accident regardless of fault, in the same way I would cover my own car when driving. I wouldn't pay to replace/repair the car I collided with in the event of an accident, regardless of fault.

It being a trackday with proper rules that are enforced by proper marshalling I would be surprised if collisions were very likely.

I too am concerned about cars that lap nose-to-tail with another car for lap after lap. That's not because I think the drivers aren't up to it, but because when the track runs out of grip or space unexpectedly, contact may then be unavoidable.

Cheers,
Robin

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:15 am

If I was driving someone elses car then I would have to accept responsibilityfor the car... (dont let me drive yours I'll just bin it)

If someone else ran into me and damaged my car. I would expect them to pay for it. It is not a race, it is not a contact sport...

We are all friends just now.. but would it stay that way if, for example, someone touched side to side and each party blamed the other. I wouldnt be prepared to pay to have someones car fixed if I thought I was not to blame... see how long our friendship would last then.

I have track day insurance. It sounds like there are plenty that dont.

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:10 am

There are plenty that dont. But everyone should be awarae of the rules and risks before they go on.

Robin managed to say what i wanted to say in a much better way.

Post by ed » Wed Jan 24, 2007 10:41 am

Some interesting points....

I guess it all depends on the point of view. If someone hit me and it was completely their fault, obviously judging this would be difficult, i would like to think (in an ideal world) that they would pay for the damage. In reality proving liability is hard and then i guess as per the rules you would fix your own car in this instance. A concern of mine, which i never really thought about, is perhaps that if inexperienced drivers and/or lower value cars were on track things could become alot more dangerous.

Imho being hit is more likely at HM days compared to SIDC so i think i might just stick to those!

tenkfeet · Post by **tenkfeet** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:11 am

If I drive a friends car or bike I have worked on the principle I bin it I buy it.

I will admit I have driven too close to cars on track and to be honest had not really thought about the consequences . So thats just pure inexperience , I will be more aware of what can happen this season.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:13 am

ed wrote:
Imho being hit is more likely at HM days compared to SIDC so i think i might just stick to those!

Well unfortunately, we know that's not always the case.

thinfourth · Post by **thinfourth** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:15 am

Well Ali removed a wing from the 7 once

He did give a hand to return the car to its normal condition

He held the roll of duct tape

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:27 am

thinfourth wrote:Well Ali removed a wing from the 7 once

He did give a hand to return the car to its normal condition

He held the roll of duct tape

hahahahaha and quite right he was too. Although surely that rule doesnt apply if the car is brown

jj · Post by jj » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:32 am

I am of the opinion that any mistakes / errors resulting in contact should be dealt with in a similar way to if it was an on-road collision. For example, I am on a cooldown lap - someone steams into the back of me.

Not my fault, I wouldnt expect to have to pay to repair my car.

If I did it to someone, rattled into the back of them, hands up its my fault I would pay to fix it.

Like mac said, I would just always try and be in a frame of mind that if there are people about, I exercise some caution - if everyone did that there would be no problems and this discussion would only ever have to happen in a "theoretically speaking" way.

If its a clear track and nobody is near then if any damage happens I would only have me to blame.

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:40 am

In the whole two times I've been out on track the only time I've felt any danger of damage was when some guy in a white H reg honda decided that 2 feet from my rear clam wasn't quite close enough, and was right on my tail all the way through the series of corners after the main straight(don't even know the names, Macyntires?) where I didn't feel comfortable pulling to the side until the straight.

Throw a new idea into the game - You are driving someone else's car then a third party hits you

who pays?

Brian J · Post by **Brian J** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:41 am

tut wrote:My point is only for when you are driving someone elses car. If you lent me yours, no matter whether it was a compete write off, or slightly damaged, it would be up to me to replace it or repair it, regardless of cost. And this is regardless of whose fault it is, mine, another driver, or act of god.

If Scotty drove into me when I was driving your car, then on track, he is not liable for anything other than maybe a black flag. You accept this when you go on track.

However in our case as we our all friends, a different arrangement may be made between drivers involved.

tut

I think Tut put it perfectly - that's the posiiton as I understand it.

Daveb · Post by **Daveb** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:46 am

Just dont go there I think!

Stick to your own car!

Who wants to be paying for someone elses car that you've pranged.

Post by ed » Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:07 pm

Im with you on that one Brian!

I do like having a shot of others peoples cars and im quite happy for people to drive mine. Thing is i never drive them to anywhere near their limits (or mine for that matter

) because i would be so pi$$ed off if i damaged it. This is compared to the likes of Kenwood and Tom who are happy to take my car out and spin off!

ryallm · Post by **ryallm** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 12:58 pm

An interesting debate. All good reason to allow plenty of space, and to be very choosy about which trackdays to do (SIDC and CEC only for me at KH).

No doubt tempting fate to say it, but it actually surprises me how rare damage is on track days. On all the track days I have done I don't recall personally ever seeing an Elise/Exige badly stacked (heard about one or two though...), although I have seen a mangled Westy XTR and a slightly crumpled Scooby at SIDC days. On road damage seems far more common. Be careful out there...

Mark

mac · Post by **mac** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:36 pm

What if someone joins the group who drives a brand spanking new Ferrari and you happen to hit it - there's not many here who could afford to hit it.

As I see it - if you can't afford to repair/replace your car (regardless of fault) then you should arrange track insurance to cover the mistakes you may make or the one others may make.

I'm sure being the kind of folk we are the guilty party will probably offer to pay the excess, but that would be a gentlemen's agreement and isn't required.

It's a condition of undertaking trackdays - you are liable for any damage that occurs to your car, not matter how that damage occurs.

Mac