this thread did not originally ask the opinions, kids: yes or no. i thought it was important to express how i might feel so that those of you that bring your children, especially first timers, would be reminded of the dangers and, perhaps, with that in mind, no ill will befall you and/or your family. i do not have children. i was not implying that i would not prevent a child from harming themselves. when that kid (this happened) grabbed my exhaust, i was dumbfounded. i asked myself, how did that just happen? if you think, for some reason, that i'm being selfish because of a previous post...how selfish is it of a parent to expect someone else to watch over their child. i'm a stranger, total and complete stranger. what kind of parent was it that allowed their child to fry its little hand on my bike? i'm sorry. i'm busy taking care of myself and my program. bring your kids. stay on top of 'em and have a good time but...stay away from me. i don't appreciate having to watch under my feet so that i don't hurt someone that shouldn't be under my feet in the first place...in other words, should not be in my pit! yzass, you're damn right i'll feel bad but i will not child-proof my surroundings. the paddock is, for lack of a better term, an industrial area. you also have me pegged. if i witness a child gettin' hurt due to a parents lack of supervising, i'm gonna need supervising. i suppose i'll just get some of that tape that says 'do not enter' along with the 'no trespassing' signs. oh, wait. can kids that young read? looks like i'll risk the wrath of an inattentive parent when i scream(chosen for dramatic effect) at the poor helpless child to 'beat it' which, no doubt, will permanently scar the child's fragile little ego, not to mention how he/she feels about racers from then on. bottom line, imo...you want a family picnic, keep 'em on your blanket or someone else's that is sharing their hospitality. i'm pretty sure that parents who participate in racing venues have more brains than the average dolt out on the highway and that i, we, can expect that their children will be more well-behaved than the offspring screaming thru the aisles of your local kmart. with that said, i return you to my original post on this subject where i state, in no uncertain terms, "i will have no sympathy for the parents of a child that suffers any injury for whatever reason while they are in the paddock." sh*t happens. the paddock can be a dangerous place...not only for adults, but even more so for the little ones. i've said all i'm gonna say and i think i've said it with a fair amount of decorum. don't get too bent if you didn't want to hear it...it's only an opinion.
Fastfreddie - you're wasting your effort. It's not going to get you anywhere. We attempted last year to have a civil discussion about Kids on bicycles (Kids on Bicycles), but it quickly degenerated into a bunch of people screaming that if you don't like kids endangering themselves and running into racing gear with their bikes, you must be a kid hater So give it a rest. Unfortunately nothing is going to change until someone's child gets seriously injured or killed, and then the change will be quite drastic
Thats fine - being an american citizen entitles you to have that opinion (assuming you are an American citizen). Go out and procreate, watch your child being born, share the experience with someone you love (hopefully the childs mother), watch as he/she grows, worry about their safety everytime a stranger's gaze seems uncomfortably too long, feel the sting in your gut when they fall down and get hurt, or comfort them when they cry out at night for no apparent reason, experience a happiness you do not currently know or understand when you arrive home and they smile up at you approvingly. I want to apologize because I misunderstood, you cannot possibly begin to comprehend what you are saying and how offensive it is to me or any other parent (parents who care about their children). I am a racer, a VERY competitive racer. I can understand the dedicatation required to be competitive. I also understand that distractions can deter from that dedication. I also understand how important my little boy is to me. I would expect a fellow racer to look out if my son got away from us and wandered into their pit (because of the distractions of racing), just like I would expect that same fellow racer to be able to count on me if he needed my help. My initial reaction is to tell you not to ever expect my help but I'm not that kind of person. Anyone who needs my help at the track will cheerfully get it, because that is how I am. If someone's child wanders into my pit area I will look out for them and, hopefully racer mom or dad will show up promptly to collect the wayward child. No I won't devote my time to babysitting other's children, but I won't ignore them or feel sorry for them or their parents because they got away.
I think kids are ok under proper supervision. My concern would be an infant with everything going on at the track. Nutec, heat, dirty exhaust, HOT exhaust, curious kids, some racer trying to break the track record in the paddock after hearing '3rd and final call', kids on bikes, drunks on 4-wheelers and other pit-bikes/vehicles make for a pretty hazardous situation at the track. I don't need that kind of stress myself. Maybe when the child is older and a little more safety concious, but a toddler- NO WAY! If you like to bring yours, then fine. I can understand the family thing. I put in plenty of quality time during the week when i'm not racing or working. For me, it's a matter of balance during the non-racing time that leaves me stress-free at the track. Hell, there are some things that make me wince as an adult at the track.....
SlowAndScared - I read some of the posts in the kids on bicycles thread and wholeheartedly agree that they should be responsible and do the kid thing away from the paddock if possible. Kids are also curious about all the other racers/bikes so I would expect they would like to see the other racers/bikes from time to time. Someone made the comment that kids are future racers and it's absolutely true. I remember when I was little my dad was a drag racer and I lived in the pits. It was a great experience for me. I never got into trouble, never got hurt, never got yelled at by a cranky racer too strung out on winning to care about anything else (there were a few that ignored us though ) I guess Im new at the whole parent thing and it's disconcerting to know there are people out there who don't give a shit if my kid gets hurt. The same people that might ask me for a wrench, or a brake lever, or a helping hand. I strongly believe in discipline and responsible behaviour when it comes to my child (my wife agrees). I also expect that my son will be properly looked after by said wife while Im out on track or wrenching on the bike. But I also believe that children, well-behaved children that is, should be welcome at any venue, and with proper supervision. If a racer is busy trying to prepare for a race I would expect my son to respect that and not bother him/her also, but he is only 10 months old so we will have to work on that one!
Let me reiterate from the voice of experience Infant baby at the track = No Age 3 +, with a full time dedicated 'babysitter' = Yes. Dog at the track?
Don't worry, Jeff. If Fred's offspring is 1/8th of the terror he must have been when he was a tyke, he'll get his comeuppance, and then some...lololol...
I never thought it would turn into this, but im glad it did, now i know some racers will look out for my little one, like i would do for them, and some wont, I do believe that you should look after your children, and that it is a great experience for them to be at the track. But I can wait on my daughter to come to the track, My girlfirend did bring her to a track day and she was fine, the temp was great and she sat away from the bikes and watch for a few hours and left. But i do agree with Buck, i can wait untill she is a little older, maybe next season when she is almost 2, i will make that choice next year, but thanks for everybodys info, and its great to know that alot of people are bring their kids to the track and making there family involved. see ya Dale
==happen to see a black trailer with a green ezup== This is good to know. Now we can all take our children over there first thing in the morning. "OK, Jimmy, see that ugly old man? He's a grumpy-lumpy poopie-head. That is why he is there all by himself. Alone. Nobody likes him very much and he has no friends. He smells bad to. You don't want to be like that ugly grumpy-lumpy poopie-head...."
Re: Let me reiterate from the voice of experience You sure you want to open that can again. Lets try, Infants and toddlers with there Babysitting Greman Shepards, and slightly older brothers and sisters on newly aquired 10speeds and mountain bikes while mom gets drunk and dads out racing after smoking a huge Fatty.
I have a two year old daughter and an infant daughter. I can tell you that the dangers of life only get worse the more mobile they are. Believe it or not, kids only get faster, more curious and better at dodging mom and dad as they get older. That being said, you can take kids to the races. But be prepared to lose the ability to focus on racing. I've brought both of kids to selected races, and have enjoyed their company. But kids, especially small ones, have no concept that daddy is leaving to go to race, or that all those tiny carb parts must not be scattered through the gravel. Your wife or girlfriend or designated child watcher will not be able to help you with your stands or gas or tools. They are watching the kid(s) (or should be). It's a lot more work than you might first imagine. Also, small children love to be on a schedule, and going to races really messes up the schedule. Nothing like firing up a bike during nap time, etc. to end up with a pretty grumpy kid at the end of the day. I'd say that if you are willing to adapt your racing to accomodate children, than by all means bring them along. I also understand where the "kid haters" are coming from as well. You should not, and can not, expect others not in your immediate group to watch your out for your children while you are at the track. Everyone with kids, dogs, non-racing friends, etc. should accept that by bringing these things to the track that they are responsible for them and also responsible for not letting those non-racing things detract from everyone else's weekend. Good luck with your upcoming season. Please drop by my pits and introduce yourself. I'm Shawn and ride a blue SV, #501.
children's chapel We started last year during the National weekends to have a Sunday School time for the kids on Sunday morning. My wife Caroline and Lynn Huntt are the leaders. They have stories, games and crafts that the kids seem to enjoy. It's held in a safe place in the paddock area.
I believe that it is a parents choice whether to bring kids to the track. But I also believe that it is the responsibility of someone not racing to watch that child. Personally, when Chuck and I have kids they will be there every weekend. But one of the reasons that we don't have kids yet is that I am not ready to watch a baby 100% of the time and I can't ask Chuck to break his concentration and do it. We are at the track for him to ride a 375 lb machine on two wheels at 175 mph and I don't want him worried about diapers and bottles. It really bothers me to watch kids run around the paddack area with an adult nowhere in site. It happens almost every weekend. There have been numerous times that I have watched kids almost get run over by bikes or cars because they are playing in the middle of the road. Some kids will even stand there and just look at the bike or car like it's their fault. I guess what I am trying to say is bring kids or don't but pay attention and don't let them wonder off by themselves. And don't expect the racer parent to watch the children when they are trying to race and/or practice. Cindy
Re: Let me reiterate from the voice of experience Dog is great at the track, sliced very thin with mustard. Smaller breeds taste better fried, the larger ones roasted. The best thing about dog at the track is that there are always a large variety from which to choose! Yummy!
Re: Re: Let me reiterate from the voice of experience You my friend are very, very sick. Everyone knows that dog is best served thick with mayonaise and relish.
My little son has been at the track since he was 2 months old. Just make sure you have eveything the baby needs. Make sure you have plenty of shade. Kids are tough and don't mind noise most of the time. Trust me I have a 4year old too, and when the little one wants to sleep boy your not waking him up. Kids get kranky for all types of reasons. As a parent i can say if its not one thing it's another. They will find a reason to get upset. So if for some reason your kid get upset because of the track oh well. If you were at home they would have just found something at home to get upset about. I will agree with a earlier post, wife gets hot and tired easy. My kids do better at the track than my wife. I say take the kids enjoy them make it a family event and have fun. And when your kids get a little older and some adult says something them at the track take it from me probly more times than not they needed it.
Re: Re: Re: Let me reiterate from the voice of experience Sorry, my bad. No lunch today and all this talk about tasty food is making me lightheaded. You're right - dog is better with mayo and relish. It was CHILDREN that taste best sliced thin with mustard. Lotsa those running around at the track too! Boy, the track is a wonderful place any way you look at it!
Re: Re: Re: Re: Let me reiterate from the voice of experience Where else can you go race and bag a good meal? You guys ready for this weekend? I'll bring the mayo & relish... I sure hope there are kids & dogs.....
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Let me reiterate from the voice of experience I sure hope to be ready - am working furiously on the bike. Last night I checked the valves; all in spec, though I've got two that are a bit loose and one that is a bit tighter than I'd like so I need to order shims at some point in the near future. After that I installed a new cam chain, guides and tensioner, new plugs, new clutch. Tonight I'll put the carbs back on, reattach and fill the radiator, put in new oil, put the exhaust system back on, and start bolting various bits and pieces back on the bike. Tomorrow night I'll start it up, and if I got the cams in and timed correctly I won't prang a valve (crossing fingers). As long as the engine doesn't grenade, I'll be good to go. While I'm at it I think I'll do a compression check and sync the carbs. Safety wire everything, of course. Then I'll replace the brake fluid, re-install the bodywork and go over everything one last time. Thursday night I'll pack everything up, and Friday morning James and Ken will be here. We'll load up and hit the road. Man! I've got a lot of work to do on this bee-yotch! Check on the mayo and relish - I'll bring the mustard!
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Let me reiterate from the voice of experience You Southerns suck! It's going to be a high of like 15 here this weekend! Have fun and did I mention I'm jealous? (And no, I don't really want to move. If I didn't have the weather to bitch about I'd just be pissy and bitch about cherry pickers or something else totally useless)
