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News & editorial
December 2003
On behalf of all off us on the Committee, may I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
All in all a very good year for the Club and it's members. A very successful Stages Rally, Road Rally, Scatter Rally series and Quiz series. Many thanks to all of you who helped in each and every way possible.
Not so lucky were the WRC Drivers who were penalised for their speeding offences during the 2002 Rally GB in Wales :
British aces Colin McRae and Richard Burns were among those fined in a Welsh court on Monday 10th November.Daniel Carlsson, Freddy Loix, Kris Meeke and Armin Schwarz all received licence bans after most were caught offending by a speed camera set-up on a two-mile stretch of public road between the rally's service area and the 'shakedown' stage. Those banned will still be able to drive in rallies in the UK but not drive on public roads between special stages, where their co-drivers will have to take over. McRae and Burns were also given fines for similar speeding offences. In total, 17 competitors were caught during last year's event, based in Cardiff in South Wales.Loix was fined £1750 and given a six month ban after being caught seven times at speeds of up to 54mph in the 30mph zone in just one morning.McRae was caught at 51mph, and fined £150 plus three penalty points. Burns was recorded at 83mph on a dual carriageway. He given three points and fined £150.
Those hit the most were…Daniel Carlsson - banned for six months, fined £800.Freddy Loix - banned for six months, fined £1,750.Kris Meeke - banned for 12 months (had previous points), fined £300. Armin Schwarz - banned for six month, fined £1,000
Others to be fined and given penalty points were Carlos Sainz, Markko Martin, Tommi Makinen, Martin Rowe and Mikko Hirvonen. The roadside cameras picked up over 2,000 offences in all, most of which were spectators who were following the rally.
Ironically, the man who invented the road-side speed camera, Maurice Gatsonides who died in 1998, was a former Dutch rally and racing driver
"Le Jog" has now taken place and it was a very interesting experience with Len Jan Owen and myself looking after arrival and the Start.
New to us was the timing system which utilised a "LIEGE TIMER" we'd never heard of let alone seen or had experience in it's use. It was all panic trying to interpret the instructions but thankfully we had the opportunity to try it before the competitors arrived and I think we got it right ????
STOP PRESS - For those of you involved with the Robin Hood Forest Stages Committee please don't forget the meeting on Tuesday 6th January is in Darfield and will start at 7.45 pm prompt.
John Sayles
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