Stuff you see in scrutineering

[topari]

I wise man once told me, it's not too hard to figure out those who have responsible demanding jobs and those who take it up the arse during the week. It plays out on weekends or leisure activities with the latter types try and release their built up frustrations.  I take comfort every time I've had some jerk try to make my life hard knowing he probably has problems sitting comfortably.

Years ago at nunawading a new member on a YZ250F, on his first ride, was not allowed to ride because he had an aftermarket muffler.  I intervened and pointed out that other bikes on the track which were also modified and a few had not been submitted for scrutineering. Several of the offenders were family friends of the Scrutineer.  With reluctance, he provide the new member with a concession. My brother and I left the club, which seemed to run by too many types who had funny walks.

[William Doe]

I wise man once told me, it's not too hard to figure out those who have responsible demanding jobs and those who take it up the arse during the week. It plays out on weekends or leisure activities with the latter types try and release their built up frustrations.  I take comfort every time I've had some jerk try to make my life hard knowing he probably has problems sitting comfortably.

Years ago at nunawading a new member on a YZ250F, on his first ride, was not allowed to ride because he had an aftermarket muffler.  I intervened and pointed out that other bikes on the track which were also modified and a few had not been submitted for scrutineering. Several of the offenders were family friends of the Scrutineer.  With reluctance, he provide the new member with a concession. My brother and I left the club, which seemed to run by too many types who had funny walks.

Where's the like button for this post 

[Nathan S]

I'll pay that, Tom.

I've often said is that you really want current, regular participants making the decisions, not career officials. The only thing worse than a career official is a career official that competes once every teo years and thinks that they are in touch...

I recall Super Hunky talking about a desert racing club where you had to race to be a member - sounded like a great idea to me.
Don't get me wrong - I don't know of a single club that could survive without the help of non-active participants, and non-active participants have a lot to offer. But nobody understands the implications of a decision the way participants do.

http://feralsportscarclub.net/CarClub.html (long but you'll only need to read the first few paragraphs).

[Simo63]

Ive not seen boot inspections at club or national level this year and believe its a hard depressing life on injuried feet.
Well we are on them more than 10 hrs a day 
Cheers A

Toowoomba Post Classic Nats - they checked eligibility (frame numbers), bikes, helmets, boots and rider jerseys for numbers.  A lot to get through and all done pretty efficiently in my humble opinion.

[KTM47]

I think Evo's point is that the defined role of "scrutineer" isn't what most people think it is, and that a lot of scrutineers operate outside of their job description.
Sounds a lot like poor risk management to me...

There is no difference  The term machine examiner is in-correctly used.  Scrutineering is more than just checking the bike.  The only official licence terms are as follows:

Steward or (Referee for Speedway)
Clerk of Course
Race Secretary
Scrutineer
Marshal
Starter
Timekeeper
Judge
Measurer
All the above positions can have assistants

and Mechanic (again just for Speedway)

All other terms that are used are not official terms.

There are a lot of terms used in our sport that are used incorrectly.

Kevin

[supersenior 50]

How would we ever manage without you Kev?

[topari]

http://feralsportscarclub.net/CarClub.html (long but you'll only need to read the first few paragraphs).

Good read. Thanks. Wonder if any of ABs walk a bit odd 

[SlideRulz]

I bet you'd be lucky to find the word, Scrutineer in a program from around 40 years ago?
I just bet I get proved wrong.

[evo550]

Maybe we could start a "stupid things scrutineers say" thread.*not VMX, modern*
1. friend gets knocked back and told he can't ride until it's removed.....a brake snake.
2. Standing in the queue about 2 weeks ago, two kxf 450 a few bikes ahead of me, first one gets knocked back, disc is cracked at each mount points where it attaches to the hub, poor bugger I thought, next one right behind him same scrutineer, bike has the same problem. The scrutineer then proceeds to advise his off sider to check all Kawasaki's as there must be a design fault with the disc, for about two minutes this guy was god(well he thought so) until some farmer at the back of the queue on a quad yells..."Their fcuking floating disc's you moron..."


Maybe I view things a little different, just because I only apply the rules is not because I'm anally retentive rule book reader, but because I only want to do what I have to and nothing more...why create more work for yourselves than you have to.
It also creates consistency for riders, why create situations for riders where they have no idea whats the go from week to week.
The duty of care is an interesting argument( the world, and some scrutineers, seem hell bent on saving us from ourselves)
By knocking bikes back for things that seem "unsafe", by default you are deeming all the bikes you let through "safe", heaven help you if one of those wheels collapse....Load of B.S.
All that shit is covered at riders briefing when you are told you may not get home alive this afternoon. "Duty of care" covered.
Scrutineering whether it's eligibility or machine examination is the biggest shit fight in this sport at the moment...hands down.

[FourstrokeForever]

I don't know what experiences you have had with over the top scrutineers Evo, but none of it sounds good. To say that scrutineering is the biggest shit fight in our sport at the moment is a big call. Maybe it's time for your club to get a new scrutineer?
I think the only job of a scrutineer is to point out any obvious mechanical fault with a machine so it can be addressed, not to try and exclude someone from entering.....but I guess it takes all types to make the world spin.
The times I have done the job and have had an issue with a bike, once all bikes have been checked I will seek out the bike with the problem and see if it's been fixed. I've even helped blokes fix the bike when time allows, even if it's only getting the tool for the job or borrowing parts, it all helps.....All I want to do is put the OK sticker on the bike and get on with the day.

[KTM47]

In my opinion if a (Chief Scrutineer) is doing the job correctly he or she is not scrutineering any bikes themselves, they are overseeing assistant scrutineers. So they should be able to stop any stupid things like the Kawasaki disc example. An experienced scrutineer is unlikely to make a mistake like that, however it can happen.

As for duty of care, even self scrutineering at the Australian SX and MX Championships requires the rider or entrant to sign a statement that machine is safe.  There also should be a level four scrutineer present to do random checks.  If something broke on the first lap of practice maybe the question should be asked how did it get through scrutineering.  However as has been said previously a scrutineer can not be expected to see everything.

Back to the thread topic (Stuff you see at scrutineering).  One problem that I came across once, was a rear brake that didn't appear to work.  Pushed the pedal down no brake.  I then realised the rider had changed the tyre and hadn't pumped the pads back up to he dics.

TBM has posted as I wrote this and I agree with what he has said.

[Rossvickicampbell]

I had prepped my bike for the Wandering meet several months ago - knowing I would come back basically the day before the meet.  Had a really good scrutineer who found a loose bolt on my brake torque arm I had missed - he passed the bike and said tighten it up - which I did whilst he was there - good attitude, no issues.

[KTM47]

I had prepped my bike for the Wandering meet several months ago - knowing I would come back basically the day before the meet.  Had a really good scrutineer who found a loose bolt on my brake torque arm I had missed - he passed the bike and said tighten it up - which I did whilst he was there - good attitude, no issues.

A good example of what the majority of officials are like. 

[FourstrokeForever]

I had prepped my bike for the Wandering meet several months ago - knowing I would come back basically the day before the meet.  Had a really good scrutineer who found a loose bolt on my brake torque arm I had missed - he passed the bike and said tighten it up - which I did whilst he was there - good attitude, no issues.

A good example of what the majority of officials are like.

See, that just demonstrates what scrutineering is all about. We all miss something from time to time and luckily someone else checked the bike before it cost a failure.....and money.

[pancho]

I bet you'd be lucky to find the word, Scrutineer in a program from around 40 years ago?
I just bet I get proved wrong.

True Slides, it used to be 'Machine examiner'.
 After a fair few years doing RTA rego inspections, numerous times I have checked vehicles owned by mechanics and pointed out to them things such as very out of adjustment brakes, steering boxes etc. Obviously these things sneek up on one and unconsciously get compensated by the driver. This is why another pair of eyes is benificial. I do also see a case for riders signing off on safe condition and elegibility. pancho