Open Wheel Rain Light Requirement for 2024 - Poll

[Steve Davis]

I have posted a NEW POLL with all the questions. Please select either YES or NO for each question .. and ignore this old one.
New poll
https://www.apexspeed.com/forums/sho...Light-for-2024
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OK.. I think it would be interesting to know a few things.. like HOW MANY of us WANTED this change. And HOW MANY of us did NOT want it.
I don't know how to create a poll ..
....

[RussMcB]

I did not comment on the proposal. I should have. I kinda thought more reasonable heads would prevail and this would go away, or at least be implemented in a more user friendly way.

Usually when I read comments like, "this rule change might drive me away from SCCA Club Racing", I don't give it much credence, but this definitely feels different, probably because of my age and racing is getting harder to do.

I'm liking the idea of showing up at a 2024 race with a good old Afterburner rain light (especially if there's no rain forecasted) and see if I'm told they'd rather I didn't race (or don't come back without a FIA light).

I'm not sure if I'd actually do that, considering the effort to make a race, but it's damn tempting. Especially if it was a group protest.

[Farrout48]

I did not comment on the rain light. Although a DSR/P1/P2 racer since 2007, I lost my car to Hurricane Ian and did not renew my license this year.

Years ago, I installed the Afterburner rain light. Why? Out of a concern for my personal safety as I raced in the large/diverse Wings & Things group. The brake/rain lights on the WF1 (OEM 2005) were useless so something better was called for. But in a rain race start in our group, there is so much spray that you cannot see the car in front of you, you cannot see the brake markers, you cannot see the actual turn. We all go into Turn 1 with the hope that no one has spun and is blocking the track. When the pack thins out, then the rain light is more useful but coming up on a car we can see the rooster tails off the tires as well.

Realistically at a Regional and most Majors, the chances of the rain light being checked is pretty low. Pre race, the Tech guys look to see if the car has a valid Annual Tech. I think we all know that most Annual Tech Inspections would only look to see if the rain light works if it was even checked. If a rain race was called, Grid would only look to see if everyone had a rain light operating. Post race, Tech checks the top 3 cars with 2 items.

Personally, I am always in favor of safety. I wore a HANS before they were mandated. Safety is not about the probability of needing it, it is the event occurring when you do need it. We all assess the risk to ourselves and react accordingly. Be safe out there.