ROAR Insurance

[rocknbil]

Been browsing a lot of sites lately.

I mean a LOT. :D

I'm seeing a definate trend, most tracks, indoor, outdoor, electric, nitro, even mini, aren't even allowing you to step foot on the property with your ride unless you have a ROAR membership and the insurance coverage that comes with it. No practice, no racing, nada.

Who runs at tracks that don't require insurance, at least yet?

[microrcdude]

I do. The track is real cool, nice and blue groove, and they hold alot of regional races.

[Jetskiboy77]

Ive never heard of needing insurance before, thats kind of killing the hobby a little bit. And Kyle, you dont need insurace because you race electric. I mean c`mon, whoese ever gotten hurt from an electric, theyre too slow. J/P J/P :) :)

[psbarger]

My local track just closed due to insurance issues. Really sucks, it was an amazing place.... www.redline-rc.com

[cheerwhiner]

not at my track. However it is brand new and the owner may not have thought of this yet. Heck I'll get it if necessary!

[ggfx-mikey]

i think it should be one of those "ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK" kinda policy, if u dont feel safe, dont enter hehe... and if a mini-t smacks your foot and you somehow manage to snap it... well... you should be fired... end of story! but seriously... insurance for rc cars? hmm... soon were all gonna have agents making sure everything is legal that we put on our cars hehe

[rocknbil]

Well . . you're closer to the truth than you might think. You can have people sign liability waivers and it still wouldn't matter, you can get sued anyway and lose everything.

I remember from my flying days you couldn't fly at any of the better fields unless you were a member of the AMA, primarily for the multimillion dollar insurance coverage.

I can see both sides of the issue. A lot of people complain about the way hobby shops and tracks are run and are unaware of a lot of serious things they have to deal with other than track maintenance - and liabilty is one of them. This plugs a big expensive hole for them.

On the other hand many will rant and rave about not being able to race unless they are a ROAR member. This is really a silly argument, if you can afford a $600 MT, you can afford a $30/year membership.

I've personally seen overcharged batteries explode, and there was one member on here bragging about how funny it was that a cell flew across the track when it blew. The potential for injury is there at any level of the hobby.

I'm always running on the "blah blah blah" about keeping your RC's out of the street and driving responsibly, :D and policies like this may force the issue. Referring back to the flying - there are many areas including my country where operating a remote controlled nitro airplane is illegal unless you have AMA insurance.

I've seen many tracks like this, here is just one:
http://sdf.rcnation.com/

EDIT: PSbarger - yes I saw that in my travels, why don't you call him up and ask him if he's tried to work with ROAR on the issue?

[nicholcgn]

I think that the insurance if it is cheap is a great thing. Enter at your own risk is not needed in this hobby. Most people who get hurt (Minor only so far.) at our track comes from being a turn martial or a nitro in runaway. The person that gets hit with the vehicle should have some way of medical being paid. If not I will not turn martial any more. I don't believe I am asking to much for my medical bill to be paid. And no I don't think you need to go to the doctor for a small hit. I am talking about an 1/8th scale taking a guy off of his feet. I am willing to pay the raor for the insurance.

[InspGadgt]

There are a lot of hazards in and around an RC track and many of them have nothing to do with the cars themselves. Anyone getting hurt on your property for any reason the property owner can be held liable. Getting insurance for a store is one thing but for a race track can get very expensive. ROAR has allready worked that out for any organization and for a pretty nominal fee. It costs less to get ROAR insurance coverage at your track then it does to go out and get your own. Not only that but it covers the driver too. Organizations like ROAR and NORRCA are a good thing for the hobby...though sometimes we may get frustrated at how long it takes them to make changes. Anyway back to my point...ROAR isn't necesarilly there for the driver or turn marshall that gets hurt (though they do cover them), these people allready understand the risks of racing RC cars and know how to keep out of harm's way most of the time. However spectators often are not involved in the hobby so don't understand the potential dangers. These are the people that are more likely to get hurt in an unregulated race. So your $30 a year is not only protecting you but the 5 other people around you saying "Hey your car is cool! How do I get involved in this?"

[Budman_222]

A track doesn't have to have someone injured by an rc car to be sued out of existence. Anything can do it. The way people like to sue now days it's almost a necessity to have insurance. Little kid running through the pits, trips, does a face plant on the edge of a table, track's gone without insurance. sad..

[Jeckler]

I used to race at SDF. They're pretty serious about being a ROAR member. The fact that the "indoor" track (it's more like an opensided barn) is at the County fairgrounds makes it all the more important. What's nice about signing up is that you can do it on the spot. If you show up for a race you can pay your dues and race that day.
Even CARRCORR's main track at Rattlesnake Raceway requires ROAR membership. The property owner, Mel, runs the track on his own land.

[bullethead]

Hey "rockinbil", Do you know how much an "ama" membership is this year?

For reference, I think most of these guys dont fly.

Thanks,

BULLETHEAD

[bullethead]

Duh, I have a computer. :rolleyes:

Anyway, AMA membership cost $58.00.

If I had to join Roar I think I would $30.00 sounds cheap.

BULLETHEAD

[psbarger]

EDIT: PSbarger - yes I saw that in my travels, why don't you call him up and ask him if he's tried to work with ROAR on the issue?

I know the guy, the track was less than 10 minutes from my house, hences its really hurting me not racing there cause now I have to drive 2+ hours! :(

Even with the ROAR coverage he dececided the risk wasn't worth it. If ANYONE who isn't a ROAR member were to get hurt ANYWHERE on the track he would be liable. If some kids parent was to go turn marshall and isn't a member, hes not covered by ROAR. The track was well controlled to keep people who werent' sopposed to be on it off it anyway, so it didn't seem like a big issue to me. But I'm just a racer there, not like my business is on the line if something goes wrong.

When he opened the place he thought that everything was covered, I mean if someone slips and falls in the store his insurance would cover it, but apparently there was a clause somewhere deep inside his contract that negated everything when there is a "dangerous activity", and according to his agent RC racing is a "dangerous activity". As we all know a mini t is a lethal weapon.... :rolleyes: but liability in the US today is a major issue.

[C.J.OO]

its not happening at my track just yet..But i'd say its not far off..
this insurance issue is getting out of hand..
a small country town not far from me had to close down the public swimming pool,tennis courts,RC track and more because the Insurance Company said they will not cover non proffit orginisations...what a joke..

[ayk_driver]

the track i used t race at didnt have coverage... only a waiver so that if u got nailed with an r/c u couldnt sue.... other than that it was drive til it dies...

[MrHorspwer]

I can understand the flying insurance since there is a large risk of property damage (auger your plane into somebodys car :eek: ) as well as serious injury... up to and including death.

I hardly think you are going to get killed by an errant touring car.

Once again, I believe it comes down to assuming responsiblity for your own actions and choices. If you fall off the drivers stand, it's not the owners fault for placing the stand there. You are assuming the risk of falling by climbing up there... just like playground equipment. If you're marshalling, it's pretty obvious that there are going to be quick moving objects out there and you may have to dodge them. One may even hit you and screw up your ankle. By stepping out to marshal, you are assuming the risk.

As a spectator, I've gotten hit with a plastic puck at my nephews indoor hockey game. It gave me a pretty nice shiner. Did I go after damages from the orginizer of the league? No. I understand that as a spectator, some responsibility lies in myself to watch what is happening around me and, if need be, duck. I wasen't paying attention and didn't duck. Who's fault was it?

Unfortunatly, we live in an over litigious socioty and there will be a point where we can't do anything unless we first consult our lawyers or are insured :rolleyes:

[InspGadgt]

I agree for the most part that we have to take responsiblity for the risks we assume...however added protection never hurt. In the case of spectators though often times they don't understand the risks they are taking. They really don't understand how fast those cars are moving and how heavy they are. An errant TC may not kill someone but it could break a bone. I remember seeing one spectator filming 1/8th on-road racing...he setup his camera on a low tripod at the end of the straight and laid down behind it to control it. One car got out of control, hit the barrier, and flew over him missing him by 6 inches. Now I've seen a 1/8th shatter a 2x4 going though the 4" side. Imagine what that would have done if it had hit him in the head. I for one was pretty happy we had ROAR insurance at that event even if no one got hurt afterall...but it was a close call.

[YoKoMo-MX4]

Like the inspector said, it depends on the class as to just how dangerous being a spectator and/or marshal is. 1/8th scale offroad is very popular where I race. IMHO, this class is the most dangerous next to 1/8th onroad with respect to runaways, crashes and human proximity to the cars. Insurance is a must have 'evil necessity' for any business (or club) that owns/operates a track. ROAR provides and easy and affordable way to get this insurance. The track I race at has never been a 'ROAR only' track. This past summer was just the 2nd year of operation for the hobby shop and track. Becoming a 'ROAR only' track is being considered for the 2005 season simply because privately purchased insurance is expensive. ROAR and the insurance policy that comes with membership is a very good thing.

'nuff said,
MX4

[Jetskiboy77]

Now I've seen a 1/8th shatter a 2x4 going though the 4" side. Imagine what that would have done if it had hit him in the head.

That wouldnta been to fun for him. I got hit in the foot once with a 1/8 scale at the end of the straight, it didnt hurt though, and im not tryin to be cool, I think it did slow down for the turn at the end of the straight though.

[MrHorspwer]

I remember seeing one spectator filming 1/8th on-road racing...he setup his camera on a low tripod at the end of the straight and laid down behind it to control it.

I think I would classify this as personal responsibility. Any person in sound mind knows that if a car driving at 40+ down a straight misses a turn and flips the barrier, it's going to end up on top of my camera... and me if I'm down there. Of course, if I'm laying down and staring through my camera, I have limited preception of what is occuring around me and couldn't get up and out of the way quickly enough even if I did.

Ignorance shouldn't be somebody elses liability... it should be your own.

[Jetskiboy77]

^^^ Thats a damn good point. These were 1/8 scale he said, so they coulda been goin more than that at the end of the straight. Its your own fault if you want to lie down in front of an object thats moving that fast. People need to take responsbility for their own stupid actions, not make someone else take the repercussions for them.

[bullethead]

$30.00 still sounds CHEAP.

BULLETHEAD

[bullethead]

Im sorry.........

Did you REALLY see an 1/8 scale SHATTER A "2/4"???????? :rolleyes:

BULLETHEAD

[InspGadgt]

I think I would classify this as personal responsibility. Any person in sound mind knows that if a car driving at 40+ down a straight misses a turn and flips the barrier, it's going to end up on top of my camera... and me if I'm down there. Of course, if I'm laying down and staring through my camera, I have limited preception of what is occuring around me and couldn't get up and out of the way quickly enough even if I did.

Ignorance shouldn't be somebody elses liability... it should be your own.

Most people who aren't in the hobby do not understand these cars are going 40+ or that they way several pounds each. How many times have you heard spectators comment "wow that looks fast...how fast is it going?" Most these people are familiar with Radio Shack cars going only 5 or 10mph so while they notice it looks faster then a Radio Shack car their mind doesn't make the connection with just how much faster. Accidents happen even to people taking all precautions possible. There's just no way you can predict or protect yourself or others for every single possible situation. $30 a year is not an outrageous price to pay to ensure that when unpredictable accidents and yes ignorant spectators are covered. That's less then a penny a day people.

[InspGadgt]

Im sorry.........

Did you REALLY see an 1/8 scale SHATTER A "2/4"???????? :rolleyes:

BULLETHEAD

That's a 2x4...and yeah I did...it was part of the barrier at the end of a 300' straight. The 1/8th's chassis was bent pretty good after that but it survived better then the wood.

[Jetskiboy77]

Only the chassis bent? There was no other damages?