Using HANS (aka Frontal Head Restraint, FHR)

[JohnD]

I officiated at a stage rally last weekend.   This year,  most people in motor sport now have to wear and use a HANS device or similar (FHR), and this was the first event I had been on where that has been true.  It became painfully obvious that many drivers and co-drivers were in the same boat.

My Rescue crew leader first noticed that a co-driver's helmet strap  was not attached to his HANS, so we had a look at the next car's crew - and their straps were undone too!   And another, and another, until we asked the Stage Commander to help, as we were holding the stage up.  We were on Stage 3, not the very first, and by the time the field had gone through, we had found at least 20% of the crews weren't using their FHRs correctly.  I'm sure that this was due to inexperience, as this was first rally of the year for most of them.

Drivers of 'historic' cars are not obliged to wear a HANS, pre-1968 for rallies, pre-1977 for circuits, Sprints and Hill Climbs  (https://www.msauk.or...fhrguidance.pdf) but even so, I would urge you to do so.  And I would be even more eager that you wear it properly!   Get someone to check it for you, before you get in, and then after you are seated, at least for your first event!

John

[thescrapman]

John

Was it just co-drivers with undone straps?

I wonder if they restrict looking downwards to read pace notes.

Not that that is an excuse to incorrectly use the safety equipment

Cheers Colin

[JohnD]

Both were equally undone!
I've no comments from drivers, but a co-driver with clipped up straps found his side-to-side movement was restricted, making time control exchanges difficult and observing junctions too.  He said he had a sore neck!
I wonder if incorrectly adjusted.
Up'n'down should never be a problem, the straps move radially.

John

[Ian Perry]

Mmm, interesting. I do hillclimbs and sprints in a Rover 25 (yeah, boring, I know, but...) and as I run in the Roadgoing Series Production class, I don't have to have a HANS.

Having discussed this with various competitors and marshals, I confess I'm not as yet convinced as to the value of a HANS, most 'offs' seem to involve more sideways than forward motion at point of impact with anything solid, and the HANS doesn't do a great deal to help with a side impact. So I feel it's more about the MSA covering its backside in the event of a competitor being killed or seriously injured.

There is also the fact that to fit a HANS I'd need to replace my helmet, harness and the seat, as well as buying the HANS itself, and that would pretty much wipe out my year's budget at a stroke.

My residual worry is that with the advent of the new "standard car" class, the existing "roadgoing series production" class will be dissolved and my car (it was built as a road rally car so has a cage, decent suspension etc, but still has original glass and interior) will therefore have to run in the "modified series production" class where everyone else has monster power, mega lightweight bodies and HANS is mandatory. Which will be the point where I am priced out of motorsport and retire - very, very angrily.

Now, where're my pitchfork and flaming torch?

[GT6 M]

I tend t, agree wid yer points there
and, why o why are thee,s things so so expensive for what they are,
a deffo case of ripperism in action

tethers alone are 40£ upwards for a wee bit of cloth strap
the devices, range frae  360 - 560
and the helmet posts alone start at 48£ ish

butt, get em frae abroad, they much much less
butt shipping,import tax  meks em dearer

On the last sprint, I did,nt see any one with them at all,
even the single seaters,,  and them that did come a cropper, went side ways off



M

[Stuart Wilson]

Quoted from GT6 M

I tend t, agree wid yer points there
and, why o why are thee,s things so so expensive for what they are,
a deffo case of ripperism in action

tethers alone are 40£ upwards for a wee bit of cloth strap
the devices, range frae  360 - 560
and the helmet posts alone start at 48£ ish

butt, get em frae abroad, they much much less
butt shipping,import tax  meks em dearer

On the last sprint, I did,nt see any one with them at all,
even the single seaters,,  and them that did come a cropper, went side ways off



M

Yes you can buy helmet posts, but if your helmet is not fitted with the holes and FIA sticker you can't just drill a hole and fit them.

I've not competed with a FHR yet, though I have bought a HANS device. But before I can use it for stage rallying I will need a new helmet as mine is now out of date.

There are a handful of companies that hire out the HANS and Simpson FHR devices, so if you are only doing one or two events a year it is another option. I believe some may also hire out helmets, that I'm not so sure about I'd always prefer to have my own.