Conference oass::racers

    Thats a very good question, I also wonder if in the uk where we get
    this free medical care ,what would the care/insurance company say if
    they knew the risk of paying out was greater. On the other hand the
    same could apply to folk who travel long distances to get to work by
    car or even worst ,motor cycle. Amittedly the risk in motorsport is
    ever present and theroeticlly the injuries that could be sustained more
    serious as the speeds are likly to be higher.  But to look at it from a
    different angle, so long as most of the turbo nutter basts stay on the 
    roads ,its probably safer to be on a race circuit. 
    
    
    Garry

I don't think it would be reasonable for an employer to ask anyone to stop
doing anything on their own time. If they could ask you to stop racing then 
they could certainly ask you to stop skiing, flying private planes,
hangliding, scuba diving, riding motorcycles (watching golf tournaments)... 
I've tried all of these, except watching a golf tournament.

Ok, I have to say this-
It is probably safer to be out on a race track than it is to be on the
highway. Just wearing a 5 or 6 point harness puts you in less danger than
the average driver. Add to that a fire system, a driving suit and helmet
and you increase your safety. How many drivers die or suffer serious injury
from hitting windshields or being thrown from the car? Both situations
would be highly unlikely while racing. We also have trained workers 
standing all around the track feeding us information to help us avert
accidents. If a serious accident should take place, we have all of those
workers, as well as fire trucks and ambulances all only seconds away! On two
occasions I was at the scene of serious accidents in Arizona in which it
took over an hour for the police to even show up and the ambulance wouldn't
come until AFTER the police came and determined that it was required! 

In addition, when racing, we usually know most of the other drivers around 
us and know who we can trust and who we can't. This is certainly not the 
case when driving down the highway.

It is certainly more likely that we will get into accidents while racing 
but we go out of our way to take precautions to avoid injury.

Many life insurance policies have exclusions for racing, flying private 
planes... Many professional athletes have contracts which forbid them from
taking part in "dangerous activities". If an employer feels that these are
important issues he should state them up front BEFORE you accept a job
offer. It is highly unlikely that I would accept a job with those 
requirements (unless my racing contract with Newman Haas forbid me from
skiing).

I do generally try to avoid mentioning during a job interview that I do ski 
and race cars because most people don't understand the precautions we take. 
Is that fair? I think so.

    
    How hypothetical is this question?
    
    I can't see how an employer can suddenly thrust new conditions upon
    your employment (although recent events seem to suggest otherwise).
    
    If they say up front, no racing, then that's fair enough, but to say
    "ah, well we don't like you racing" sounds a bit rich. Like most other
    noters I agree that racing is not an extraordinarly dangerous practice,
    any more than skiing is (and I've never felt in danger while skiing).
    
    What next? No sex if you've got an important project to undertake?
    After all people have died from the exertion you know! :^|
    
    Mark

    
    Seems that most agree that racing is safer that the public roads.
    
    In addition to the rescue crews etc on hand , race cars are 100 times
    safer that road cars. Just look at Martin Donelly, very badly injured 
    ,but still alive. How many people would have survived an accedent of
    that magnitude on the road.
    
    As for being reasonable..... simple me ski no , race !!!! what do think
    I am , made of money..... If you spent lots of time off work through
    injuries , then I guess at some point it might be reasonable but
    otherwise. NO !!!
    

.0> Is it reasonable for your employer to ask you refrain from motor racing
.0> as your increased risk of injury presents an increased risk to the employers
.0> business and customers?
    
    depends on how you define reasonable.  I know it has been done.
    
    I react to the base question in two ways.  First, the assumption of
    increased risk is arguable unless clearly established and quantified. 
    Then it needs to be compared against other potentially hazardous
    activities (skydiving, spelunking, scuba, even flying or sailing should
    be included) and the employer's policy must be applied equitably to all
    activities, or there is an unfair discrimination involved.
    
    The second issue is whether the employer has the right to impose
    restrictions on lifestyle issues not directly related to employment
    duties.  I basically reject this, although social trends seem to be
    moving in the direction of acceptance.  Even tobacco smoking is seen as
    an issue that employers can attack, even on personal time, as being a
    factor in health insurance costs.  My general feeling is that the
    employer should be trying to do all possible to reduce costs and risks,
    including attacks on purely personal issues, but that individuals and
    society should resist those initiatives.  
    
    My specific personal reaction is much more simple.  It is to respond
    that if my availability is seen as so critical, then the employer
    should be aware that the proposed policy will certainly adversely
    affect my morale, performance, and availability.  So by imposing it the
    employer will convert the risk of a negative consequence into the
    certainty of one.  Basically, that boils down to a question of whether
    the job is important but the employee is unimportant, or if the
    individual employee holding the job is the important factor.  I'm lucky
    right now because my talent and knowledge is the important aspect of my
    employment, and thus I hold some amount of power.  If I were in a job
    where they could plug in a different technician then I couldn't
    successfully push the same position, and it would be a choice between
    accepting the restriction or leaving.
    

    To add another twist to it... several years back(late 70s) there was a
    French driver for Gitane(I don't recall his name at the moment) who had
    a contract that forbid him participating in "dangerous hobbies". He
    broke both legs while hang gliding and was unable to finish the F1
    season. I don't recall what the financial implications of his breaking the
    contract were.
    
    [I DO remember that Jacky Ickx finished it for him]
    
    Now I'll ave to dig out my old F1 programs and find out his
    name....Jabouille??
    
    Bob

    
    He was Patrick Depailler. A few years later he died during a private
    test with an Alfa Romeo at Hockenheim.
    
    Mauro.

I thought he died in a Renault R5 Turbo (mid-engine, rear drive) during practice
for a race......

Dave

    
    That means you were wrong then Dave.
    
    Mark :^)

Once in 10 years isn't too bad I guess....:-)

Dave