Tear-off ban is short-sighted
By TMX Archives on 23rd Mar 12
Jeffrey Herlings vision problems at the rain-affected third round of the Dutch championship served to emphasise just how ludicrous the KNMV regulations are concerning eye protection.
Tommy Searle had been a victim of the tear-off ban one week earlier.
Apparently the Dutch federation – concerned at the environmental implications of the plastic tear-offs being discarded during racing – have banned their use.
And in a comical scene at the start gate last week Dutch officials confiscated Tommy's stash and hurriedly picked up the one which fell to the ground in the incident.
Explaining his narrow margin of victory in the opening moto at Heerde, Herlings admitted he could hardly see the track when misting added to his problems and he would clearly have preferred to ride with tear-offs.
So anybody going to ride in KNMV competition be warned.
No tear-offs, and no exceptions. Apparently roll-offs are OK, but what happens when the band unwinds?
Presumably the ‘culprit' has to stop immediately to gather up the offending tape which is flapping in the wind, before a rival runs over it and a frog devours the tattered remains, thus spelling the end of the species.
And of course the bin loads of rubbish, which any crowd leaves behind is not going to have any effect on anyone or anything, is it?
Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill!
At least Jeffrey, Tommy and the rest of the boys won't have to worry about their vision at Valkenswaard over Easter – GP rules override national obsessions.
