BTAC DENIES FARCE CHARGE
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I FEEL the remarks by Bird's-Eye View on farcical marshalling at the Brewery Transport Advisory Committee fuel economy trial at MIRA (CM, October 5) are unjust to the many members of the IRTE and brewery staffs who gave up two days of their free time to assist in staging this event for no financial reward.
It surprised me that no journalist picked out the real achievement of this year's trial, namely safety. After last year's accident when two vehicles touched at high speed and could have resulted in a fatal accident, the committee tClt that scientific help was required if the event was to continue.
Accordingly Dr K. Diller, head of the systems analysis division of Bass UK, was furnished with all rein/ant data on MIRA track, vehicle size, weights, speeds, etc, even for the high-speed section. Armed with his computer analysis, safety marshals were given detailed briefings and warning flags to control vehicles if required. This attention to detail resulted in the largest number of maximum weight artics ever seen at MIRA circling the track at high speed and in safety.
It was in the interest of safety for competitors that no alcohol was available on the day of the trial, though ample free booze was available to all at the HITE barbecue on the Saturday evening.
The remarks in your main report on the event that manufacturers may boycott the trial is somewhat ironic, in that BTAC provides them with the cheapest advertising vehicle available; last year's winner even used the national press to trumpet his success in the 38 tonne class, not had for C60. This year we also afforded the electric vehicle industry an opportunity to display their products by ferrying people to the centre of the circuit from which all cars had been banned, again in the interest of safety.
We do make mistakes, but only once; we are not, as Captain Bird's-Eye would imply, all farcical clowns.
BILL MONTAGUE
Secretary, Bl'AC Horuchurch Essex