Driver Side Impact Nets

[Safe Drives]

Hi All,

We have used the "Rally" Driver Side Impact Nets in our own rally car for over two years without problem.

The Driver Side Impact Net is designed to help keep your head and your shoulders in line with your hips during a heavy side impact. You see, our FIA type race seats hold our hips in the seat really well but not our upper body. Also, seats have been shown in testing to fail above 50G impact.

The Driver Side Impact Nets reinforce the seats while increasing safety a huge amount.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Teresa
Maybe it is a false sense of security, but I do feel much safer in the car after installing the four nets. My Sparco seat does not flex like it used to!! I feel like I am in a cocoon....


Best Regards,
Teresa
Co-Driver/Silly Seat Occupant


The minimum we recommend for any race car is:

Safety Solutions Rally Driver Net (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolRallyNet&cat=92)
http://www.safedrives.com/prodimages/lfttech/windownet/rally_lg.jpg (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolRallyNet&cat=92)
Polyester Webbing = $125 (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolRallyNet&cat=92)
Kevlar Webbing = $155 (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolRallyNet&cat=92)

Kevlar webbing has the lesser amount of stretch. Less stretch in this situation = safer but higher cost. Poly net better than no net at all. http://www.specialstage.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif

Please note the included ratcheting mechanism. You want these nets to be "guitar string" tight, literally wrapping your seats.

Check out our rally car shown below. Again, we have used these in our car for over two years. I have won two consecutive G5 Rally America Regional Drivers Championships ('06 & '07) racing in this car with this set up. I tell you it is not a problem at all from a driver perspective.


http://www.safedrives.com/prodimages/lfttech/windownet/SD%20Driver.jpg
Hey that's me! ^ :D

http://www.safedrives.com/prodimages/lfttech/windownet/Sdnet1.jpg


http://www.safedrives.com/prodimages/lfttech/windownet/SDnet2.jpg
^Note the above ratcheting mechanisms.^

If you do not want or cannot accommodate the ratcheting mechanism on the standard "Rally" Driver Side Impact Nets then we recommend the HD system.

Safety Solutions Heavy Duty Rally Driver Net (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolHDNet&cat=92)
http://www.safedrives.com/prodimages/lfttech/windownet/hdrally_lg.jpg (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolHDNet&cat=92)
$170 (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolHDNet&cat=92)
Only available with Kevlar webbing, a bit more webbing material as well. This net would not be "guitar string" tight but installed as tight as possible without a ratchet. http://www.specialstage.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif

ALL Driver Side Impact Nets include a quick release.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for looking at this advert!

[Safe Drives]

Cool,
The net side impact test. It's good to see Trevor doing the tests on the same rig as Hans for comparison sake. It's clear the net makes a difference on the right hand side but what about the left? The window net is a lot further away from the helmet than the inside net so whats the advice here? I've thought about using a second kevlar net on the driver side of the seat instead of a window net but the rules won't allow that.

Yes Driver Nets make a huge increase of safety in most side impact scenarios. We are seeing nets in many top sports now all over the world.

Testing has shown that the standard window nets now commonly required is not enough to keep your head in the car in a major side impact. In fact years ago, nascar drivers in big side impacts have found paint from the wall on their helmets... Scary. Standard window nets will keep your arms in the car though. :D

No for real restraint nothing beets these Driver Side Impact Nets.

[billy]

So,
is an outside driver net legal in SCCA or NASA? Do I still need a window net if I have one?

[Safe Drives]

So,
is an outside driver net legal in SCCA or NASA? Do I still need a window net if I have one?

In my opinion they should but since the rules are what they are, I'm quite sure any scrutineer would tell you that a "Window Net" is required no matter what.

I can't see any rule that would not allow and Window Net AND a Left side Driving Side Impact Net.

Are there any scrutineers on the site that would like to comment? :)

[Safe Drives]

Bumping up! :D

Any questions on nets Trackpedia?

[JimLill]

SCCA mandates a drop down window net for RR...

[billy]

But, can I use a door side net in addition to that?

[billy]

Just looking at the photos on your site. My net isn't as big as the one with you in the car. My has 3 not 4 lines from front to back. Yours looks like it does much deeper down the seat than mine which I like a lot given the support it provides the seat. My net lower strap only really is level with the shoulder bolster, it's definitely not below it. I guess I bought the wrong net, I think mine is a sprint net, the rally one looks better, comments?

[JimLill]

But, can I use a door side net in addition to that?

you need to balance ease of emergency egress against restraint. I would think you can't have both in SCCA as the side netting must drop down.

[billy]

This pisses me off as a seat with a head collar stops me getting out also.

[JimLill]

This pisses me off as a seat with a head collar stops me getting out also.

Have a removable steering wheel?

[billy]

Yes

[JimLill]

Can they lift you out when they have to cut the roof off for access?

[billy]

And your point is what Jim. A rally car has nets on both sides. They can get out just fine and arguably with bigger potential hits than road racing (there is a reason for the stronger cage rules for rallying).

[JimLill]

My point is that with too many blockages how the hell do you or anybody get you out? MadMike will probably comment on this too. I'm not sure I agree that rally hits are harder.

[billy]

Agreed, I only have a right side net now with the normal drop down window net. The test results of having a net are pretty impressive though and the normal window net doesn't offer anything like the protection that a 'real' net would.

[Safe Drives]

Hello,

All of the Driver Side Impact Nets at www.safedrives.com (http://www.safedrives.com) have an emergency quick release. It's that red strap at the front of the side impact net in the above images. This allows the net to drop down like a standard Window Net.

[Mad Mike]

My point is that with too many blockages how the hell do you or anybody get you out? MadMike will probably comment on this too. I'm not sure I agree that rally hits are harder.

Thanks for the invite! The following is my PERSONAL opinion on these topics ...

First, look at this:
L08rT1ux6HU

OK, now lets address Jim's post...

Both Charles Buren's Subaru (pictured above) and Mark Utecht's Group 5 Mustang rally car are equipped with netting that, if ever mandated, will find me quitting rally completely. Period. I'm not saying they are wrong in their desire to add safety gear or that all that netting should be outlawed but over the past 30-plus years of stage rally and road race experience I have rolled, flipped, wrapped a car part way around a tree, bounced off rocks, coupled with boulders, had metal to metals on track, metal to deer on stage, bumped into a few tire walls and landed in an cold creek AND an icy swamp. I'm now 56, alive, healthy and suffering NO maladies (other than an ongoing adrenal rush addiction) from my legacy of shunts despite the fact that I survived them all without an HNR, rally netting of any kind, comparatively simple roll cages, the least expensive but legal harnesses and heavier-than-kevlar helmets. Our chilly dousings did not find us upside down or even close to being submerged but we easily could have been. Sooooo, watching that vid leaves me wondering how the driver would have avoided drowning had he been wearing an HNR and, further, had that Skoda (or whatever in hell it was) been completely submerged I too am left wondering (like Jim mentioned) how one would manage to find your way through/past all those nets before drowning. I mentioned this scenario to Utecht when I fist viewed the nets he installed in his 'Stang and he said it was easy to reach forward, slap the disconnect so they just fall out of the way. Like any facet of that is going to work out when you find yourself upside down & submerged in dark muddy water (especially the falling away part). I'll wager you will never find me competing with that labrynth of netting any place there's not outside assistance available to help get my ass out of the car in the event of a major shunt.

I'll have to differ with Jim on the severty of hits conjecture. To date my biggest shunts have certainly been in rally cars. Since I have yet to make significant contact with concrete walls on a road course I can't say Jim's contention is completely wrong but I'll wager your chances of taking a harder hit on a rally, where you are exposed to a larger number of trees and other objects of significant mass than the number of times you'll pass a concrete wall at a road course, are greater than on a circuit. Of course, there are many possible exceptions to that contention - like getting your legs taken off by spinning in front of an open-wheel car doing 200mph - but, IN GENERAL, your exposure to major shunts has to be greater when there is NO safety device infrastructure supplied outside the car.

Now, look at this again - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L08rT1ux6HU. Any questions? :)

[Safe Drives]

Hi,

I thought pretty hard about this post and the nets this weekend as I drove my rally car, pictured above, to a fine finish at the Mt. Hood Rally 2008. Teresa (my wife co-drives for me) and I spent about 7ish hours between the nets on Saturday as we have on many other race weekends and I will tell you this, when racing you do not even notice them in the car at all.

As far as safety with respect to releasing the nets and having them not be the way when you are under water goes, I'm just not worried about that. Rather, I am much more worried about hitting a tree sideways with only a seat or a piece of glass in between my head and what ever is coming through that glass. Period.

I'm talking about this, 40 miles an hour to zero in less than 1 second will create a huge amount of force. With respect, 40 miles an hour in a race car is not that fast.

But hanging upside down in water has got to be way more rare than a standard "slide off the road and hit something" type of crash.

This weekend I did something kind of odd. I got in the car and I Just pushed myself sideways while I was sitting in the race seat. I did that with the nets down and then again with the nets up supporting / wrapping the seat.

With the nets down the upper part of the seat would wiggle back and forth very, very easily. :(

With the nets up supporting / wrapping the seat, the upper part of the seat barely budged. I could feel net supporting the seat, my head and my neck when I pushed sideways in the seat. :):clap:

The nets are there to re-direct the energy of the impact. To slow you down so that you hit whatever is coming through that window at a slower speed than without the net.

You can also see in the pictures above there is a small stick of SFI certified Roll Cage Padding zip tied to the outer facing nets in my rally car. I am now re-thinking this part of my net set up and will likely add even more padding to the outter net webbing. At the very least I will likely use the FIA padding to replace the SFI padding since it is thicker. I also thought about maybe using some of that padding from the NASCAR COT Door cards. I'm ordering a sample of that padding (made by DuPont) over the winter from BSCI to see what I can do with it. I might cut it up into smaller pieces and place it in strategic areas of the race car to help with side impact.

I'll keep you all posted. :)

Best regards,

Charles

[billy]

Thinking about this more, especially the submerged car. Normal window net has the release on the roof which was likely in the mud under water in the video posted. A side net has the release level with the top of the door where the glass would come out, it's less likely to be under mud or fouled there.

Two nets the issue is time probably, the side nets for me are pretty easy to open given the quick releases designed in to them.

[Safe Drives]

I saw a side impact net install over the weekend that had a bungee cord ziptied to the net. When you released the Quick Release on the side impact net the net was pulled safely away to a cleared location.

Problem Solved. :clap:

[Mad Mike]

Two nets the issue is time probably, the side nets for me are pretty easy to open given the quick releases designed in to them.

I saw a side impact net install over the weekend that had a bungee cord ziptied to the net. When you released the Quick Release on the side impact net the net was pulled safely away to a cleared location.

Problem Solved. :clap:

Let me start with an analogy in the form of a true story - CMC Motorsports, Inc., for which I was the paid, full time Crew Chief, mechanic and car builder, needed to finish top five in class at the 1986 Press On Regardless SCCA ProRally to clinch the Production Class championship (and the $10,000 prize on the line that year) but we had to run with a different codriver for the first time that season. Pre-event I asked Crawford and Kloosterman to go practice a tire change but they did so on a nice, level, paved parking lot. I asked what the chances they'd get such perfect conditions during the rally and "delicately" ;) suggested they go find a grungy ditch some where to practice.

What I'm saying here is that quick releases and bungee cord equipped nets are all well and good but activating them after a shunt when the team has been slammed from a familiar, andrenaline-soaked run down a stage into a largely, if not completely, unknown situation - even in a best case scenario where there are no serious injuries - leaves the activation required to get those nets out of the way so the team can get their asses out of the car in a timely manner a purely human thing that is susceptible to varying results.

EMily Burton-Weiman and I flipped the Son of RallyeTruck off one of those upper peninsula stage roads in 2000

http://www.realautosport.com/pics/LSPR2000/Flipped.jpg

but despite all I'd been through in the previous 30 years of varied racing I wound up crawling out of the truck on the codriver's side because my door would not open. It never crossed my mind to check the door lock! No one - I don't care who they are - can plan ahead well enough to be sure they will be able to manipulate a thing when the brain goes instinctively into crisis mode. Even simple stuff can be forgotten or fumbled when things get weird.

Let me reiterate that these are my personal opinions and I am not trying to dissuade anyone from purchasing side nets or other safety devices just because they don't suit my fancy. Any such decision should be determined with as many viewpoints and as much information as possible (this has been a Public Service Announcement ;) ). I'm also not trying to get cross ways with the Burens or cost their company sales since I count them as friends whom I have met & chatted with every time I've been a Steward for rallys in the Pacific Northwest. For the reasons shared above I do, however, respectfully take issue with the comment "Problem solved" in the rally world. Let me add that I'm likely to add one of these nets to the next road race car I run since our friends in white are always there to help save us from ourselves. :)

[Safe Drives]

Mike, thank you for your comments. :)

I always apreciate a good safety discusion.

Side impact is a huge concern for me personally and I am very passionate about this subject. My Mom was killed in a side impact car accident, she got T boned at an intersection. Also, I was entered in a rally in 2003 where two well known rally competitors were killed in a bad side impact to a tree. Plus my own close calls on a few occations. These events have left a big impression on me.

I bet a lot of us on Trackpedia have survived scary crashes...

Still, new technology and test data is always coming out into the market place. If it has to do with automobile safety, I'll be looking at it and learning.

Thanks again Mike for your comments. Please let me know when you are ready for that center net. :)

[JimLill]

I am not trying to be funny...... but it's too bad we can't have an equivalent of the exploding bolts used in ejection seats etc. At the push of a safely rigged button, all the restraints and safety nets let loose.

[Safe Drives]

Bump!

[Safe Drives]

Please let me know how to help trackpedia. =)

[JimLill]

another area that no one has guards or nets for yet is your feet.... How they can get tangled up under the dash or pedals....

I have thought about adding a simple net or ? from the hump upward to keep my right foot in the LH foot well in an impact

[Safe Drives]

another area that no one has guards or nets for yet is your feet.... How they can get tangled up under the dash or pedals....

I have thought about adding a simple net or ? from the hump upward to keep my right foot in the LH foot well in an impact

I have never seen a product for this concern Jim. I'll keep this in mind though.

This brings up a good point though folks. Every car and driver combo has unique safety concerns that each of us need to consider.

[Safe Drives]

Bump for a huge upgrade in safety.

[Safe Drives]

Hi All,

We have used the "Rally" Driver Side Impact Nets in our own rally car for over two years without problem.

The Driver Side Impact Net is designed to help keep your head and your shoulders in line with your hips during a heavy side impact. You see, our FIA type race seats hold our hips in the seat really well but not our upper body. Also, seats have been shown in testing to fail above 50G impact.

The Driver Side Impact Nets reinforce the seats while increasing safety a huge amount.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Teresa
Maybe it is a false sense of security, but I do feel much safer in the car after installing the four nets. My Sparco seat does not flex like it used to!! I feel like I am in a cocoon....


Best Regards,
Teresa
Co-Driver/Silly Seat Occupant


The minimum we recommend for any race car is:

Safety Solutions Rally Driver Net (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolRallyNet&cat=92)
http://www.safedrives.com/prodimages/lfttech/windownet/rally_lg.jpg (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolRallyNet&cat=92)
Polyester Webbing = $125 (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolRallyNet&cat=92)
Kevlar Webbing = $155 (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolRallyNet&cat=92)

Kevlar webbing has the lesser amount of stretch. Less stretch in this situation = safer but higher cost. Poly net better than no net at all. http://www.specialstage.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif

Please note the included ratcheting mechanism. You want these nets to be "guitar string" tight, literally wrapping your seats.

Check out our rally car shown below. Again, we have used these in our car for over two years. I have won two consecutive G5 Rally America Regional Drivers Championships ('06 & '07) racing in this car with this set up. I tell you it is not a problem at all from a driver perspective.


http://www.trackpedia.com/forums/images/statusicon/wol_error.gifThis image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 750x563 and weights 200KB.http://www.safedrives.com/prodimages/lfttech/windownet/SD%20Driver.jpg
Hey that's me! ^ :D

http://www.trackpedia.com/forums/images/statusicon/wol_error.gifThis image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 750x563 and weights 179KB.http://www.safedrives.com/prodimages/lfttech/windownet/Sdnet1.jpg




If you do not want or cannot accommodate the ratcheting mechanism on the standard "Rally" Driver Side Impact Nets then we recommend the HD system.

Safety Solutions Heavy Duty Rally Driver Net
http://www.safedrives.com/prodimages/lfttech/windownet/hdrally_lg.jpg (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolHDNet&cat=92)
$170 (http://www.safedrives.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SafeSolHDNet&cat=92)
Only available with Kevlar webbing, a bit more webbing material as well. This net would not be "guitar string" tight but installed as tight as possible without a ratchet. http://www.specialstage.com/forums/images/smilies/wink.gif

ALL Driver Side Impact Nets include a quick release.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for looking at this advert!

[Safe Drives]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3468706455_3680af95f5.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3626/3469520220_7b1d06e0b6_m.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3637/3469520150_a09ec5910a_m.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3469520190_9f76bdafc9_m.jpg



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3481/3468706541_e3550ee69a.jpg?v=0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37781622@N08/

[Safe Drives]

bumpers

[billy]

I've a question.
The Rally Net I ordered arrived today but is too long for the car. I tried attaching the rear straps to the B hoop and the front strap to the knee bar under my dash. This is how I mounted the C5R net on the right hand side. The Rally Net looks a lot longer, I'd need another 6-8 inches out of it to get it tight. Any ideas? Or just return it for a left hand C5R net?

[Safe Drives]

I've a question.
The Rally Net I ordered arrived today but is too long for the car. I tried attaching the rear straps to the B hoop and the front strap to the knee bar under my dash. This is how I mounted the C5R net on the right hand side. The Rally Net looks a lot longer, I'd need another 6-8 inches out of it to get it tight. Any ideas? Or just return it for a left hand C5R net?

Hm, Safety Solutions can make the net custom to fit your car. Off hand though i would point out that idealy the net will start at a center(ish) point behind your seat and wrap itself around the seat as it travels forward. That is where that extra length is important. Attaching to the side of the main hoop is not ideal.

If we need to have the net custom made for your application then please give me a call or send me an email. It's free of charge but we'll have to charge shipping...

[Safe Drives]

Questions welcomed. =-)

[billy]

I mounted the left hand net bottom strap around the back of the seat and then its wrapped around the eye bolt for the inside lap belt on the floor. This gets the net below the shoulder bump on my Recaro seat. Sound reasonable? I have the Rally net.

[Safe Drives]

Billy,

Thank you for your question.

The top most strap should be in line with the center of gravity for your head. The purpose of the net being the that the net keeps your head and shoulders in line with your hips in a big side impact. Your post makes it sound like the net may be mounted too low Billy.

[billy]

The top strap is heading up to the top of the b-pillar. It's the bottom strap that I have wrapped around the seat towards the eye bolt on the inside of the trans tunnel.

[Safe Drives]

The top strap is heading up to the top of the b-pillar. It's the bottom strap that I have wrapped around the seat towards the eye bolt on the inside of the trans tunnel.

Ah ok, this sounds good then Billy.

[Safe Drives]

Bump for safety!

[Safe Drives]

Questions are welcomed. :)

[Safe Drives]

Happy Holidays TP members!

[Safe Drives]

Safety #1!

[Safe Drives]

Happy Holidays!

[Safe Drives]

I have some 1 year old Rally Nets in stock that I am taking 10% off of. Please give me a call to order with this discount, thanks!