I too would also want a cage if I was to do a lot more on the track however I guess it would be a pain on a road car - hence the removeable jobbie developed by someone on here.

I have heard that (fixed cages) can increase your premium and some companies won't even touch you if you have a cage so you may have to shop around - again (yawn!)

Don't see how a third party would be at greated risk though. More likely that the occupants would be a a greater risk of slight injuries (hitting unpadded tubing?) but of course, the risk of serious injury should be significantly less.

N.b. My old man used to drive caged Legacy estates. His company insisted that all of their fleet were caged as they regularly drove off-road to get to the sites they were working at.


[Edited by Stephen Read - 11/5/2001 2:09:17 PM]

 

I hope this doesn't get viewed as an advert because it isn't.

I saw the P1 roll at TRAX 2001 Silverstone and vowed not to go on track again without a roll cage, in fact in a sort of (but not quite) Victor Kiam type scenario, we are now 'the' authorised fitting centre for the Performance Drivers/Safety Devices developed RTRS removable roll cages.

I have 2 children and the sight of a rolling Impreza sent a chill down my spine!

The 4 point harnesses also allow you to concentrate on the driving instead of trying to brace yourself constantly around the corners.

Sorry to hear about the RB5 who rolled at Dono on Sunday, hope you are OK. That bloody Gravel every time.

Mike.

[Edited by Mike Tuckwood - 11/6/2001 10:31:42 PM]

 

Yes mate, but you need it more


(Joking aside, it is a serious subject)

[Edited by Dave T-S - 11/7/2001 8:17:28 PM]

 

Are roll cages road legal? Someone once said to me that they weren't as they meant far worse injury for the third party.

What do insurance companies think of them premium wise?

I'm thinking of getting one for my track car, as it is only a matter of time before a big off ends up hurting someone in a standard uncaged car.Sorry to be morbid,but after spinning off at Goodwood, harmlessly luckily, I feel more vulnerable.

Adrian

 

Roll cages are road legal as far as I know. I drove a fully-caged, road legal rally-spec Landrover for years and never had a problem with the law. Or with insurance (who, incidentally, regarded the roll cage as a safety feature...)

Andrew

 

As has been pointed out in a previous thread...WRC's are driven on the public highway here and so must be road legal, they all have roll cages.
The problem with insurance is, IIRC, that the roll cage is intended only for use with harness and helmet. If you, or a passenger, were just belted in and in an accident struck the cage with your head.....ouch, could cause alot of personal injury.
Regards
Chuck

 

They are fully road legal but alot of insurance companies don't like them and insurance can get expensive. Guess it may have something to do with the previous post about head injuries and if you have a cage you think you are safer in the event of a crash, so you then drive faster (and crash). Thats the way they look at it anyway.

 

OK, Thanks for the info guys.

The insurance thing sounds a problem.

 

eggar lawson (competition car insurance) will cover cars with cages

- about the only people who will though

Ed

 

Mike, good for you.

I bought the first production sample of the removable roll cage, which became available just after I'd been sideways down Craner. It now appears that I have been very lucky indeed to have sustained absolutely no damage, let alone an expensive and painful prang. Two other badly damaged Scoobs in two days is something to make us all think.

Okay guys - here comes the advert. The RTRS removable roll cage, patent pending from Performance Drivers, costs from just £400. In a roll-over situation, it could save you and your passenger from serious injury, or worse. It is an ingeniously simple design which installs in ten minutes with a handful of 17mm bolts, and can be removed in five (my son and I can do it easily in even less time). But don't be mislead, this is a seriously heavy duty piece of kit and no Mechano toy.

When not in use, only two struts remain (hidden) in the car, bolted one either side to the rear suspension turret and outside seat-belt mounting point. The rear seat and rear seat-belts operate entirely normally.

Best get one. Unfortunately, I believe it's only available to fit old-shape Scoobs (2,4 and 5-door) but if there is demand Performance Drivers will re-jig the design and manufacture for other models.

For the record, I have absolutely no connection with Performance Drivers or ScoobyMania and have nothing to gain from this other than piece of mind. (Sorry to sound patronising.)

Richard.

PS By the way, this is only a rear roll cage, with the roll hoop standing just behind/above your head. While this might not offer quite the same degree of protection as a full font/rear roll cage, there's no way you can smash your head against it if not wearing a crash helmet. I leave mine in most of the time.

[Edited by Hoppy - 11/7/2001 1:02:35 AM]

[Edited by Hoppy - 11/7/2001 1:08:21 AM]

 

There has been much talk, for a long time, about making all track day cars have a cage.

I doubt it will happen, as owners of Porsches and Ferraris etc are unlikey to have their interiors hacked about. And these are the people that pay £300 for a track day.

Mike Peck's cage offers seriously good protection and is well worth the investment. I've also fitted full cages to a number of serious track day cars and club rally cars. These can also be fitted without hacking holes everywhere, but are about twice the cost of a Performance Drivers RTRS cage.

Out of interest, the 01 has a good cage already built in.

 

To add my 2 penneth, having seen the Safety Devices cage, £400 is bloody cheap!!

Over the last 8 years or so, a few mates and me must have spent well in excess of £10000 on Safety Devices cages for off road vehicles. IMHO, the difference between their products and products of others is small but significant. Attention to detail is a lot better than others, and when safety is concerned I like attention to detail

Pete, have you been examining a certain dealer's ex demo by any chance?

 

So far as this thing about hitting your head on the cage on the road without a helmet, on balance I don't see the overall risk being any greater because you can protect you head against the side movement with padding. I doubt you could hit you head on the section over the windscreen especially with airbags.

With the insurance I renewed mine in September (after the 11th) and there was a no extra cost for having a full Safety Devices cage, they just wanted to know the replacement value of the cage itself. That's with Norwich Union. I can also verify that the quality of Safety Devices Cage is outstanding, the welding everything.

I think PC can vouch for the value of a cage on the road. I seem to remember you had a run in with a horse in your RA didn't you?

Steve

 

CK1 will never set wheels on any track without the RTRS cage in.
Amen.

Stef.

 

Definitely thinking of getting one. From the safety aspect and ( tart mode on) because after seeing Mellow's at Donno, I think it looks the part as well.

Mind you , I wonder if SD could produce some removable bull bars for the front to collect errant batmobiles parked in the middle of the track? (almost serious subject)