Suction mounts outlawed!!

[Easy007]

I was at Oulton yesterday for a drift practice day and during my driver briefing (i was fashionably late as usual) i was asked if i was using recording equipment specifically a suction mount. I wasn't recording on the day but asked why the mount and was told that they won't be allowed on any circuit for now on as there had been an accident somewhere and the cam had come loose and injured someone...... it wasn't even in the uk!!

He suggested headrest mounts are the way forward.

Anyone got any more info?

[BuggyofDoom]

Yeah, I'd heard the same, it's pretty ridiculus on the back of one incident with a cheap suction mount though, they still use suction mounts in filming stunts and the like and they don't tend to have any trouble, even when they're holding the camera on a long pole for a chase shot....

The arguement was they can't tell a good one from a cheap chinese one that's going to fall off and hit the driver on the head, but it doesn't really wash, because a lot of the mechanical bolt-on mounts are using plastic/sintered steel brackets - which when built to a budget, are probably just as likely to snap under fatigue....

[Egon]

Pisses me off a bit really, my mount (nearly £100) is a **** site safer than the plank between the headrests things that io've seen others using.
Brands have banned suction mounts, but you signa disclaimer saying you cant take them to court if you bend it/someone elses/meteor hits/tsunami/etc/etc so why the **** cant i have a safe PROVEN suction mount in my window?
WHeres that MSV bloke, that used to be on here?

[Cluck]

Great :indiff:

I know Brands had a problem with them, the last time I was there, but I didn't realise MSV were rolling it out across the UK. I suppose it makes sense to them, but is a major ball-ache for people like myself and Egon (amongst others) that have bought decent quality suction mounts :(

[Egon]

Cos a plank between the head rests is soooooo much safer if you twat the car....:rolleyes:
:grrrr:
I'll just use it for spying on the neighbours instead...:nod:

[Club MSV Trackd]

Hi Guys,

I don't make the rules I'm afraid but I hope this helps..

You're correct - we don't allow suction mounts but this rule has been in place for some time. As you've already mentioned - a cheap mount is never a good idea but one of the main issues with suction mounts is that they detereorate over time.

Thanks,

Alex
Club MSV
alex.baker@clubmsv.co.uk

[Villen]

what if i have public liability insurance? and suction mounts that can pull doors off hinges?

[Vez]

what if i have public liability insurance? and suction mounts that can pull doors off hinges?

I think banning them means all of them, just a hunch ;)

[BBB]

I think banning them means all of them, just a hunch ;)

Come on, Vez, where's your imagination? Of course they'll ignore a simple to read, completely unmistakable, no-exceptions rule for someone with public liability insurance and a suction mount that can pull doors off hinges?

[Villen]

i thought that was a perfectly valid question as a professional camera man ive been allowed to film at msv tracks before utilising public liability insurance as my waiver for standing a few metres from cars travelling at track speeds, given that if your own common sense puts you in harms way then at least you had the courtesy to get insurance so you can repair the damage to that poors mans car after you went through his windscreen oh and the marhsalls pension who will probably be suffering form some sort of traumatic stress disorder and sue the work place sighting that he didn’t sign up to see cameramen get hit by cars but merely to fulfill his boyhood dream of being a bit closer to motorsport as he didn’t quite have the talent to become a driver. I thought that that given this they may give you the benefit of the doubt and allow you to exercise your own judgment on whether or not a camera will be safely attached to the inside of a car and not at risk of killing the occupants as I might care more about the camera than the precious cargo so securing it is going to be high on my priority list as it most probably cost more than the car that is its being mounted within and I’ll be more than happy to demonstrate the capabilities of the car mount if you are wiling to volunteer your motor. You will have to accept my sincerest apologies if I was wrong in believing that there may be an element of discretion in the rule as I was merely asking if the correct circumstances were to exist whereby the ruling may be bypassed if I could fulfill these requirements.

[Daz]

Isn't the reason for it being outlawed is because if the window the camera is mounted to breaks then the car is free to fly around, whereas if its mounted to the roll cage then it's practically impossible for it to ever come off.

Thats my understanding of it.

[BBB]

i thought that was a perfectly valid question as a professional camera man ive been allowed to film at msv tracks before utilising public liability insurance as my waiver for standing a few metres from cars travelling at track speeds, given that if your own common sense puts you in harms way then at least you had the courtesy to get insurance so you can repair the damage to that poors mans car after you went through his windscreen oh and the marhsalls pension who will probably be suffering form some sort of traumatic stress disorder and sue the work place sighting that he didn’t sign up to see cameramen get hit by cars but merely to fulfill his boyhood dream of being a bit closer to motorsport as he didn’t quite have the talent to become a driver. I thought that that given this they may give you the benefit of the doubt and allow you to exercise your own judgment on whether or not a camera will be safely attached to the inside of a car and not at risk of killing the occupants as I might care more about the camera than the precious cargo so securing it is going to be high on my priority list as it most probably cost more than the car that is its being mounted within and I’ll be more than happy to demonstrate the capabilities of the car mount if you are wiling to volunteer your motor. You will have to accept my sincerest apologies if I was wrong in believing that there may be an element of discretion in the rule as I was merely asking if the correct circumstances were to exist whereby the ruling may be bypassed if I could fulfill these requirements.

Very nice reply.:nod:


But still no :wack:

[Villen]

:D no worries i just need to look into cage mounts that are quick to move in and out of cars as when I do live events we are under a lot of pressure from the pits to keep cars moving and ive yet to find one that can take the weight of my cam but im sure i can get some one to make me one up.

[Jonny]

Look for a manfrotto lighting rig mount. They are designed to hold stage lights up, so should cope with a large camera. This is what fastfilms etc sell as cage mounts, with a machined adaptor bobbin thing to mount the camera to the mount using the tripod mount.

See 'Super Clamp and Spigot' : http://www.fastfilms.co.uk/fixed-camera-mounts.php

[Villen]

hmmmmmmmmm interesting the last one on the list is the only thing that comes close, it looks like thats what i'll be purchasing fortunately most of the cars i film have cages but i'll have to come up with a solution for a shoot i have coming up as there is no cage in the car but im sure i'll come up with something

[Grim]

Just watched the making of Duel and they were filming at Silverstone, using suction cups on the outside of an Aston.

But I expect Silverstone do quite well from the BBC ;)

[nene]

Look for a manfrotto lighting rig mount. They are designed to hold stage lights up, so should cope with a large camera.
It's also worth bearing in mind that stage lights always have a separate safety chain attached to a different part of the lantern ;)

[Jonny]

It's also worth bearing in mind that stage lights always have a separate safety chain attached to a different part of the lantern ;)

You are supposed to use a leash on the camera as well :)

[Smoothound]

Glad I paid £100 for my Manfrotto :furious:

Ah well, probably wasn't gonna use it again anyway :ghey:

[mattpayne]

You are supposed to use a leash on the camera as well :)

was the camera in the incident leashed to the car? if so it shouldnt have been able to cause any issues... I see little difference with a sucton mount coming lose, than a wing or wheel flying off a car...

I see the logic behind the ruling, but it is a little extreme...

[Egon]

F***ing stupid if you ask me. Its ok to have a "plank" between the headrests (cos that aint gonna do any damage AT ALL, is it) but not an industry proven mount? great idea.
You have to sign a facking disclaimer to say you relinquish your rights to your first child,your house and you wont sue anyone honest guv, anyway, so why no suction mounts? And besides,theres huge signs that say "motorsport is dangerous", so get a grip.

Pathetic. might as well ebay mine as its frigging pointless now....

[Deacon]

I would sell the mounts on ebay before the word gets out

[Grim]

I would sell the mounts on ebay before the word gets out

and sell your shares in the suction cup camera mount company