National event and ear protection (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Tiggy
- Start date
SundayNiagara
Nitro Member
Never!
FC138fan
Nitro Member
I used ear muffs I bought at Wal Mart that were battery powered... it adjusted to the DB level. They were made for gun ranges - you could turn up the volume and a mic would pick up regular conversations and a speaker in the muffs would relay the speaking. Sudden and loud sounds (such as gunshots and a TF dragster) would cut out the mic and the sound would be muffled. I also used ear buds plugged into a radio to pick up the track announcer. Otherwise your ears hurt when the cars go, or they hurt cause the tracks audio speakers will make you go deaf sometimes.
As for folks with no ear protection... you're a moron, not a tough guy. Absolute moron. (fingers in the ears does count for ear protection, so I'm only talking guys who purposely don't cover their ears). Theres a reason your ears will HURT if you try to listen to a run with no ear protection, its cause your eardrums are rupturing. At that DB level on a TF car, its not noise anymore, it's a pressure wave and it will do damage to your ears.
Additionally, the tough guys who proudly stand behind a TF car taking deep breaths of nitro and use a pair of oakleys as eye protection, and stand with your arms crossed with no ear protection, you're a moron too. Again, theres a reason why crew members are wearing GAS MASKS and expensive ear muffs.
There are some exceptions, I've seen famous crew chiefs warmup the car with no ear protection and no gas masks. But thats cause they are probably already deaf and their lungs shot.
Kids I'd recommend ear muffs too, if you put in earplugs sometimes they don't seal, and a young kid wouldn't know it and they could be damaging their ears without knowing it.
As for folks with no ear protection... you're a moron, not a tough guy. Absolute moron. (fingers in the ears does count for ear protection, so I'm only talking guys who purposely don't cover their ears). Theres a reason your ears will HURT if you try to listen to a run with no ear protection, its cause your eardrums are rupturing. At that DB level on a TF car, its not noise anymore, it's a pressure wave and it will do damage to your ears.
Additionally, the tough guys who proudly stand behind a TF car taking deep breaths of nitro and use a pair of oakleys as eye protection, and stand with your arms crossed with no ear protection, you're a moron too. Again, theres a reason why crew members are wearing GAS MASKS and expensive ear muffs.
There are some exceptions, I've seen famous crew chiefs warmup the car with no ear protection and no gas masks. But thats cause they are probably already deaf and their lungs shot.
Kids I'd recommend ear muffs too, if you put in earplugs sometimes they don't seal, and a young kid wouldn't know it and they could be damaging their ears without knowing it.
The Swegian
Nitro Member
I use the orange "easy in-easy out" ear plugs you can buy in the nitro mall. For $8.00. Or go to a place like Grainger and get them for less than $2. Having been around a drag strip since I was 6 years old (I'm 50 now) and spending a good majority of that time "unplugged", I'm sure the tinnitus which I now have is a direct result of all those years unprotected. I agree with Nick Dobda. Don't be a tough guy. Wear hearing protection. Why do we only care about things (like hearing) when we don't have them anymore?
StockersRock
Nitro Member
I use dense foam plugs. I can't imagine not wearing anything, especially when the fuel cars run. When there is enough pressure and vibration to move your pants, imagine what it's doing to the inner parts of your ear. I grew up going to the short tracks of Connecticut from the age of five and it was never a thought then. I started playing drums at 13 and when I started playing in bands I found that having ear plugs in acted as a good monitor for vocals. I also found that my ears did not ring or feel tired after that either. From then on, I've always played using plugs. I now use Westone In Ear monitors for playing. All these years later, every time I have to get a hearing test for work, the audiologists are astounded that I'm a drummer and musician, who also attends various forms of races, and I have excellent hearing. Protection really pays!
And the people that have their tiny kids and infants with nothing on? Don't get me started...
And the people that have their tiny kids and infants with nothing on? Don't get me started...
For nitro, I use foam earplugs plus earmuffs. For my kids, I used the molded earplugs, since the foam ones wouldn't fit into their small ear canals, plus earmuffs. For all other, earmuffs alone seem to work just fine, for both my kids and myself. I also always carry extra ear protection as well, because inevitably my kids will find and start playing with other kids whose idiot parents didn't get them any, so I always have some on hand to offer....so far no kid has turned it down.
TooTall999
Nitro Member
Fireball
Nitro Member
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Jensen-Mr-50-Am-fm-Pocket-Radio/41368418
This and some good earbuds that seal well is what I use. As stated before, you can still hear the track announcer even during burnouts and such. Those 3M TEKK headphones at Walmart look like a good option as well.
This and some good earbuds that seal well is what I use. As stated before, you can still hear the track announcer even during burnouts and such. Those 3M TEKK headphones at Walmart look like a good option as well.
glofria
Nitro Member
I was one of those dummies who was indestructible and never wore ear protection. Not around racecars, working construction, surfing or any other time.
Now I have 60% hearing loss and a case of Tinnitus. At 50 years-old I rely on hearing aids for daily living. Obviously, can wear them at the track so I wear 3M ear muffs I bought at OSH whenever I'm up close to the car or on the starting line. The fingers in the ears will work in a pinch.
Still won't wear ear protection while surfing though. It's like having a bucket over your head and I can stand that.
Now I have 60% hearing loss and a case of Tinnitus. At 50 years-old I rely on hearing aids for daily living. Obviously, can wear them at the track so I wear 3M ear muffs I bought at OSH whenever I'm up close to the car or on the starting line. The fingers in the ears will work in a pinch.
Still won't wear ear protection while surfing though. It's like having a bucket over your head and I can stand that.
Nick Name
Nitro Member
When I was younger, would crew on front engine TF cars before reversers. Push start to the startingline and make the u turn. Cars were too long to complete them, so the crew guys would jump out and push the car backwards by the roll bar with the zoomies right in your ear. Have a significant hearing loss now.
.
Nitro Member
Ok, true story / confession:
At Pomona many years ago, I lost my one and only pair of cheapie orange ear plugs. Fellow mater Mike Cornelius had an extra pair of new 3M Classic dense foam yellow plugs from his machine shop and gave them to me. They are awesome.
I can't find them anywhere, so I have kept very good care of them and all these years later, I still use them at Famoso, Vegas, Pomona, etc etc LOL. No contest between them and the orange ones.
These:
and yes, I too have seen these clueless parents not protect their baby's hearing when the cars go by.
At Pomona many years ago, I lost my one and only pair of cheapie orange ear plugs. Fellow mater Mike Cornelius had an extra pair of new 3M Classic dense foam yellow plugs from his machine shop and gave them to me. They are awesome.
I can't find them anywhere, so I have kept very good care of them and all these years later, I still use them at Famoso, Vegas, Pomona, etc etc LOL. No contest between them and the orange ones.
These:
and yes, I too have seen these clueless parents not protect their baby's hearing when the cars go by.
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