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>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Robert Herdegen)
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: out of the blocks
>Date: Fri, Aug 27, 1999, 9:24 AM
>
> But do we DQ runner A because he/she left the blocks before some
> "irreducible minimum" time of 105 msec (.105 sec), reasoning that A must
> have jumped the gun?
>
> Frankly, I don't want to be the official at _that_ track meet! Might make
> some psychological sense, but it'd be tough to explain it to runner A.
I was pretty sure I knew the answer to this, but did some quick checking to
make sure I was right. And the answer is yes--runners are DQed if their
start times are too fast. The following is from the handbook of the USA
Track & Field organization (I presume other organizations have similar
rules), which can be downloaded as a pdf file from
http://www.usatf.org/
"When they are available, starting blocks linked to false start detection
apparatus shall be used to assist the Starters. The apparatus shall emit an
acoustic signal, audible to the Starter, whenever the reaction time of the
athlete detected by the apparatus is less than 100/1000th of a second.
When such apparatus is used, the Starter shall wear headphones in order to
hear clearly any acoustic signal emitted in the case of a false start. As
soon as the Starter hears the acoustic signal, and if the pistol was fired,
there shall be a recall. The Starter shall immediately examine the reaction
times on the false start apparatus. Unless the apparatus was obviously not
working properly, a false start shall be charged to the athlete(s) with a
reaction time faster than 100/1000th of a second." (p. 26)
So if you leave those blocks after the gun, but before 100 msec have
elapsed, you're charged with a false start.
John
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John Serafin
Professor of Psychology
Saint Vincent College
300 Fraser Purchase Rd.
Latrobe, PA 15650
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[He] isn't a genius, he is a professor--a being whose duty is to know
everything, and have his own opinion about everything.
-William James, speaking about Wilhelm Wundt
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