"Long Mike" - you raise some good points. I'll respond.
Hey Dano just another perspective.
Love everything you've done for the club, I just don't share your opinion on paid corner workers. If the board agreed to it perhaps your AX social and teaching concerns could still be achieved?
Yes, I'm sure I could make it work. That's the key, making it work the best with what tools you have.
1) Cornerworking is an integral part of the process that is an Autocross. 
Why, you don’t have to stand in harms way to study the track.
Mike, no one is placed in a dangerous or hazardous place on the track. I'll agree that being in a corner is more risky than sitting in the pits, and watching the Paid Cornerworkers. Then again, driving at an A-X is more dangerous than getting out of bed in the morning. To be truly safe at an A-X, should you stay in bed all day?
Cornerworking is a fun event that is social by nature, and allows me (and others who might care) to stand on the track and watch one of the greatest feats of engineering speed around a course.
Corner working is inherently dangerous and should be avoided. Standing on track with only an orange vest and radio provides little protection. I find it anti social being isolated at a corner watching cars and chasing cones. Remember corner working is hard work, for some senior racers or those with marginal physical conditioning it is a bad experience. Dan you are in great physical condition, think of those that are not.
As to safety, see the previous paragraph.
You raise a good point about those with limited physical capabilities. We do, and always will make adjustments to those with physical needs: put them at the entrance gate, at start/finish, etc. The CW Chairs make every effort to comply with any limitations to work .... except maybe "unwillingness."
As to social vs. anti-social; well that's all about attitude. I've enjoyed meeting and getting to know my students durnig my cornerworking experiences with them. Greg Sharp, Rikki Alberson, Jackie Corwin, Jeff Blum. I've gotten to know these former-students of mine through working with them at corners, as much as anywhere else during the day. The process of socializing is, after all, like the rest of the day .... it is what you make it; good or bad. Attitude, that's the key.
Cornerworking is an important and useful tool in the bag-o-tricks of insightful, intelligent Instuctors who have the interest, and initiative to take every opportunity to teach their students how to improve their driving.
Imho corner working is an unhealthy disruption to teaching someone driving skills. You can find other safer less distracting places to watch and teach. This is not an attempt at sarcasm here but this mind set would rationalize standing in the center lane of the freeway to teach someone how to drive in the fast lane.
"Standing in the center lane?" Really, Mike. Are we getting a little carried away here? I'm not advocating strapping you to the left-front fender of the Dieter's car in order for you to see how Steve drives the course (... although that would be quite a ride, wouldn't it?) We are not advocating you stand out in the center of the course to corner-work, either. All locations ar carefully viewed by the safety team prior to sending out cars. Is it
completely safe? I'll refere back to my comment about getting out of bed in the morning......
"Unhealthy disruption of teaching"? I'll use my own quote to re-emphasize my point: as an Instructor, a tool is what you make it.
Cornerworking is an important and useful tool in the bag-o-tricks of insightful, intelligent Instuctors who have the interest, and initiative to take every opportunity to teach their students how to improve their driving.
Off to the gym, for 05 might need to get my corner worker pump on.
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Thanks for your input, Mike. All opinions are welcome.