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    Safety Shouldn't be optional!

    Why keep using a known trip hazard when a safer alternative exists.

    Timing mats are a documented trip risk.  They endanger disabled athletes, wounded veterans, seniors and first-time racers, the very people race organizers claim to support.


    This isn't just about convenience.

    It's about safety, dignity and accountability.


    Insurance carriers regularly cite timing mats as examples of non-waiver liability.  The ADA exists to remove barriers, not introduce new ones.  Yet outdated timing equipment continues to put participants at unnecessary risk.


    Every fall is preventable.

    Every injury is avoidable.

    Every excuse is gone!

    Why do we care so much?

    We've spent over a decade solving a problem that should have been addressed years ago, eliminating unnecessary injuries while restoring inclusivity to race environments.


    We serve disabled athletes.

    We serve wounded warriors.

    We serve seniors.


    And we refuse to stay silent while obsolete technology continues to harm those who deserve better.

    why not upgrade to a safer mat free timing solution?

    Orbiter delivers mat-free, wire-free, trip-free timing without compromise.


    Choose safety. 

    Choose inclusion.

    Choose better tech.


    Sign up today and help say no to mats!

    Join our cause today!

    Add your name to our cause to help fight back against the unsafe mat systems!

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    How you can help.

     By signing up and adding your name to our list, you’re helping us demonstrate the importance of replacing outdated and unsafe mat timing systems. Together, we can raise awareness and push for safer, more reliable race timing solutions. 


    Orbiter,Inc

    Foot Locker West (Annie Hill) Trip on timing mat, possible concussion protocol

    Multiple eyewitnesses on the LetsRun forum describe a high school athlete who "appeared to have tripped on the timing mat right after the line."  Hitting her face hard enough that posters discuss possible concussion protocol.  

    Chicago Marathon-(2006, Robert Cheruiyot)

    As he crossed the finish line to win, Cheruiyot slipped on the timing mat, went "straight down to the ground, hitting his head on the pavement."


    He was down for several minutes and was taken away in a wheelchair; the race director reported a "mild concussion."  Medical care was involved.

    Richmond Marathon-(2015, Mark Washburne)

    Runner tripped on the timing mat at the downhill finish, "landed face first," broke his nose and suffered a concussion.


    5 Critical Legal Points

    1. Temporary does not equal acceptable!

    Courts and DOJ reject "temporary" as a defense when hazards are foreseeable and recurring.


    2.  Mats and cable covers are recognized trip hazards not hypothetical, not new, known and documented.


    3.  ADA-accessible routes must remain hazard-free at all times even during events, races, festivals and setup/teardown.


    4. Government entities are liable when they introduce the hazard, especially at permitted or government-run events.


    5.Safer alternatives eliminate the hazard entirely, once a hazard-free alternative exists, continuing to use mats becomes indefensible.

    Additional information

    Perry vs. City of New York (N.Y. Ct. 2018)

    Johnson vs. City of Chicago-Taste of Chicago Festival (Cook Cty. Cir. Ct. 2014)

    Smith vs. City of Boston (Mass. Super. Ct. 2016)

     Hazard:  Temporary cables covered with mats.


    Injury: Pedestrian trip and fall 


    Key Finding: City had prior notice of cable hazards and failed to properly secure or reroute them.

    Smith vs. City of Boston (Mass. Super. Ct. 2016)

    Johnson vs. City of Chicago-Taste of Chicago Festival (Cook Cty. Cir. Ct. 2014)

    Smith vs. City of Boston (Mass. Super. Ct. 2016)

    Hazard: Temporary mat covering electrical cables during a public festival.


    Injury: Elderly attendee tripped


    Holding: Municipality could be liable for creating the hazard, not merely failing to warn. 

    Johnson vs. City of Chicago-Taste of Chicago Festival (Cook Cty. Cir. Ct. 2014)

    Johnson vs. City of Chicago-Taste of Chicago Festival (Cook Cty. Cir. Ct. 2014)

    Johnson vs. City of Chicago-Taste of Chicago Festival (Cook Cty. Cir. Ct. 2014)

    Hazard: Exposed cords and mat seams


    Injury: Disabled attendee fell and sustained injuries.


    Settlement: City paid damages and revised event cable-management procedures.

    U.S. DOJ vs. City of Los Angeles-Civic Events ADA Compliance Review (2018)

    U.S. DOJ vs. City of Los Angeles-Civic Events ADA Compliance Review (2018)

    Johnson vs. City of Chicago-Taste of Chicago Festival (Cook Cty. Cir. Ct. 2014)

    Issue: DOJ found temporary cable covers and mats repeatedly blocking accessible routes at city-permitted events.


    Outcome: City required to reroute cables, eliminate raised mats and provide continuous ADA-accessible paths.

    DOJ Settlement-City of Santa Monica (2020)

    U.S. DOJ vs. City of Los Angeles-Civic Events ADA Compliance Review (2018)

    DOJ Settlement-City of Santa Monica (2020)

    Finding: Temporary event infrastructure (cables, mats and ramps) created repeated trip hazards.


    Mandate: City must ensure no raised floor coverings on accessible routes.



    Trip Hazards: Any vertical change over 1/4 inch at any joint or crack is considered a trip hazard, which can lead to falls. Regulatory Compliance: State local governments, as well as businesses, must adhere to ADA regulations to ensure accessibility and prevent falls.

     The ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act,  is a landmark U.S. civil rights law from 1990 that prohibits  discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of public  life, ensuring equal opportunities in employment, transportation, public  accommodations (like stores, restaurants), state/local government  services, and tele

     The ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act,  is a landmark U.S. civil rights law from 1990 that prohibits  discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of public  life, ensuring equal opportunities in employment, transportation, public  accommodations (like stores, restaurants), state/local government  services, and telecommunications. It guarantees that individuals with  disabilities have the same rights and access as everyone else, requiring  reasonable accommodations and accessibility modifications for  businesses and services, and is enforced through five main sections.

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