Kick drum pedal remote starting gate

Despite having a 7-year-old at my disposal, getting her to help me race can be tricky. That often leaves me a One Man Gang when it comes to running my races. Thus, camera work can be cumbersome. 

I've had a pull string attached to my 3DBM starting gate for a long time and usually just pull and go. Easy. But that leaves me with one-handed camera operation and that can be weird. Lets just say I've dropped the phone more than once, so I've always been looking for an easier way to "remote" start my gate.

I was cleaning up around the house and was struck with an idea when I saw the kick drum pedal for my Rock Band kit laying around. I just put the rip cord under the metal plate and it ain't going nowhere. The cord itself goes up and over a step stool.

It's not pretty but it lets me remote start by foot, allowing me to use both hands for camera work.

It remains to be seen if this makes a difference in the long run. Maybe it won't make a difference in the final video posts, but at least it feels more comfortable for me.