TT Races

[sir roger]

I don't really follow motor sports but this event in the Isle of Man regularly catches my eye due to the amount of unfortunate blokes who get killed every single year.

 

I believe 5 people have already been killed this year alone.

 

At what stage does the forum think that sporting events get that dangerous that their ongoing participation should be questioned. Also surprised that 3 of the victims this year are over 50 years of age ( 2 of them 58 ) in an event that must presumably need top notch mental & physical responses.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Where dangerous sports need reining in, I think, is where there's an element of coercion (for example, poor people being pressured to do stuff as their only escape from poverty), where the organisers are negligent in respect of safety or where spectators are put in harm's way.

 

I don't think any of these apply to the TT.

 

It's horrible when a rider is killed, but the standard response from their friends and families seems to be "he knew the risks and he was doing what he loved".

[General Dryness]

Its an enormous bone of contention on the Island. The fact that it is so dangerous, and that the government put huge amounts of money into it each year without there being any tangible evidence as to what kind of profits they make from it really pisses people off.

 

Couple that with the inconvenience of road closures and there is a fair backlash against it.

 

I think they need to do something about the safety factor. They put sandbags up around the course, but when you're doing 150mph+ a dry stone wall is a dry stone wall regardless of whats covering it. When the races started a hundred odd years ago, you could get away with racing on roads with the technology they had available. The bikes they have now are just way too powerful for the roads they're racing on.

 

And anyone with young kids that goes in it is a selfish cunt. Full fucking stop. Theres no excuse for it, but you get the whole bollocks about "doing something they loved". Loved it more than their kids, obviously? That really pisses me off.

[General Dryness]

Also, I read an article a few years ago about how the Vatican condemned the Paris Dakar rally, because 70 people have been killed since 1979. I thought, for fucks sake don't tell them about the TT. Nearly double that number have been killed there since 1979. 

 

Its especially sobering when you realise that the Paris Dakar figures include competitors, spectators and other randoms. The 130 odd mentioned above for the TT only includes competitors. When you add in spectators, marshalls, other randoms, and then the deaths among motorcyclists visiting the island for the races, its a fairly stark perspective.

[Stickman]

A few horses die at Aintree and there is a public outcry ,

 

People continually die at the TT every year and it barely gets a mention....

 

Something's not quite right there .

[The Golden Eel]

A few horses die at Aintree and there is a public outcry ,

 

People continually die at the TT every year and it barely gets a mention....

 

Something's not quite right there .

I guess that's because horses don't choose to jump fences of their own accord

[Section_31]

The kind of guys that ride bikes will ride them anyway, if you banned the TT they'd all hook up in the Gobi desert or some shit and do it there. They're adrenaline junkies.

[Chairman Meow]

I'm not going to go into any depth as frankly I can't be arsed and if your opinion is that we are all selfish cunts then that points to pretty much nil change of changing your mind.

 

Overall the safety record in Motorsport is actually very good and most forms are nowhere near as dangerous as you might think, that said I wouldn't do the TT as it looks fucking terrifying to me. However I know people who race bikes who reckon I am crazy for driving in the forests.

 

The likes of the TT and Paris Dakar are outliers and not the norm.  TT is most definitely as you say track conditions, I don't think the issue is the power of the bikes though it's the increase in Grip. 

 

No other sport is proactive like Motorsport either, in rallying alone over the last 10 years or so we've had roll cage changes, new helmet and overall rules, new fire extinguisher rules, new regulations to introduce a lifespan on seats and harnesses and compulsory use of Hans (Head and Neck Support) is on it's way.

 

Contrast that to the NFL ignoring long term issues through multiple concussions and the fact we have Boxing where the entire aim of the game is to stop the other persons brain from working.

 

On any given weekend between Circuit Racing in cars, Circuit Racing on bikes, Speedway, Rallycross, Autocross, Rallying, Rallycross, Springs, Hill Climbs, Autotests, Trials, Drag Racing there are thousands of people doing some kind Motorsport in the UK. 

 

You never hear about that though do you? You do however always without fail hear about it if something bad happens. Like one incident in the UK a couple of years ago when the press was publishing quotes that it attributed to people who didn't even make them. 

 

Like Section says, stop us doing it legitimately and you are simply going to end up with groups of people with no regulations to govern them, no mandatory safety officials all going to play on someones land and then you would definitely see some danger. 

 

I'd rather put my Rally Car through a dry stone wall at 100 mile an hour than have a normal accident at 30 or 40 mph on a normal day to day commute. I know which one I'm more likely to step out of and when I have that accident in the Rally Car I know for a fact I have Paramedics and Rescue Units within a few miles of me. 

[sir roger]

I am sure they would Section, but surely not with the sheer size of this event & the seemingly ridiculous amount of lives lost each year.

 

I do tend towards the earlier thoughts espoused that any of these guys with families are open to the charge that they should be taking more note of those responsibilities.

 

Just picked up on Chevettes post & would point out that I am only aiming at the TT in this thread as I am not aware of any other 2 or 4 wheeled event that seems to produce so many deaths in relation to the size of the event.

[Lee909]

Im not s motorsport fan but if a man is willing to risk his life who's right is it to stop them.

[Elite]

Im not s motorsport fan but if a man is willing to risk his life who's right is it to stop them.

As long as its not putting anyone else at risk its their own choice.

[Guest LFD]

They're bonkers.

 

I think it is selfish, if they have young children.  Fair enough their wives probably know the risks when marrying someone like that.  But the children don't have a choice and can be affected if something happens.

 

Some of the spectators are crazy as well, getting so close.

 

 

 

I wouldn't like to be one of the passengers on the sidecars.

[Lee909]

You live once,do what you want. Im no adrenaline junkie and wouldn't do it but fairs fuck to those that would. The only people injured are those that want to be involved so its their choice.

[sir roger]

As has been said before I have nothing against single guys putting themselves in danger at the TT ( Although I would be interested in a view from the IoM NHS people ) , but think it is fair to question anybody with a young family deciding to take on an event with minimal rewards to maximum risks.

[Strontium]

The kind of guys that ride bikes will ride them anyway, if you banned the TT they'd all hook up in the Gobi desert or some shit and do it there. They're adrenaline junkies.

 

 

Surprised the government hasn't tried to ban adrenaline.

[Lee909]

Hades will if he gets in charge. No place for fun and adrenaline. Cabbage soup and black bread for all

[AngryOfTuebrook]

 

 

I wouldn't like to be one of the passengers on the sidecars.

You sure?

 

[Paul]

Is there any sort of qualification process for it or can any tit with a bike turn up and have a go?

[razor]

A bloke I once spoke to in a pub in St Helens said he'd won the TT in the early 80s.

 

When he went the toilet or something another bloke told me he was known as Billy Bullshit or something.

 

Later on in the evening the bloke then told me that he had won the TT with his bird on the back of his bike.

 

True story.

[Dougie Do'ins]

A bloke I once spoke to in a pub in St Helens said he'd won the TT in the early 80s.

 

When he went the toilet or something another bloke told me he was known as Billy Bullshit or something.

 

Later on in the evening the bloke then told me that he had won the TT with his bird on the back of his bike.

 

True story.

I didn't even know there was a TT section for man and avian. 

 

If you say it's true, well that's good enough for me.

[VladimirIlyich]

A bloke I once spoke to in a pub in St Helens said he'd won the TT in the early 80s.

 

When he went the toilet or something another bloke told me he was known as Billy Bullshit or something.

 

Later on in the evening the bloke then told me that he had won the TT with his bird on the back of his bike.

 

True story.

There was a backey/takey class included in the TT? On the back of a Chopper,no doubt.

[easytoslip]

I guess that's because horses don't choose to jump fences of their own accord

They do ,many a time I've seen a ruder

[easytoslip]

Meant to say riderless horse jumping of its own accord but that's another argument , where do you stop ? It's up to the individual , what about eventing , show jumping that causes more fatalities defo life changing injuries than anything

[VladimirIlyich]

Meant to say riderless horse jumping of its own accord but that's another argument , where do you stop ? It's up to the individual , what about eventing , show jumping that causes more fatalities defo life changing injuries than anything

Horses are pack animals so jumping fences riderless is more about natural behaviour and copying its kind.

I am a horseracing fan so not looking for any disagreement over this. Just trying to point this natural behaviour out. They are schooled to do it every day at their stables.

[easytoslip]

Horses are pack animals so jumping fences riderless is more about natural behaviour and copying its kind.

I am a horseracing fan so not looking for any disagreement over this. Just trying to point this natural behaviour out. They are schooled to do it every day at their stables.

Thats right they are , big fan myself , also the jockey is in a risky sport ,to quote the old arab saying a riders grave is always open.

Not a big fan of motor sports but motorcycling I can watch somet