Motorcyclist killed in high-speed crash

Flukey

Motorcyclist killed in high-speed crash

21 August 2004 22:22
A 25-year-old Scottish motorcyclist has died and a spectator has been injured in a high-speed motorbike crash at the Ulster Grand Prix in Co Antrim.

The accident happened during the initial lap of the first race at the fast Wheeler's Corner section of the Dundrod circuit.

Several bikes collided due to an oil spillage on the road.

The rider, Andy Wallace, died instantly.

A spectator was taken to hospital with a broken leg.

The race was temporarily suspended while medical personnel treated the casualties, but the event subsequently re-started.

elivsvonchiaing

Having experienced a non-fatal bike crash my feelings on this are that bike-racing should not be regarded as a sport. It is simply too dangerous. I feel the same way about boxing. Golfers do not die as a result of their sport.

I'm not against bikes - just think racing them competitively is asking for trouble - just riding them has enough danger to start with.

seamus

elivsvonchiaing wrote:

Having experienced a non-fatal bike crash my feelings on this are that bike-racing should not be regarded as a sport. It is simply too dangerous. I feel the same way about boxing. Golfers do not die as a result of their sport.

I'm not against bikes - just think racing them competitively is asking for trouble - just riding them has enough danger to start with.

No-one is racing motorcycles under any pretences. Spectators know that they run the risk of being hit. If people are happy with the situation, why ban the sport?

elivsvonchiaing

seamus wrote:

No-one is racing motorcycles under any pretences. Spectators know that they run the risk of being hit. If people are happy with the situation, why ban the sport?

I'm not suggesting an outright ban - but I do feel there are people out there who feel they have cat's live's and have used up 8 of them. They only continue because of sponsorship.

In a nutshell I don't think its a sport that should be used for advertising anything except undertakers.

Kersh

Those that do it know the risks. Simple as that. They would not do it otherwise. They just choose to do it with 2 wheels on closed roads. Spectators know the risks too. In car racing 4 club racers were killed last year, and I was present at Mallory park when there was a fatal crash in 2001. The meeting was cancelled, it ws quite a shock to see his family gathering at the track gates as we left, kinda made us realise the day we were having (one 2nd place and a non starter out of 2 of us) was trivial compared to his family/friends. But his brother continues racing...its just a love of competition.

batman_oh

the people that race on the roads love it, its in their blood, and they would not want it banned
they are fully aware of the risks, as are the spectators and thats part of what makes it like no other sport
its ridiculously dangerous, but its not puttin anybody in danger that isnt aware of it