Spectator dies in rally collision

cyclopath2001

Spectator dies in rally collision
Saturday, 14 June 2008 17:29

A spectator has died after being hit by a car at the Donegal International Rally.

The 18-year-old was hit by the car, which was taking part in the rally, at around 3.30pm.

The accident happened at Ballyarr, about four miles from Letterkenny.
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The young man was pronounced dead at the scene which has been preserved for technical examination.

The road is closed and is not expected to re-open for some time.

Organisors of the Donegal International Rally say it has been cancelled for today.

A decision has not yet been made as to whether it will proceed tomorrow.

This is a very sad time for the family of the young man and also for the driver of the car. Hopefully, some good will come of the tragedy and motorists will be reminded that fast driving, even under controlled conditions and performed by very experienced drivers is unsafe.

BFassassin

Thats very sad indeed.
RIP

bazz26

Very sad to hear indeed. R.I.P.

alpina

What a shame and a waste of youth, may he R.I.P.

Fey!

As everyone before me has said, may he rest in peace.

Timmaay

Rip lad. What I heard about it was the driver didn't lose control of the car, but the young lad somehow was out on the road and was struck by the car. Even so, its a massive pity and just shows how dangerous the roads are, even under such controlled situations.

unkel

Sad loss of a young live. RIP.

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

motorists will be reminded that fast driving, even under controlled conditions and performed by very experienced drivers is unsafe.

Unsafe to the public if there is no proper separation between the track (cars) and the spectators. Whether the car went out of control and into the spectators or the spectators went into the path of the car is irrelavant really. Fast driving / speed has nothing to do with it tbh...

rigal

unkel wrote: »

Sad loss of a young live. RIP.



Unsafe to the public if there is no proper separation between the track (cars) and the spectators. Whether the car went out of control and into the spectators or the spectators went into the path of the car is irrelavant really. Fast driving / speed has nothing to do with it tbh...

+1

And this isn't the first time - I knew the lad who was killed in 2002 while marshalling. Something needs to be done.

BostonB

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

This is a very sad time for the family of the young man and also for the driver of the car. Hopefully, some good will come of the tragedy and motorists will be reminded that fast driving, even under controlled conditions and performed by very experienced drivers is unsafe.

What are you suggesting. Slow racing/rallying?

keefg

unkel wrote: »

Sad loss of a young live. RIP.



Unsafe to the public if there is no proper separation between the track (cars) and the spectators.

+ 1.

TBH I am surprised that there aren't a few deaths at every rally stage in every race.

I love watching the rallies but I cringe when I see just how close the spectators get to the road and how they gather on the most dangerous corners........just to get a few decent photos, or stick a thumbs-up to the driver (as if the driver is looking at them).

And as rigal says....this has happened before (to marshals & spectators) and will probably happen again. Due to the very nature of the rally terrain it is almost impossible for the organisers to keep spectators at a safe distance and still aloow them to see all the action.

BrianD3

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

Hopefully, some good will come of the tragedy and motorists will be reminded that fast driving, even under controlled conditions and performed by very experienced drivers is unsafe.

:mad: Outrageous that you are using a motorsport tragedy to further your motorist bashing agenda.

This is not the first tragedy in motorsport nor will it be the last. What happens on a rally stage has nothing to do with what happens on the public roads in normal driving conditions, only an idiot would try to make the connection.

I could just as easily start a thread talking about spectators that have been injured by competitors during the Tour the France or the competitor that was killed on a descent in 1995 and try to tie that back to cyclists behaving irresponsibly on the road.

Einstein

According to Today FM's news (9am), he was crossing to the other side when the accident happened, initial garda reports state that the driver was not at fault.

Just a tragic accident.

RIP

afatbollix

a friend witnessed the crash.. the lad was crossing the road and was struck by the car... was knocked about 60 foot down the road the rally driver or organisers were not at fault here.. im affriad the man was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

afatbollix

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

Hopefully, some good will come of the tragedy and motorists will be reminded that fast driving, even under controlled conditions and performed by very experienced drivers is unsafe.

the good of that you cant stand in the middle of the road when a car is comming? or was it because the car was going fast :rolleyes::rolleyes:

tdc

very sad...whenever im watching the rally on tv im always afraid for the people standing on the edge of the track, if i was at a rally i would keep my distance. if it is true that the boy was crossing the road well theres not much more that can be said.

Wertz

BrianD3 wrote: »

:mad: Outrageous that you are using a motorsport tragedy to further your motorist bashing agenda.

+1 Despicable trolling given the sad events involved.

Original post reported.

peasant

Wertz wrote: »

Original post reported.

unkel wrote: »

Sad loss of a young live. RIP.
Unsafe to the public if there is no proper separation between the track (cars) and the spectators. Whether the car went out of control and into the spectators or the spectators went into the path of the car is irrelavant really. Fast driving / speed has nothing to do with it tbh...

Unkel already put the OP right, no need to report this thread.

Thread now closed, as I don't see the need of using this tragic accident either for a good old anti-speeding rant nor a bashing of the OP