Opinions on rally weekend?

homer simpson

Got into a discussion earlier on about rally weekend in the town. I'm a rally fan and i think that its great for the town, brings loads of people and money. Sure they leave a mess but sure saturday nights leave a mess too.
I've a brother who despise's rallying but tolerates the rally because of the good the rally brings. Then i have another friend who point blank hates the rally and says it does no-one any good, can't leave the house and noise ect.
Just wanted to start a wee discussion on this see what peoples opinions on here are of it.

Local-womanizer

I dont mind it at all.People who give out about not being able to leave the house would just be sitting in anyway.

As with any thing,you cant keep everyone happy.

muffler

Personally I wouldnt cross the road to watch it (Jesus I just love the puns ) but there are lots of people who follow and enjoy that sport (could never figure out why its classed as a sport though) and I see no reason why those people shouldnt be able to follow their sport.

It doesnt bother me and while I have never went to a rally nor have I any intentions of ever doing so I can understand the enthusiasm and passion people have for them and I also acknowledge the benefits to the community especially from a business point of view.

Senna

Fecken hate rally weekend, i'm always working late on the sat night and have to drive by Georgy Sweeneys forecourt. The all congregrate there, block off the two ends, race in the stretch in between and do donuts all night. Its a nightmare to drive around at 4/5am and unfortunately i have no choice in the mater. This year he has it more blocked off, so might not be too bad.

Plus i always have to make sure my car tax is up-to-date:D normally stopped a couple of times over the weekend. Other than that its good for the town and does bring in money to plenty of businesses.

Harps

Not a fan of it either but it benefits he economy by quite a bit I'd imagine and theres plenty with an interest in it. All big events in this country are just seen as a chance for people to get drunk so you cant look into that side of it because regardless of what we have you'll still get that side of it.

Thankfully it doesnt effect me in any way so I've got no problem with it really

mrmac

God bless the Rally, and all who "OFFICIALLY" burn rubber!

Broxi_Bear_Eire

Never been really interested in the sport other than in a professional capacity

But have to say people are entitled to there sport and it brings money into the county

babaloushka

If it was just about the rally and was kept to the real rally drivers and the designated route and time, I'd live with it (or rather as far away from it as I could get for the duration). But what I loathe and detest are the would-be rally drivers whose blood gets up at this time and who 'drive' us all demented on every road or track throughout the county. Not to mention the risks to themselves and others - serious risks to life and limb.
I also have a problem with rallying as a 'sport'. Not many people are killed or injured when they get inspired to whack a tennis ball at Wimbledon time or kick a ball around when football/rugby/gaelic is firing their blood. Nor do they indulge in their chosen sport noisily at 3am on the roads around my home ...

IsItJustMeOr...

I’m all for it and always have been. It’s been a huge event for Donegal since it started in ’72.
Hell, we’d Sébastien Loeb in Donegal in 2007! There’s a bonus in itself, never mind his fantastic driving!

Unfortunately, the rally weekend always turns out the ‘village idiots’ who think they are the next Loeb albeit they haven’t got a clue how to really drive and it involves a piece o’ s*** Corolla or Suzuki swift.

That is what spoils the weekend for a lot of people….

donegalman1

Think a study a few years ago estimated it worth €17m to the economy locally and even if that figure is down in recession times its a huge benefit.

Funny a northern guy was featured on the Irish Version of Cops on RTE last night driving up the dual carriageway on wrong side and was followed by the helicopter etc.

There are idiots that do follow it, but most of the Road Fatalities in Donegal are not at rally time at all.

When it somes to the boy racers, we all can see them at the back of errigal etc on Youtube and around town. It seems a bit poor the Gardai are not given the resources to infiltrate or prohibit this.

The rally organisers are very responsible and businesses benefit well. St Patricks Day probably has as much public order issues if not more. We need as many events to attract tourists and business as we can get.

Also, it is worth noting that Donegals safety and organisational record was instrumental in securing Rally Ireland, an event that other countries would sell their soul to have.

mrmac

donegalman1 wrote: »

The rally organisers are very responsible and businesses benefit well. St Patricks Day probably has as much public order issues if not more. We need as many events to attract tourists and business as we can get.

Also, it is worth noting that Donegals safety and organisational record was instrumental in securing Rally Ireland, an event that other countries would sell their soul to have.

Well said - completely agree.

muffler

donegalman1 wrote: »

Also, it is worth noting that Donegals safety and organisational record was instrumental in securing Rally Ireland, an event that other countries would sell their soul to have.

Im sure all the wee roads with awful bends, hump back bridges and uneven surfaces played a big part also

Fracture

The rally is great tbh, it brings much need tourism to the local economy. The only bad thing i can say about it is the amount of fights boy racing that goes on is bad, but even at the worst of that its all forgotten about the following week.

homer simpson

babaloushka wrote: »

I also have a problem with rallying as a 'sport'. Not many people are killed or injured when they get inspired to whack a tennis ball at Wimbledon time or kick a ball around when football/rugby/gaelic is firing their blood....

Totally disagree with you there i can count on one hand the number of people killed during a rally in ireland since i've been born , two two unfornunate marshalls in 2001 or 2002, the spectator last year, and the also unfortunate frank magher (who wasn't killed during a rally but testing a rally car) i'm 25, but google death on a football pitch , gaelic pitch and you'll get loads of hits, incidents with falling crossbars, sudden death syndrome ect...

and as regards people practicing rallying at 3am, i am certin that 99.9% of these individuls have never been to a rally stage let alone in a rally car, these people are nothing to do with the sport. and sure does't there be bother in letterkenny if say celtic or man utd play too with people being drunk too, happens every weekend. just would be interesting to compair some stats on this actually might look into this a bit more!

babaloushka

homer_simpson wrote: »

Totally disagree with you there i can count on one hand the number of people killed during a rally in ireland since i've been born , two two unfornunate marshalls in 2001 or 2002, the spectator last year, and the also unfortunate frank magher (who wasn't killed during a rally but testing a rally car) i'm 25, but google death on a football pitch , gaelic pitch and you'll get loads of hits, incidents with falling crossbars, sudden death syndrome ect...

and as regards people practicing rallying at 3am, i am certin that 99.9% of these individuls have never been to a rally stage let alone in a rally car, these people are nothing to do with the sport. and sure does't there be bother in letterkenny if say celtic or man utd play too with people being drunk too, happens every weekend. just would be interesting to compair some stats on this actually might look into this a bit more!

I was speaking about copycat rally drivers, which I accept are not part of the rally per se. Unfortunately, the would-be rally drivers don't restrict their antics to this time of year and it's the glorification of speed around the crappy roads that we (and they) use all the time that I have a problem with. Their perception of invincibility and a delusion of their own driving skill is a recipe for disaster. Like any other copycats, they think that if they see their heroes do something, especially on their own roads, then they too are 'man' enough to do the same. I don't have any figures to quote - just a working knowledge of these boy racers over quite a number of years and, sadly, the experience of losing one or two along the way

homer simpson

babaloushka wrote: »

I was speaking about copycat rally drivers, which I accept are not part of the rally per se. Unfortunately, the would-be rally drivers don't restrict their antics to this time of year and it's the glorification of speed around the crappy roads that we (and they) use all the time that I have a problem with. Their perception of invincibility and a delusion of their own driving skill is a recipe for disaster. Like any other copycats, they think that if they see their heroes do something, especially on their own roads, then they too are 'man' enough to do the same. I don't have any figures to quote - just a working knowledge of these boy racers over quite a number of years and, sadly, the experience of losing one or two along the way

I hear what your saying, its boy racers your talking about running around back roads like loony bins, in cras fit for the scrapheap, But I can't stress enoughthat the boy racers are a different breed of people altogether and have little or no interest in rallying, they just like getting their €200 cars that just about move and racing them, i live at a crossroads in the town and i'm plagued with them all i hear at night is exhaustless cars revving to take off at the junction, by saying that you dislike rallying because of it is a very unfounded statement. I will agree that most people see boy racers and rallying as one but it couldn't be further from the truth, they all have seperate forums, and web sites dedicated to them. This is kinda how the arguemnet started at the weekend too. Bottem line most of (there is a small minority) rally fans are not boy racers and the rally fans disassoiate (sorry spelling not my strong point, lol) ourselves from them. Sorry for the rant not aimed at you really its aimed at the boy racers tarnishing our sport.

babaloushka

homer_simpson wrote: »

I hear what your saying, its boy racers your talking about running around back roads like loony bins, in cras fit for the scrapheap, But I can't stress enoughthat the boy racers are a different breed of people altogether and have little or no interest in rallying, they just like getting their €200 cars that just about move and racing them, i live at a crossroads in the town and i'm plagued with them all i hear at night is exhaustless cars revving to take off at the junction, by saying that you dislike rallying because of it is a very unfounded statement. I will agree that most people see boy racers and rallying as one but it couldn't be further from the truth, they all have seperate forums, and web sites dedicated to them. This is kinda how the arguemnet started at the weekend too. Bottem line most of (there is a small minority) rally fans are not boy racers and the rally fans disassoiate (sorry spelling not my strong point, lol) ourselves from them. Sorry for the rant not aimed at you really its aimed at the boy racers tarnishing our sport.

I accept what you're saying too and I'm sorry that your interest in rallying is tarnished by these boy racers. Unfortunately, my only experience of a 'genuine' rally driver falls into the overgrown boy racer type - those who revere him in my locality imitate his exploits as he 'practices' on the roads in this area. I'm know there must be responsible followers too but I can only speak for the damage that I see in the young boys I work with who are at fever pitch at this time. The bottom line for me is that rallying takes place on ordinary roads and these young boys cannot differentiate between rallying and safe driving.
Yes, in an ideal world there would be sufficient policing and restrictions to prevent this happening and maybe enough money and resources in education to change the mindset. However, we don't live in an ideal world and no considerations of economics or sport will convince me that supporting the rally is worth the loss of one young life. Given the high rate of young driver deaths in this county, I'd really like to see some research done on any possible connection with the perception of rallying as a sport. I accept your argument that most followers are a different breed but I know for a fact that it influences these young boys and compounds their belief that speed is good and taking risks on the road is even better. I'd be very interested in any ideas that people might have to rectify this situation - Donegal has many communities that are plagued with this kind of thing and I know I'm not the only one who sees rallying and boy racing as inextricably entwined.

Senna

I dont think there is much of a point linking rallying and boy-racers, yes they will be a higher number of muppets on the roads at rally time, but boy-racers dont need the rally to give them ideas. If we banned all motorsports, would these muppets stop?

GoldenGreen

Big fan of the rally here too, just hate the boy racers that come with it. But every sport has a bad element to it and is in a minority. Next rally weekend just look around Letterkenny during the day when the rally is on most of these scum bags will be sitting in their cars around the town having no interest in following the rally.

I recall a study done not so long ago, if i could find it i wouldpost it here, but it say saying it in in male DNA to be risk takers at a young age, goes back to our pre-historic times, where young males would do the hunting and hence need to have no fear and take risks to get the food.

babaloushka wrote: »

Given the high rate of young driver deaths in this county, I'd really like to see some research done on any possible connection with the perception of rallying as a sport.

I would actually like to see research on Ireland's approach to driver learning v's countries that actually have a proper driver traning / Education courses and procedures, and what their road deaths are like. Actually I don't think we really need that research as I am fairly sure we all know what the out come would be.

ednwireland

i don't think having the rally here makes any difference if we banned any car racing and motorbike riding would people not do it i dont think so, i rmember how i drove my car at 19 (in the uk) and it wasn't good (i'm a bit better now). as far as the rally goes hope it comes back i was one ofth idiots standing in the pouring rain at 6am on friday morning on glenboy to watch them and the numbers it brings in cant be bad - just been in galway for the weekend for the volvo ocean race as well and you wouldnt beleive the number of people there just amazing.

nmg-lky

Donegal International Rally has to be the biggest sporting event in the North-West. I have to agree/ disagree with some of the statements above, however in my opinion the pro's definitly out number the con's. Great event provided by alot of dedicated people. Entrys for rallys throughout the country have been badly hit this year but I would think Donegal will still have a full entry list. Can not wait for it now!

homer simpson

I think its interesting to hear the views from people on hear for what i gather most people tolerate it some people love to see it, and some dispise it also. ah well two weeks now and the entry is full at the moment so looking forward to a safe and enjoyable event, also hope everyone going to watch enjoys it too, i'm sure you will though.:D