New RSA Initiative

Gary ITR

Irish Times Article wrote:

Trying to stop young people driving fast is like trying to stop a soccer fan from ever kicking a ball, according to a leading young rally driver.

Speaking after the launch of a road safety initiative by Motorsport Ireland today in Dublin, Toni Kelly (22) from Donegal said that that young people need to be given a safe, alternative outlet to enjoy motorsport.

She maintained that providing an alternative will help educate young people about the difficulties involved in driving like a rally driver and lessen the temptation to speed on public roads.

The initiative, which involves a partnership between Motorsport Ireland and the Road Safety Authority was launched this morning in Dublin by the president of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), Jean Todt.

From today, all participants in Irish four-wheeled motorsport events will display the UN Decade for Road Safety tag to encourage road safety.

Mr Todt said: "Irish efforts to improve road safety have been most impressive, winning admiration around the globe but we still believe that we can do more and that motorsport can help."

As a part of the campaign, Motorsport Ireland will try to get two core messages across to young drivers that follow their sport - that taking risks on public roads isn't cool and that young people wishing to practice their driving skills can do so in a controlled environment of official events.

The problem of young people trying to be cool by driving fast was one that professional rally driver Craig Breen (21) has experienced amongst his friends.

"I have to be the worst passenger in a car ever. I'm petrified whenever someone tries to show off and drive fast," he said.

"I always stress the point that driving a rally car is totally different to a normal car on public roads," he said.

When asked whether he thought that rally events encouraged dangerous driving, Mr Breen said that it was like blaming a boxing club for a fight that happens outside a chip shop.

"The rally fraternity genuinely does have an interest in the sport and understand what's involved," he said.

Representing the Road Safety Authority at the launch, its chief executive Noel Brett said he was delighted with the initiative by Motorsport Ireland.

"It will show that if you love driving and you love motorsport, then you should respect the roads and drive safely," he said.

This is a fantastic initiative imo, it's something I am quite passionate about myself and it's a move in the right direction by the RSA.

Last night Noel Brett gave me an hour of his time for me to ask questions and express my own views and I would like to publicly thank him for doing so, (just fyi I did this representing myself rather than boards.ie)

Mr Benevolent

Wow, the RSA's first sensible idea!

Big Nasty

I agree completely but IMO it's only the first step in 1000. Where in Ireland can lads / girls safely test cars to there limits AT A REASONABLE PRICE in order for them to have any idea how dangerous barelling along a twisty, humpy backroad at 70mph really is?

Big Nasty

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I think its non-sense if you ask me. Motorsport Ireland could try helping the people that are actually trying to do organised events.

As if people that are acting the clown out on the public roads are thinking "I want be like Jensen Button".

And Mondello could try charging reasonable prices for track days!

Gary ITR

MCMLXXV wrote: »

I agree completely but IMO it's only the first step in 1000. Where in Ireland can lads / girls safely test cars to there limits AT A REASONABLE PRICE in order for them to have any idea how dangerous barelling along a twisty, humpy backroad at 70mph really is?

Ah but it's a start, once you have the start the rest is inevitable and Mondello have started doing Trackday courses at a ridiculously cheap price. I'd love to see Mondello do more though tbh.

LIGHTNING

LIGHTNING wrote: »

I think its non-sense if you ask me.

Yep, utter arse.

Big Nasty

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Everything is too expensive and because of that its not going to get people who use our public roads to race. Simple ideas like

a) dedicated drag strip and charged people a small fee
b) another decent full sized track somewhere in the midlands

Motorsport Ireland charge you over 100e every year for your licence and you have to get a medical (e50). Not to mention you have to do you intro course which is another 225e. Thats before you do pretty much anything.

Yeah, fair enough. It's like the DIY maintenance thread earlier - public liability costs make it unreasonable. One of the best Drag Strips in Europe is Santa Pod in the UK and it's £20 to race all day long to include printed slips for each and every run. Silverstone Track Days start at £100 IIRC.

Mondello could still make more effort IMO.

MCMLXXV

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Mondello could still make more effort IMO.

Bank Holiday Half Day Morning or Afternoon €125.00
Non Bank Holiday Half Day Morning or Afternoon €100.00
Bank Holiday Half Day Morning or Afternoon €165.00
Non Bank Holiday Half Day Morning or Afternoon €185.00

So how much is a track (half) day at Mondello ?

Big Nasty

RoverJames wrote: »

Bank Holiday Half Day Morning or Afternoon €125.00
Non Bank Holiday Half Day Morning or Afternoon €100.00
Bank Holiday Half Day Morning or Afternoon €165.00
Non Bank Holiday Half Day Morning or Afternoon €185.00

So how much is a track (half) day at Mondello ?

Not too bad in fairness - they musta reduced their rates recently.

How much is a full / half day of a Saturday / Sunday?

Atomic Pineapple

So its an initiative to get those in motor sport events to wear a badge to show driving dangerous on public roads is "not cool"?

Its reeks of the same old "lets pretend to do something about the problem without actually having to tackle it properly" attitude to be honest. Much much too little that wont have any impact.

Paddy@CIRL

MCMLXXV wrote: »

Yeah, fair enough. It's like the DIY maintenance thread earlier - public liability costs make it unreasonable. One of the best Drag Strips in Europe is Santa Pod in the UK and it's £20 to race all day long to include printed slips for each and every run. Silverstone Track Days start at £100 IIRC.

Mondello could still make more effort IMO.

£20 for three runs the last time I was over but your point is still valid. Let's hope this is the start of something productive for Irish Motorsport.

Big Nasty

Paddy@CIRL wrote: »

£20 for three runs the last time I was over

Depends on the meeting I guess!

CiniO

The problem here seems to be that any rally events are not really accessible to regular people.
If someone wants to take part in rallies, he need in the first place plenty of money.
Someone already mentioned the cost of licence, cost of rally car is huge, and to maintain this car it's even more money needed.
Pretty much amount of people who can afford to take part in rallies, is very little.

Why can't there be organised some amateur rallies?

Just to mention, f.e. in Poland, besides professional rallies, you have plenty of events called "car driving competition" and which are actually amateur rallies.
Only what you need for this is a driving licence and a car which is road legal (insured, tested, etc.) No need for any preparation like cages, bucket seats, 4 point seatbels, etc.
Entrance fee for such a rally is usually very little (something like 20 - 30 euros).
And pretty much every one can try themselves how fast they are in driving ceratin special stage for time.
Obviously special stages in those rallies are very limited. Usually they are made on some big parkings with driving around poles involved, or uphill clims on mountain road with limit to 1km long.
But believe me or not, it's a plenty of fun for those who take part in it.

When I was in Poland for holidays in January I took part in one of them. Unfortunately my car is not really good for any kind of rallies, as this is just Nissan Primera 1.8 (too big) but believe me that I had loads of fun (and probably was the only person who was using Irish reg. car in one of those events).

Here's the video from my go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzIsH2y-lKE

Driving FWD it's always the fastest to keep the car skidding as little as possible.
Obviously if someone has a 4wd car it's much more fun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooE6rkI2Vuo

But there's plenty of people using small cheap fwd car, and having a fun:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ian2HT69JGY

Why can't there be something like that organised in Ireland?

Big Nasty

That dude in the Evo could fairly well throw it around - not bad for an amature event!

Mc Love

Another waste of time - how many iniatives have they brought out to no affect!?!

Cookie_Monster

So racers are going to put a sticker on their car and MI are going to pimp their events as a good place to throw your car around for a hefty fee?

Seems a bit pointless to me tbh

From today, all participants in Irish four-wheeled motorsport events will display the UN Decade for Road Safety tag to encourage road safety.

As a part of the campaign, Motorsport Ireland will try to get two core messages across to young drivers that follow their sport - that taking risks on public roads isn't cool and that young people wishing to practice their driving skills can do so in a controlled environment of official events.

dr.fuzzenstein

It's a great initiative and will have more chance of success than the previous "why the hell do 18 year olds not drive like 80 year olds?" campaign.
Also, this myth of "CARNAGE ON IRISH ROADS!!!!!" perpetrated by the meeja is rubbish.
Ireland is a very safe place to drive.
And why not do something bold and new? Most of the time the argument here is "jaysuscan'tbedoin'datnowjaysusnowe'llallbekilledohjaysuswhat'swid'dahealth'nsafety"
So Ireland, get up, stand up, be different (just for ONCE FFS) don't be born to be mild forever.

Big Nasty

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

It's a great initiative and will have more chance of success than the previous "why the hell do 18 year olds not drive like 80 year olds?" campaign.
Also, this myth of "CARNAGE ON IRISH ROADS!!!!!" perpetrated by the meeja is rubbish.
Ireland is a very safe place to drive.
And why not do something bold and new? Most of the time the argument here is "jaysuscan'tbedoin'datnowjaysusnowe'llallbekilledohjaysuswhat'swid'dahealth'nsafety"
So Ireland, get up, stand up, be different (just for ONCE FFS) don't be born to be mild forever.

I think I love you fuzzy! :eek:;):p:D

Tefral

Utter bollocks is what I think that is.

Cheap days out is where its at. Look at Tullow, €30 for drag racing all day long, its not 100% as a drag strip but the facility is there for a straight up race against someone and thats what happens on the roads. I know lads that would have thought about racing on the roads waiting for grudge matches at Tullow.

Ive done trackdays in Mondello and its never been cheaper than €150 a head, its expensive but I enjoy it. I can only afford to really go once a yar but its good craic. If it was €75 or something Id go more and so would others.

No way would I be sticking a stupid sticker on my car as a Badge to say im a safe driver...

Big Nasty

cronin_j wrote: »

Utter bollocks is what I think that is.

Cheap days out is where its at. Look at Tullow, €30 for drag racing all day long, its not 100% as a drag strip but the facility is there for a straight up race against someone and thats what happens on the roads. I know lads that would have thought about racing on the roads waiting for grudge matches at Tullow.

Ive done trackdays in Mondello and its never been cheaper than €150 a head, its expensive but I enjoy it. I can only afford to really go once a yar but its good craic. If it was €75 or something Id go more and so would others.

No way would I be sticking a stupid sticker on my car as a Badge to say im a safe driver...

That place in Tullow is dangerous as fook!

Tefral

MCMLXXV wrote: »

That place in Tullow is dangerous as fook!

Maybe, but its great craic, tis no more dangerous than drag racing out on the dual carriageway.

Atomic Pineapple

LIGHTNING wrote: »

How is either safe? That tullow places looks like a deathtrap, uneven surface, fences all over the place. No thanks!

At least it takes the general public out of the equation.

But in other aspects I agree its a terrible set up thats a disaster waiting to happen and when it does it will make it next to possible for anyone to set up a more professional drag strip in the republic.

Spectator safety there is ridiculous.

Esel

Imo, the invincible BRs will not pay a blind bit of attention to this 'initiative'.

Show everyone applying for a driving licence unedited, full-on, pictures or road carnage, bodies/body parts and all. That might have some effect...

Antiquo

Badly needed and I hope it maintains momentum. A cheap form of motorsport is badly needed as most trackdays, etc. are just too expensive for most younger drivers.

The RSA should move their attention to what young drivers are currently doing, i.e. drag racing up and down the dual cabbage way, drifting around the Tesco car park, racing around the ring road or driving offroad.

Clubs, tracks and ameneties (some named here) already exist for most of these activities but are either too expensive, poorly maintained, unsafe or too far from most people. The RSA needs to put emphasis on assiting in the development of these outlets and ameneties for use by everyone making them cheaper to use and more accesible to all drivers.

You will still get BRs going around who will never even think of joining some kind of club for organised motorsport but an increase in the GTC instead of spending money on camera vans FFS will have a positive impact on controlling that element. Fines and car seizure (figures which should be published monthly and used to directly fund this activity) will over time cut out not only BR activity but also stop yon muppet from sitting in the outside lane on his mobile doing the ton or flying through the red light in a bus lane.

Anyway it has to start somewhere and grow hopefully this is the start of a real effort that will succeed

BTW LIGHTNING that cheekyciento looks good crack and cheap too..tks for the info:cool:

projectgtr

MCMLXXV wrote: »

And Mondello could try charging reasonable prices for track days!

50 euro for an introduction day in your own car!! you would barely get a mini grand prix at the local gokart track for that!!

150 euro for a trackday isnt a bad price to be fair, im not gonna deny i would go more if it was cheaper, but its not a bad price all the same. Most lads would spend near that over a weekend out with the lads and i know what i would rather do

charlie1966

I like the idea. It shows a bit of lateral thinking on the part of the RSA(Not something they are known for) but I feel the momentum won't last. Shame really. I don't believe this initiative is about getting drivers into motorsport but about having an outlet for people who like to drive fast. This idea is not a panacea for fast driving problems on our roads but if given the support from the few tracks in Ireland then even if it saves one life it will be worth it. Instead of complaining about the initiative, why not try to find ways to support it.

If you are looking for cheap motorsport to get involved in then why not have a look at grass track racing or autotesting.