Road Racing - Just too dangerous ?

ratedR

I consider myself to be a motorsport fan. Follow F1 and the WRC, and local rallying, although I've taken my eye off it the past few years.
In the last 2 years or so I've started to watch the Moto Gp too. Im not really a bike fan at all. I'm into my cars, and have had a few quick road cars over the years, but never bikes, I just find them too dangerous, and to be honest, wouldn't trust myself on one.

Anyway while I enjoy watching the Moto Gp, as I've said, I just do not understand road racing.
Yes, it looks mighty impressive, and those lads cleary have balls of steel. But as we all know, theres a fine line between bravery and stupidity, and I reckon a lot of these lads are the wrong side of that line.

Now I'm no prude. I've done some silly things in cars over the years. But as I got a bit older I copped on, and got into trackdays and the like.

So I don't understand why these lads, especially the lads with young familys, put themselves in these positions. As I said, I don't follow the sport. But it seems to me every year around this time, 2 or 3 lads seem to get killed road racing. And most of the time they seem to leave behind young kids. Is it a bit selfish ?

In moto gp, the guys can have a big crash, but because of run of areas, hans devices, and those inflatable race suits, can walk away. F1 has come on leaps and bounds safety wise in the past 20 years. Rally cars can survive massive impacts and the guys inside can still walk away.
Of course fatalities still happen, But they are few and far between in these sports, and the guys involved, while knowing the risks, put their trust in the measures provided to keep them safe.

With road racing, it seems to me, you come off at high speed, you're probably in serious trouble. What safety measures are in place ? A set of leathers and a few bales ?? It seems an inevitably that a couple of guys are going to be killed every year when this comes around. In this day and age that can't be acceptable.

h3000

The guys who road race do it because it's their passion. Most of them would have grown up around road racing, their fathers, brothers or uncles would often have raced before them. It also takes different skills to race a bike on (closed) public roads compared to circut racing. I really don't think the likes of Rossi, Stoner or Lorenzo would be able to keep up with John McGuinness or Guy Martin accross the IOM of the NorthWest 200.

Is it dangerous? Most certainly

Is it too dangerous? Thats up to the guy who gets on the bike. They know full well all the risks before they ever start. As long as the motor/bike clubs keep spectators save and provide the riders with the safest possible enviornment to race in nobody should stop them competing.

amacachi

I don't understand why they do it but it's up to them. There's enough thing banned for "our own good" as it is.

du Maurier

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFdGKeQph-Q

Phew! For spectators too..

EvilMonkey

No it is not too dangerous. Who do you think you are calling any any road racer stupid when you admit you don't have a clew what your talking about. I don't know why your comparing road racing under controlled conditions by licensed competitors to acting the bollocks in a car on public roads. :rolleyes:

pdbhp

Racing bikes is inherently dangerous, thats the attraction for most people.
Yes on any circuit an accident can land you in trouble but isn't that what made the human race so good. Would you think that Columbus thought that sailing into the unknown was dangerous? well he definitly did but that didn't stop him and it wouldn't put most racers off.

These lads are not forced into racing on the roads infact it's usually them begging their teams to run a bike at the Northwest or TT, sure some of the greatest road racers have perished and sad as it is people will always flock to race/watch these gladiators of the road.

ratedR

EvilMonkey wrote: »

No it is not too dangerous. Who do you think you are calling any any road racer stupid when you admit you don't have a clew what your talking about. I don't know why your comparing road racing under controlled conditions by licensed competitors to acting the bollocks in a car on public roads. :rolleyes:

I think that I'm a person entitled to an opinion. I may not have a clew about road racing per say, but I've seen it on tv, and attented enough race events to see the difference in safety measures taken. It's a sad thing to open a newspaper and see another life claimed and family destoyed by a sport and a passion. Surely it can be made someway safer ?

Most people who have replied to this thread agree that is is very dangerous, but it's up to the person getting on the bike, which I agree with 100%. But you don't even seem to thinks it's dangerous. So maybe you're the one who doesn't have a clue.

Sids Not

Very sad....RIP Ben...

http://www.britishsuperbike.com/news/msvr-statement-benjamin-gautrey.aspx

Was enjoying the racing yesterday till this happened...knew he was poorly ..poor lad.....

Anyway OP....stick to your car me thinks....road racing is a very sensative subject...even amongst bike race fans....;)

EvilMonkey

ratedR wrote: »

I think that I'm a person entitled to an opinion. I may not have a clew about road racing per say, but I've seen it on tv, and attented enough race events to see the difference in safety measures taken. It's a sad thing to open a newspaper and see another life claimed and family destoyed by a sport and a passion. Surely it can be made someway safer ?

Most people who have replied to this thread agree that is is very dangerous, but it's up to the person getting on the bike, which I agree with 100%. But you don't even seem to thinks it's dangerous. So maybe you're the one who doesn't have a clue.

I never said it wasn't dangerous I said its not too dangerous and certainly doesn't need to be banned. All measures possible are taken to ensure safety. Competitors and spectators know the risks involved better than anyone yet they choose to participate. These are people that race because they love the sport put their lives into it and not just by being involved in a fatal accident.
Your entitled to you uninformed opinion but maybe you should go to a race and talk to some of the racers or their families before calling them stupid. But i spelt a word wrong so you are probably right. Lets ban all sports that don't have the safety measures of F1

Corsendonk

BBC4 recently re-ran a documentary on the deaths and safety measures in Formula 1 in the 60s-70s, there were so many parallels with safety in road racing. The machines were getting faster and faster but the safety measures were way behind with no planning in the event of accidents. The recent high profile deaths in road racing have actually made the bike clubs get there act together down south. That said the Celtic Tiger hasn't helped the safety of Irish circuits with more gateways with pillars and walls constructed on countryside circuits such as Skerries and Kilalaine.

Just to show the little margin for error on road races tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vqhrPx8CcQ

ratedR

Sids Not wrote: »

Anyway OP....stick to your car me thinks....road racing is a very sensative subject...even amongst bike race fans....;)

I realise it's a very sensitive time for this sport. But theres no point surely in burying your head in the sand and not talking about how it can be made safer ?

@Evilmonkey. Ok, I withdrawn my original statement about bravery/stupidity. But I'm unsure how my opinion is uninformed ?
I never once called for the sport to be banned. I wasn't even remotely suggesting that. Read back and you'll see. My opinion is that the sport needs to be made safer. I understand that people love the sport, are passionate about it, and that it's usually in there blood. But the lists of people losing their lives doing it is crazy and surely something needs to be done ? It must be so hard on wives/girlfriends/mums and dads watching their loved ones riding.

Corsendork made a great point about F1 and I watched that documentary myself. Of course it can be argued that the money isn't there to bring the safety up to standard.

I don't want to harp on, and this will be my last post on the topic. I was just trying to understand, as an outsider, how this trend continues to happen, and why it seems to be widely accepted. I have several friends into the sport, and I always hear - RIP, great rider, its a sad loss. But never - jesus, what can be done to prevent this.
I'll dip back to F1 again because the likes of Jackie Stewart wasn't willing to accept it, when others around him were. Prost wasn't either. And eventually everybody came around to their way of thinking. Again, I know, money.

Anyway, maybe this should be locked ? I realise this is a very sad time, and I'm really not trying to be insensitive or disrespectable to anyones memory.

Sids Not

My post was a indication of no matter how safe you THINK you make bike racing you'll never satisfy the PC crowd.....accidents happen..
It was said last night on tv that more people are killed and injured in equestrian events in the uk than in road racing..but theres no mention of this ....
OP, we know where youre coming from, even i have mates who ride bikes who think road racing should be banned and should be confined to circuits :eek:....and piss and moan every time some rider gets killed..but still piss and moan about boring Moto GP racing.......
You just cant please everyone all the time...;)

Kev_ps3

The riders know the risks better than anyone. Of course its dangerous but its a great sport to follow and it should continue.

h3000

Here's a riders view of the dangers of road racing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhA_U6LStQA

karlram

everyone knows the dangers of this epic sport. the riders know what theyre doing and have to prove themselves cappable on a circut over many races before being allowed to road race. most their families follow and support them in what they do. its the most exciting and adrenaline filled sport ever in my opinion. both competitors and spectators know the risks involved in it and if they dont they shouldnt go anywhere near it. thats where the stupidity lies. but if you talked to any of these men they'll tell you they know the risks but they love the sport and have passion for it thats why they do it.

karlram

the movie/ documentary TT3d will be coming out soon and gives anyone who knows nothing or is an avid fan of road racing an amazing insight into the sport. watch it then let us know what you think OP

homer simpson

Sids Not wrote: »

My post was a indication of no matter how safe you THINK you make bike racing you'll never satisfy the PC crowd.....accidents happen..
It was said last night on tv that more people are killed and injured in equestrian events in the uk than in road racing..but theres no mention of this ....
OP, we know where youre coming from, even i have mates who ride bikes who think road racing should be banned and should be confined to circuits :eek:....and piss and moan every time some rider gets killed..but still piss and moan about boring Moto GP racing.......
You just cant please all the **** all the time...;)

Heres the thing though, re the bit in bold above, there are far far more equestrian events held around the UK than there are road racing events, i reckon that if you done a % thingy where by you get the precentage of people killed and then of people injured versus the amount of people taking part the results would tell a different story..... road racing would be way way ahead on precentage's.

Sids Not

homer_simpson wrote: »

Heres the thing though, re the bit in bold above, there are far far more equestrian events held around the UK than there are road racing events, i reckon that if you done a % thingy where by you get the precentage of people killed and then of people injured versus the amount of people taking part the results would tell a different story..... road racing would be way way ahead on precentage's.

So you're saying that its too dangerous and should be banned then...or are you just sticking up for the horsey brigade..

homer simpson

Sids Not wrote: »

So you're saying that its too dangerous and should be banned then...or are you just sticking up for the horsey brigade..

Why do i have to be have to be for or against anything. I'm making a point, a point you seem to be unable to accept is right.

Sids Not

homer_simpson wrote: »

Why do i have to be have to be for or against anything. I'm making a point, a point you seem to be unable to accept is right.

:rolleyes:....So you're saying that just because theres far more horsey events than RR events, that in some way makes the deaths of the horse riders less important.....in my head that makes a call for horse events to be banned a more serious matter....

I think at ATEOTD if these road deaths were happening on "the mainland" then racing would have been banned a long time ago...imo...;)

homer simpson

Sids Not wrote: »

:rolleyes:....So you're saying that just because theres far more horsey events than RR events, that in some way makes the deaths of the horse riders less important.....in my head that makes a call for horse events to be banned a more serious matter....

I think at ATEOTD if these road deaths were happening on "the mainland" then racing would have been banned a long time ago...imo...;)

Are you a politician ????

I'm not saying horse related deaths are less impostant at all, where the hell do ya see that, lol? What im saying is the number of people taking part versus the number of deaths in each sports would make road racing far far more dangerous than horse racing events. I'm not going to say it again, although you will likley find some way of advoiding admitting the point I make (which is correcting a misguided / wrong comment you claim to have seen on the TV the other night, lol) is right!

The question is "Is road racing too dangerous"? You made a comment saying there are more deaths in Horse events, implying that Horse , equesteran events are more dangerous, which is a load of horse manure :pac: Road racing is by far more dangerous than Equesteran events, pretty much every man and his dog can see that!

This is going way way off topic so i won't be replying again.

Sids Not

[QUOTE=homer_simpson;74218157This is going way way off topic so i won't be replying again.[/QUOTE]


Thank christ for that....talk about floggin a dead horserider.....:p


To sum up then....Road racing is dangerous....the guys that do it do it because they love it, not cause they have to...they dont have to justify why they do it to anyone but themselves..it will never be made totally safe, same for circuit racing ...
The op mentioned his like of rallying..this too is an extremely dangerous motorsport...with all the safety gear on/in and around the cars and circuits drivers still get killed....its a motorsport thing...men and motors...:)

De Hipster

Sids Not wrote: »

Thank christ for that....talk about floggin a dead horserider.....:p

drivers still get killed....its a motorsport thing...men and motors...:)

As a female competitor (not bikes - I don't have the balls!) - Extremely sexist! ;-)

Road racing, as with all motorsport is adrenaline, skill & fearless drive to compete and win. Competitors are to be revered & respected for their unwavering commitment to the sport they love.

Take for instance the Dunlops, father & uncle tragically killed while competing and both Michael & William are very talented, daring and devoted competitors, they do not deserve to be criticised for their love of the sport that they have been raised in.

Ask Philip McCallum, a competitor who retired having seen many fellow competitors, friends and paddock colleagues die at the hands of the sport, if he would turn back the clock and not compete.

Road racing has lost many a great and skillful rider over the years, ask any of their loved ones if they would take all that away to still have them here - possibly not all but a surprising number wouldn't change or blame the sport.

h3000

De Hipster wrote: »

As a female competitor (not bikes - I don't have the balls!) - Extremely sexist! ;-)

Road racing, as with all motorsport is adrenaline, skill & fearless drive to compete and win. Competitors are to be revered & respected for their unwavering commitment to the sport they love.

Take for instance the Dunlops, father & uncle tragically killed while competing and both Michael & William are very talented, daring and devoted competitors, they do not deserve to be criticised for their love of the sport that they have been raised in.

Ask Philip McCallum, a competitor who retired having seen many fellow competitors, friends and paddock colleagues die at the hands of the sport, if he would turn back the clock and not compete.

Road racing has lost many a great and skillful rider over the years, ask any of their loved ones if they would take all that away to still have them here - possibly not all but a surprising number wouldn't change or blame the sport.

Two days after Robert was killed his son Michael won the 250 race in the NW200, the very class his dad was killed in during the practice session. The passion these guys have for road racing is unbelievable.

You might need your tissues for this one. I know I did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9EqA2J4_9w