It's amazing what they do though, it's amazing they can even get on those bikes considering how big their balls must be
Well it's always up to the racers... if they felt it was too dangerous, they wouldn't do it
Bike racing is a dangerous sport and the TT must rate as one of the most dangerous circuits, but most riders are willing to take risks. Some wouldnt do the TT, Barry Sheene being the most famous.
Fair play to him really, I know I'd rather slide on my arse over grass than hit a dry stone wall with my face.
It's amazing what they do though, it's amazing they can even get on those bikes considering how big their balls must be
Too right its too dangerous! - why do you think it attracts so may fans?
It's sad to think (but truly factual) that the majority of us actually find the spills n thrills the best part of racing (bikes & cars)
. I have some early films of brooklands when bodies were scraped up, moved to one side and on with the racing. I'm also finding myself moving
from watching F1 to super bike racing (what a show at the weekend). It must be animal instinct
Just a shame that there are casualties.
We are so safety conscious these days - look at Buttons 180mph walk away crash - unbelievable a few years ago.
street circuits just arent safe. monaco f1 gp should be scrapped, its boring anyway (on that basis the whole f1 calendar might disappear though!). Plus the TT should have a safety review, at the minimum remove the damn lampposts!
ive been to the TT,its not just the racing,its the campfires,the larfs and the in-edible meat pies that are tha main attraction
The odd beer as well John from what I remember
Mackie you are dead right.
The TT is the most dangerous race ever. I don't have dates and figures to hand, but IIRC there has only been one year without fatalities since
it's inception 100 odd years ago.
The real travesty is the pitance that is awarded in prize money, and it doesn't even guarentee a world or even british championship ride. (Used
to in the 80'S)
The riders are true heros.
I was there when Foggy broke the lap record in record in '91 and he vowed never to race on the Island again after his bike fell apart on the
final lap.
Most definately too dangerous and one of the greatest racing events you'll ever see.
Go to the Island before they ban it.
John
Since the TT was taken off the Grand Prix circuit many years ago no rider is compeled to ride there.
Having known a TT rider and his family I can only repeat his view:
He loved the island and the TT and he always used to say that he would keep doing it even if it meant him comming home in a box - He came home in a
box and his family still support the event - they are there this year.
Surely that is a choice that an individual is entitled to make. he and many others new that there were ways it could be made safer and made thier
views known but they still raced. It is not up to the rest of us to dictate to others what risks they can and can't take.
I do of course make a distinction here between a professional experienced rider who takes a calculated risk as opposed to the general punters doing
stupid things because they don't know any better.
Of course it is too dangerous - if that is what you think. My view is that anyone taking part knows the risks, but what the hell, life is a big risk
so best to enjoy it.
There is too much that we aren't allowed (or supposed) to do because it is dangerous, but surely if it doesn't harm anyone else and we want
to do it it should be allowed.
Personally, I wouldn't trust myself on a powerful bike because of the risk, but given the opportunity to drive flat around the TT cicuit in a
road car I would go for it.
on my way to work I go thro a place called stoke goldington in bucks
A guy hit a dry wall there in a 30 zone (prob not doing 30 tho) and totalled himself just 2 weeks ago. The car option may not be much safer!
I bet they get more fatalities from private cars and bikes in the two weeks than they do from the competitors, its just what hits the headlines.
there where 12 serious accidents this sunday one of them was a friend of my mums.I can understand the thrill the place where else can you ride or driver over the same roads as the pros,but at what cost?
Guys, did anyone get killed this year?
It's not well covered over here...
I think there were two people killed this year.
I know a car isn't safe, but there is that psychological feeling of being in something protective.
I was Marshalling at Harewood Hillclimb on Sunday and we had bikes and sidecar combinations there along with the usual cars. Many of the bikes
weren't that impressive (probably not ideal for them) but the sidecar people are absolute nutters - especially the pillion
Looks far too
dangerous to me. We breathed a sigh of relief each time a bike successfully passed our corner.
quote:
Originally posted by theconrodkid
ive been to the TT,its not just the racing,its the campfires,the larfs and the in-edible meat pies that are tha main attraction
Speaking of road cars, have any of you seen the "TT Challenge" video made by the late Tony Pond? That still ranks as the most amazing piece
of fast road driving I have every seen, it is truly mesmerising!!
You can get a copy on Amazon for just £6.99 here
Well worth having in your collection!!
Cheers,
Craig.
i'm an ex marshal and remember watching f1 side cars (i think) and the passengers had knee sliders attached to their bums !!!
I've heard about the Tony Pond record. He did it in a Rover 800!!
I think I'll order that DVD to add to my collection
quote:
Originally posted by nicklondon
i'm an ex marshal and remember watching f1 side cars (i think) and the passengers had knee sliders attached to their bums !!!
I've watched most of the real life series about the emergency team at an East London hospital, and also every week they is some guy in leathers
sprawled across the road with blood ozzing out of him. And ever single time it's because a car pulled out in front of him. Doesn't matter
how safe you ride them - they're bloody dangerous.
I used to ride a bike (and in London), but when I got married ( and after a few people I knew got hurt/killed) I sold it. Thats' why I got into
building the locost - bit of a speed thrill but much safer. I think bikes are like fags and beer - if they just invented them now they never be
allowed 
the number of killed this year is 6 
quote:
Originally posted by Jasper
I've watched most of the real life series about the emergency team at an East London hospital, and also every week they is some guy in leathers sprawled across the road with blood ozzing out of him. And ever single time it's because a car pulled out in front of him. Doesn't matter how safe you ride them - they're bloody dangerous....
I agree with spunky
Bikes are not dangerous, its only when the rider is travelling at 70mph and is no longer as close to the bike as he would like, that things become
dangerous.
What ever the blame in a situation, the biker almost always comes off a close second
quote:
Originally posted by spunky
WHAT UTTER BOLLOCKS...
Can you explain to me how its the bike that is dangerous when the accident is caused by a wanker in a car pulling out on them....
My take on that scenario is its the car and the twat driving it that should be banned.
John
I remember a few years ago seeing Steve Hyslop (IIRC) in the TT sliding backwards on his ar$e at over 100MPH and just missing a stone dyke. He got
away with it with only minor abrasions etc but he was nearly turned into mush.
However, I must say I think the world we live in these days is far too safe in many respects so I fully support having the choice to pursue dangerous
sports provided the danger is contained and only exposed to those who willingly participate.
Cheers,
Craig.
quote]Originally posted by Jasper
Ban the car driver all you like - won't make any odds to the biker lying in the morgue will it. Or course it's the drivers fault, it often
is, but that doesn't make riding a bike any less dangerous.
If you both actually read what I said you would realise that I'm not having a go at bikers - most bikers (and I was one remember) are very good
riders - and tend to make for safe car drivers too.
What I actually said is that riding a bike is bloody dangerous BECAUSE most car drivers are useless. You can be as careful as you like on a bike -
wear all the protective clothing you want - but if some idiot in a car (who's probably got a mobile in his hand) pulls out on you - your f*cked.
If he pulls out on you and your in a car (and there's a much better chance that he will SEE you in a car) then you might more likely to walk out
unhurt. Just because your less likey to hurt other people doesn't mean what your doing is safe - otherwise they would let bikers ride around in
the nude with no helmet!
I think any who thinks that riding a bike is safe is in cloud cuckoo land.
I'm not saying that people shouldnt be allowed to ride them - as long as they understand the risks - and I don't think a lot of teenage
riders do - cos we all thought we were indstructable at that age.
[Edited on 10/6/04 by Jasper]
quote:
Originally posted by Jasper
.........riding a bike is bloody dangerous BECAUSE most car drivers are useless......
I live near Powersports bike shop in Clay Cross and I see a lot of bikers and I would say that the balance is pretty equal between pricks on bikes and in cars. I have a bike and a car full licence and I know what I see. Bikes ignoring the 50 and 30 limits in a built up area and passing cars and cutting in at the last second forcing sudden braking and evasive manouevres and they are only going another mile up the road. The time they save doesn't even give them chance to roll a fag. If they mellowed a bit they wouldn't need the fag to calm their nerves when they got there. T.T. riders don't have something coming at them in the other direction so they are safer and yet still come off and get injured or killed. Read on Pheads where bikers moan about slower moving traffic hindering them, usually because it's travelling at the legal limit, one genius even said that solid white lines and zig zags shouldn't apply to bikes as they have the ability to "blend into traffic", that's how my mate lost his leg blending into the side of an artic and being thrown onto the hitch with his leg in the wheel. We all think it will always happen to someone else but one day the other bloke will be right and we are the someone else.
John - I agree we are arguing over words, not ideas.......
And yes Pete, there ar plenty of nutters on bikes, it's just so easy to go much to fast on a sports bike - that's why I gave it up!
Thank you Peteff,
A prick on a bike is as dangerous as a prick in a car. My point exactly. It is the individual at the controls that is dangerous not the machine.
If I may defend my comment on feeling 'safer' on a bike. I have far better forward visabilty, I can accelerate away from trouble faster than
any car, reaction time for brake application is considerably quicker than a car, I am more manouverable and a lot narrower.
I fully understand that if it goes belly up, I'm gonna be hurt.
BTW I'm not some young loony on his first Fireblade. I rigidly adhere to urban speed limits, much to the annoyance of some tintop drivers and
only use the speed on national limit A and B roads.
Back to the Poll. I believe it was "is the TT race too dangerous" not " are the bikes at the TT too dangerous"
John
http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/safer-rider/
Posted by a policeman on there, it dispels a few myths about cars causing most accidents.
Good site, Pete!
Dave
(who used to be frequent bike rider - 400 miles/week)
i'm not anti-bike,its seams such an awfull waste of lives up to 8 now
i just cant believe big brother allows it still. the nanny state and all that.
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
i just cant believe big brother allows it still. the nanny state and all that.