[BBC News] Race accident figures 'worrying'

[*daniel*]

Right - here it is in a fucking nut shell for you "If it was a music festival and 5 people died every year - it would have been stopped years ago - FULL STOP"

 

Erm, not quite. People die getting to and from Glastonbury every year. They die getting to and from the Chelsea flower show every year. Those festivals still go on.

 

People die in racing every year, all over the place. Did you know that during practice for the BSB at Mallory last year someone died? Someone died a Oulton Park a few year ago too. They were reported but it was not sensationalised because he was not particularly famous and it was not the TT. These were "Sterile" tracks.

 

But this is not GETTING to the festival. This is THE FESTIVAL.

 

 

Course it's not, the festival as it were is the races, no-one died this year did they? You can't really expect much less then a few deaths on the road by the public, lets face it, foreigners driving on unfamiliar roads to them on bikes, bikes being generally more lethal than being in a car and also being able to generally go quicker and a large increase on vehicles on the roads. You have to just accept the few bad points if you want anything. We could either cut down every risk and live in a bubble, or we can take the possibility of a few bad things happening and have a good time, have something that could turn out to be very special, as i'm sure the races are to many folk.

 

People die hill walking in Scotland every year, people die in diving accidents, caving accidents, horse-riding etc

 

People getting killed whilst racing in the TT or riding beyond their limits on public roads is no different

 

But it is, since reckless riding on public roads poses a possible threat to others who aren't directly involved. The activities you cite don't.

 

He was using a comparison, sure it's hard to make EXACT comparisons with exactly the same details, I have a feeling your just being picky. The general message is the same - other sports have fatalities aswell so should we ban them using that

[sarahc]

With all these negative comments about the place, whether it's from the Police, public, media etc, it wouldn't surprise me to hear that the TT will finish in a few years time, probably in 2011 as it's the Centenary of the Mountain Course.

 

This is the next milestone for all the doomsayers out there. Seeing as it didn't end last year, which is what you were all saying leading up to that one.

[Lost Login]

With all these negative comments about the place, whether it's from the Police, public, media etc, it wouldn't surprise me to hear that the TT will finish in a few years time, probably in 2011 as it's the Centenary of the Mountain Course.

 

This is the next milestone for all the doomsayers out there. Seeing as it didn't end last year, which is what you were all saying leading up to that one.

 

I have no idea if it is doomed or not but the granting of TT Status to the races on the Saturday on the Billown circuit did get me wondering if there was a long term contingency plan to move some, many or all of the races at some point there.

[WTF]

With all these negative comments about the place, whether it's from the Police, public, media etc, it wouldn't surprise me to hear that the TT will finish in a few years time, probably in 2011 as it's the Centenary of the Mountain Course.

 

This is the next milestone for all the doomsayers out there. Seeing as it didn't end last year, which is what you were all saying leading up to that one.

 

 

and if it survives 2011 the next doomsday will be the actual 100th event, and then the 100th event on the mountain course??

[Max Power]

So, the TT as we know it is replaced with racing on a short safe circuit (I wish). Like this year and last years MGP no competitors are killed. However, like many events (not just motor sport) all over the world there are a few fatalities on the roads during the event. So the new 'safe' TT should be banned?

 

Yes the irresponsible idiots who ride like complete maniacs should be locked away. But a few of these serious accidents this year as in most years took place in 30mph limits and the blame lies with careless local motorists!!!

 

I love the pontificating on here of people who are so imbalanced in their views that they are in danger of falling head first into their own cesspit!

[thebees]

Go Max! Go Max!

[The_Godfather]

Ok, time for my rant as a manx biker....

Years ago it was always acceptable and anticipated that accidents and fatalities were part and parcel of TT. However, that was when we had a flourishing tourist industry. Since the Island became a corrupt tax haven for businesses and off shore money laundering, we seem to no longer need any tourists or TT fans!!!! That is why so many speed limits are appearing and people are doing as much moaning as they can to stop the racing.

 

TT is a part of our heritage and has put us on the map for 100 years. It's only moaning comeovers that are killing the only things we have to be proud off.... Of course it's a terrible and sellfish sport with the risks but we all know what the risks are.. How about how many Surfers die each year, put 40,000 surfers in an ocean and see how many die for the love of their sport.

Rant Over....

[Static]

How about how many Surfers die each year, put 40,000 surfers in an ocean and see how many die for the love of their sport.

Rant Over....

 

"Each year America's surf lifeguards rescue over 60,000 people from drowning.

 

Of these, over 80% are rescues of people caught in rip currents.

In the absence of timely rescue, we believe that over 80% of the drowning fatalities at surf beaches are also caused by rip currents.

We estimate that well over 100 fatalities a year are caused by rip currents. "

 

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ripcurrents/faq.shtml

 

Obviously I don't know how many people in total used those surf beaches to calculate the ratio of deaths against users. For this years TT we had 4 deaths from what? 35,000 bikers? So to round up, 1 death per 10,000 visitors. Comparing that to surf beaches. there would have to be 10 milion users to get the same ratio.

 

Actually there is one figure of use there.....60,000 are rescued each year from drowning yet 100 still die. So that's 1 death per 600 surfers rescued. Worse figures than the TT!

 

(Can't you tell i've nothing better to do!).

[Pale Rider]

Like any professional racing drivers/riders, the TT competitors know what they are getting into. It is always sad when a professional rider dies, but the fact is any motorsport is dangerous. (And lets not forget there were no deaths during the races this year).

 

With the sad death of Robert Dunlop, you don't hear everyone up in arms that the NW200 should be cancelled? Was F1 cancelled when Ayrton Senna died? It is an unfortunate side to any motorsport event but it is always a risk that something could go wrong.

 

The people that think the TT should be cancelled altogether should consider this. The TT is about the only big event that still attracts tourists to the island, even if it is only for 2 weeks of the year. It is the thing the Isle of Man is best known for the world over. Take that away, and you may miss its contribution to the islands economy more than you think.

 

One thing that is sure to harm the TT, is the minority of visiting bikers that decide to ride like idiots on the public roads. For the worst offences, heavy penalties and confiscation of offenders bike until they are heading back to the ferries may be the only way to get across that the racing happens when the roads are closed, not open.

[Lost Login]

Obviously I don't know how many people in total used those surf beaches to calculate the ratio of deaths against users. For this years TT we had 4 deaths from what? 35,000 bikers? So to round up, 1 death per 10,000 visitors. Comparing that to surf beaches. there would have to be 10 milion users to get the same ratio.

 

Actually there is one figure of use there.....60,000 are rescued each year from drowning yet 100 still die. So that's 1 death per 600 surfers rescued. Worse figures than the TT!

 

(Can't you tell i've nothing better to do!).

 

Oh yippee another pointless TT stastics thread.

 

I know lets find the statistics for what causes the most deaths in the world, say from road accidents at 10,000 per year world wide, and then we can all sate that along as the TT causes less deaths then that it is fine.

 

I know lets go one step further, it appears that some argue that participants know the risks, and it does not cause the most deaths in the world from one activity it is fine. So why not make the IoM the captial of the world for dangerous activities, paint balling with real bullets say.

 

I was very please this year that there were no deaths, although a couple of incidents have left riders very badly injured but if we are going to quote statistcs let them be meaningful

[Lost Login]

Like any professional racing drivers/riders, the TT competitors know what they are getting into. It is always sad when a professional rider dies, but the fact is any motorsport is dangerous. (And lets not forget there were no deaths during the races this year).

 

I agree to that but I also believe that despite knowing the risks an event can be too dangerous. I was pleased that there were no deaths in the TT this year but, and this is why I believe the TT has outgown itself, it is more of a suprise when a TT passes and no rider dies than when there are fatalities. I personally find that unacceptable.

 

Now it may be that as a non biker my threshold of what I believe is accetable & what is not is low. But I also believe we would all have a theoretical point where the dangers are not acceptable be it in the TT or any sport or activity, be it one death every five years, ten a year or a hundred a year. I do not believe many would argue that no matter what the dangers are always acceptable.

 

If that was not the case then why do we spend a lot of time and money to make the races safer, putting up protective barriers etc. Surely if the only thing that is relevent is the riders knowing & accepting the risks in a dangerous sport then why is incubent to try and make it safer

[Lonan3]

But a few of these serious accidents this year as in most years took place in 30mph limits and the blame lies with careless local motorists!!!

 

Would you care to expand on that, please? I'm not criticising, just curious.

[yehyehyeh]

Ok, time for my rant as a manx biker....

Years ago it was always acceptable and anticipated that accidents and fatalities were part and parcel of TT. However, that was when we had a flourishing tourist industry. Since the Island became a corrupt tax haven for businesses and off shore money laundering, we seem to no longer need any tourists or TT fans!!!! That is why so many speed limits are appearing and people are doing as much moaning as they can to stop the racing.

 

TT is a part of our heritage and has put us on the map for 100 years. It's only moaning comeovers that are killing the only things we have to be proud off.... Of course it's a terrible and sellfish sport with the risks but we all know what the risks are.. How about how many Surfers die each year, put 40,000 surfers in an ocean and see how many die for the love of their sport.

Rant Over....

 

 

 

how many surfers kill innocent beach goers though?

 

 

thats not the profssionals though, and i agree anyone who watches or takes part knows the risks of TT, and they only have themselves responsible should anything go wrong

[WTF]

to add to the above, all the risks riders take during the TT are man made, surfers are contending with nature at her best, altogether more unpredictable along with the odd finned inhabitant.

[Cambon]

I must admit, it will be interesting to see where the IOM stands in 20 years or so. With the EU, UK and OECD doing their best to kill the finance industry and the comeovers and some locals trying to kill the only bit of tourism that remains, the future looks pretty bleak. One thing to keep in mind is when it all goes tits up, the comeovers will bugger off home and leave the locals to pick up the pieces.

 

If there is a 1 in 10,000 chance of being killed on the roads during TT, I think that is quite acceptible. It is slightly lower than the iom annual average from the 11 year study done by the government.