Wayne Gardner demands immediate TT ban

[Gremlin]

quite frankly, I am sick and tired of the PC brigade telling me how to wipe my arse, breathe and behave. Stop telling me how to live my life, and focus on yours. Let people do what they want, as long as they are not affecting innocent lives.

[scracha]

Oh and bring back throwing christians to the lions.

Im keen to see some of that shit !!

Funny how you can't get away with saying similar about Jews or Muslims?

Oh....IOM thing. It's the rider's choice. Do we ban base jumping, cycling, horse-riding etc as they're all high risk sports? Just because someone's competed at the top level in a given sport doesn't necessary make their opinion on the matter any more important than other competitors. It's a slippery path to go down when we start limiting other people's choice of activities in case they seriously injure or kill themselves. Oh wait....ACC have done that....fuck.

[jonbuoy]

Two people killed road racing on the IOM, 7 people on average killed on the roads in the UK every day. Every year people bleat about banning the TT - Its up to the competitors to decide when its too dangerous.

[Quasievil]

Two people killed road racing on the IOM, 7 people on average killed on the roads in the UK every day. Every year people bleat about banning the TT - Its up to the competitors to decide when its too dangerous.

One is an organised event one is not

[White trash]

I disagree completely....nobody that I know that rides a bike (racing or otherwise) gets on a bike thinking "I have a good chance I'm going to die" in their heads. On the contre, most people think "It'll never happen to me!"

This is true but they still think it will never happen to them.

The first part I agree with but the second I'm not so sure with. I understand your sentiment but modern society has certain morals and expectations that we set on people. Whilst most that know me will know I'm mainly for freedom of speech and choice but there has to be a line we draw in the sand if we want to retain our own sanity. To be very blunt and honest, most people (Public) go to the IOM to watch the crashes and people defying death, with some like my friend Paul Dobbs unfortunately not managing to on this occasion. The main attraction to this event if we are brutally honest is to see who makes it and who doesn't. Racers and motorcyclists will see it in a different light as we appreciate the talent these racers have too, but deep down we are just like the peasants of the Roman Empire days, sitting in the stands watching a slave take on a lion...already knowing the outcome.

The fact is, Choppa is right, anywhere else in the world this would already be over and dusted. I personally have no wish to ride the IOM as I did not take up the sport of racing to take risks that the odds simply do not stack up against. I only race street events in NZ to promote my sponsors otherwise I would not do it. Racing in my mind is not about pushing your luck or getting an adrenaline fix, it is about precision and race tactics, both of which can be achieved on a race track with sufficient runoff. Street racing is all about the crashes for the punter, and predominantly the atmosphere / heroism for the racers. There are of course exceptions to every rule.

You're joking right Marcus? You only race the streets because it's good for your sponsors yet you think it's to dangerous, am I reading you right? Well my boy, I suggest you get your arse the hell out of road racing please for the very simple following reason.

It's widely known that the streets are more dangerous to race on, there's no argument from me. Contrary to other posts spectators do not go to see crashes, they go for the closest racing the country can offer and be close to the action. But the racers go BY CHOICE, i.e knowing the risks.

Now if for some obscene reason you manage to kill yourself there, (heaven forbid), the last thing the organisers, public, benefiting communities, other racers, MNZ and YOUR SPONSORS need is your Mum, Dad and girlfriend being interviewed by the media stating you never wanted to race there but had to for your sponsors. Utter shit. Get out of steet racing now before you damage it further.

Ta

[roadracingoldfart]

I agree with Wayne's call but lets not get lost in the sentiment. Its the venue hes calling out at high noon , not the riders and not the sport.
Motorcycle racing is dangerous but who can state honestly " the track is safe " ? nobody ,
can it be stated
" the track is as safe as we can make it without turning it into a cotton wool track" ?
anybody that gives a shit about suffering.
If you add the dipsticks that kill themselves at the events expence on the Mad Sunday i bet the tally of lost souls is much higher than imagined.

Paul.

[Deano]

I disagree completely....nobody that I know that rides a bike (racing or otherwise) gets on a bike thinking "I have a good chance I'm going to die" in their heads. On the contre, most people think "It'll never happen to me!"

Hang on a minute - what do you have written on your leathers bro ?

[White trash]

Hang on a minute - what do you have written on your leathers bro ?

bingbingbing It appears it's there because it looks cool. Who'd have thought.......

[Biggles08]

Hang on a minute - what do you have written on your leathers bro ?

hehe... touché deano...but trash is right...its there because it looks cool and Ed Hardy used to sponsor me...its one of his tattoos.

[dipshit]

One is an organised event one is not

And one involves 35 million motor vehicle users and the other does not.

[gixerracer]

For fuck sake this old argument has been going on forever I have raced the IOM TT in 1999 and then again in 2000 and hell yea it is dangerous and i made the choice not to do it again. The thing that makes me laugh the most is 90% of the other Irish road races are a lot worse than the TT as they are a mass grid start and you are racing against each other on the most fucked up little narrow tracks you would ever see but nobody bitches about them.
Its a way of life for thwm folk and they love doing why take it away? How many people get killed or paralized from playing rugby every year lets ban the stupid crap game cause people are getting hurt (mind you if I hurt my toe playing rugby for my nation at least I get a good doctor and a decent rest)

[Kickaha]

For fuck sake this old argument has been going on forever I have raced the IOM TT in 1999 and then again in 2000 and hell yea it is dangerous and i made the choice not to do it again.

Was just the danger the reason you made the decision not to go back?

[Biggles08]

You're joking right Marcus? You only race the streets because it's good for your sponsors yet you think it's to dangerous, am I reading you right? Well my boy, I suggest you get your arse the hell out of road racing please for the very simple following reason.

It's widely known that the streets are more dangerous to race on, there's no argument from me. Contrary to other posts spectators do not go to see crashes, they go for the closest racing the country can offer and be close to the action. But the racers go BY CHOICE, i.e knowing the risks.

Now if for some obscene reason you manage to kill yourself there, (heaven forbid), the last thing the organisers, public, benefiting communities, other racers, MNZ and YOUR SPONSORS need is your Mum, Dad and girlfriend being interviewed by the media stating you never wanted to race there but had to for your sponsors. Utter shit. Get out of steet racing now before you damage it further.

Ta

I'm not joking Trash...its well known by everyone I don't really enjoy the streets...its no surprise. Many racers go compete at the street meetings in NZ only because they have responsibilitys to their sponsors, not because they think its 'good racing.' You cannot argue that Paeroa and Wangas is not a great event for publicity for anyone who is supporting a racer! And why is it such a well attended event by joe public? Because the organizers do a fantastic job promoting the event sure, but the real reason is because joe public like to watch people risking their lives for their entertainment. I'm sure you will agree road racing is completely different to track racing for many reasons, but the biggest reason is the surface condition and the lack of run-off. Like I said, I'm ONLY racing at street events for the 'event' sake and not the racing. The reason I don't race at pukekohe is for the same reason, lack of run-off...I'm just fortunate that my sponsors realize that there is not much of an 'event' at puke usually so the promotional benefits are not there for my sponsors, so no reason to ask me to race there.

I'm not saying I don't have a choice in the matter...we all have choices and we weigh up the risk vs return in competing. For myself, I'm happy with my ability to race at the streets in NZ if I maintain my sense of what I'm doing. I will not push myself to the same level I would if I were to be racing on a purpose built track. Everyone has there own thoughts on this I understand and I'm not forcing my opinion on it, I just believe some things run a natural lifespan and the IOM has run it. Paeroa and Wangas has not yet got to this point but should it get to such a point where we are losing at least 2 riders per year due 100% to the venue, I would have to say unfortunately that in my mind this is unacceptable and the venue should be closed.

[dipshit]

Its a way of life for thwm folk and they love doing why take it away?

The negative effect of the IoM being an international event and in the public's eye as it is - must be reinforcing in people's minds that motorcycles are dangerous suicide machines ridden by temporary citizens.

How many parents have forbidden their children from getting a road bike because they perceive them as too dangerous..???

How many law makers and the powers at be would like to ban motorcycles from the roads because they perceive them as too dangerous...???

Could such an event be causing more harm than good to motorcycling...???

[Quasievil]

And one involves 35 million motor vehicle users and the other does not.

And your Point? close the roads ?