Paeroa Battle of the Streets 2014

[MIXONE]

A life ban for doing a wheelie.What sort of PC bullshit is that?

[SPman]

A life ban for doing a wheelie.What sort of PC bullshit is that?

The same sort of bullshit that always occurs when little authoritarians with big egos and a bullying personality, feel their "authority" is being threatened!

[trustme]

The way I see it, if an event organiser is charging competitors to race at an event and they are charging the public to spectate at an event they should be offering some sort of reward to the competitors who are actually the ones taking the ultimate risk and who are the people that the public are coming to see.

I would hazard a guess that those competitors who say they don't want prize money are quite likely those who would have little chance of being in the running for any prize money anyway. (I'm happy to be corrected if that isn't the case).

It seems that a lot of race organisers are taking a lead from the very top of the sport with how the likes of Youthstream (MXGP) appear to see themselves as being greater than those that are actually doing the competing.

I would be the first to admit that I am not at the pointy end of the field so prize money is irrelevant. I know a few who frequent the pointy end & never heard them moan about the lack of prize money

The way I see it the club organises these race meetings for the benefit of the members who wish to race their bikes. Ultimately the club is US, organising races for OUR benefit. The club attempts to do no more than break even, some meetings make a buck , some don't. If the club had to pay prize money the entry fees would rise , this would be of benefit to the few at the pointy end but the great unwashed would simply find the cost of competing would escalate & fewer would participate, [ entry numbers are already down & no, it is not due to a lack of prize money ]. Alternatively the club could pay prize money , go broke & we would all be losers.

[nodrog:Me]

Patric is a good guy and a genuine celebrity. He was intially disqualified for the wheelie but when he kicked up about it he was then banned. I was talking to him at Paeroa and he said that the event organiser asked him to register after MNZ had told him it wasn't them behind the ban, but was the event organisers!

Then at the last minute the organiser, (I'm not using names here), rang Patric and said that at an emergency meeting, he was told by MNZ that if they let Patric race, MNZ would not turn up. So it appears that MNZ are behind the ban after all.

Whatever the story, it sucks and Patric feels he's had the guts ripped out of him.

While it is a shitty outcome for something quite entertaining and miniscule, I'm all for people getting the punishment everybody was told about at riders briefing.

Rules are rules no matter how dumb.

[skinman]

"Rules are rules no matter how dumb."

the council mantra

It is no excuse for asshole behaviour on the organisers (or any other organisations) part & never should be.

apply common sense FFS

[Edbear]

While it is a shitty outcome for something quite entertaining and miniscule, I'm all for people getting the punishment everybody was told about at riders briefing.

Rules are rules no matter how dumb.

If the riders were told at the briefing not to do it then it's fair that he was disqualified for flouting the rules despite his exuberance. However a life ban for arguing the point seems rather harsh.

[Mental Trousers]

While it is a shitty outcome for something quite entertaining and miniscule, I'm all for people getting the punishment everybody was told about at riders briefing.

Rules are rules no matter how dumb.

That's right. Everyone agrees to the MNZ Regs and Supplementary Regs and it's on the entry form as well

Wheel Standing. The organisers acknowledge that wheel standing is an accepted part of street racing. HOWEVER, THE STEWARDS WILL PUNISH OVERLY LONG OR SUSTAINED WHEEL STANDS, PARTICULARLY ON THE FRONT STRAIGHT.

It's there in plain English, it's even in caps to highlight it. So anyone who does pop a wheelie has already stated (by signing the form) they agree to abide by the rules and if they break those rules they acknowledge there will be some form of punishment.

If the riders were told at the briefing not to do it then it's fair that he was disqualified for flouting the rules despite his exuberance. However a life ban for arguing the point seems rather harsh.

I agree the life ban is very harsh. But having met Patric and talked to him a number of times I'm willing to bet the lifetime ban is because he wouldn't shut up.

[vinducati]

He has already been banned from certain trackday events.
I think his lively discussion with the people running it was the case.
I am sure he is am entertaining man but it seems he may have a few people who have perhaps had enough.

[scrivy]

The riders would probably want his head on their stick.

Only if he was awesome at it......

[Grumph]

I would be the first to admit that I am not at the pointy end of the field so prize money is irrelevant. I know a few who frequent the pointy end & never heard them moan about the lack of prize money

The way I see it the club organises these race meetings for the benefit of the members who wish to race their bikes. Ultimately the club is US, organising races for OUR benefit. The club attempts to do no more than break even, some meetings make a buck , some don't. If the club had to pay prize money the entry fees would rise , this would be of benefit to the few at the pointy end but the great unwashed would simply find the cost of competing would escalate & fewer would participate, [ entry numbers are already down & no, it is not due to a lack of prize money ]. Alternatively the club could pay prize money , go broke & we would all be losers.

Couple of questions...Do the Register actually charge admission at taupo ? And has taupo got different levels of hire fees depending on whether admission is charged or not ?

The SI circuits certainly do have different rates - roughly twice the cost at Ruapuna if you charge admission....This is how CAMS generally are able to cover costs - and it seems as though ambulance costs are lower here too.

Wheelies....I'd hope that Greymouth organisers among others take a lesson from Paeroa and actually state their policy in the supp regs...It's been the secret police in action for some years and no one has known precisely where they stand. I've been at meetings too where nothing has been said at briefing - again, uncertainty.

[merv]

Whereas back when Croz and co raced this was how you were supposed to ride. Photo from Facebook of a Canberra Street race 1978 - Stu Avant #2, Murray Sayle #22, Croz #68 and Robbie Phillis #32.

[leathel]

Whereas back when Croz and co raced this was how you were supposed to ride. Photo from Facebook of a Canberra Street race 1978 - Stu Avant #2, Murray Sayle #22, Croz #68 and Robbie Phillis #32.

Classic pic

Bit more room to the side of the tracks than Paeroa in that pic!


Although did they sign a form saying they weren't going to pull wheel stands then get upset and dispute the ruling when punished for breaking the rules?

[BigAl]

Whereas back when Croz and co raced this was how you were supposed to ride. Photo from Facebook of a Canberra Street race 1978 - Stu Avant #2, Murray Sayle #22, Croz #68 and Robbie Phillis #32.

Ahh the good old days without the PC Nazis!

[merv]

Ahh the good old days without the PC Nazis!

Yeah they would have been encouraged to ride like that to increase the spectacle, but now we just see a decrease of the spectators - roll on the slow demise of the sport.

I suppose moto-x guys won't be allowed to fly over jumps soon either and will have to keep their wheels on the ground at all times, in case, yes in case, they have too much fun and the crowd smiles too much.

[Kickaha]

Yeah they would have been encouraged to ride like that to increase the spectacle, but now we just a decrease of the spectators - roll on the slow demise of the sport..

How much do you think it would hasten the demise of the event if a fucked up wheelie put a bike into the crowd?