IOMTT 130 mph lap

[Cleve]

I am a great supporter of personal choice and in fact LOATHE this nanny state we are in, but I think there needs to be a bit of thought about how much personal choice some racers actually have about doing street races. There are a lot of spectators, TV audiences and sponsors etc at Paeroa, Wanganui and IOM etc. A young rider or any up and coming rider wanting to get noticed or keep any sponsor that he can get happy by getting TV coverage for them may not have that much "choice" about doing those events.

[BarryG]

Steve, I have to wonder at your reference ' - But is there an argument to be made here that many of the respondants here are actually waiting for those crashes?'.
Do you yourself think that, or did you just put it out there for discussion? I honestly doubt many of us go to races for the accidents. There may be an element of Joe Public who does, but really, that would be a pretty sick reason for watching something that could be dangerous, I think. Personally, I go because I've always had a passion for motorsports, bikes in particular, I know what it takes to do it, and in my dotage (and restricting myself to track days) I still admire greatly the skills shown on a racetrack and still love to watch those skills on display.
I hope you're wrong, that's all.

Cheers
Barry

PS I would love to do an IOMTT trip soon - before the races go away, or are taken away by the do-gooders.

[scott411]

A young rider or any up and coming rider wanting to get noticed or keep any sponsor that he can get happy by getting TV coverage for them may not have that much "choice" about doing those events.

a bit of truth to this in some respects, however some young riders have stayed away and did not seem to hurt them, Sam Smith only raced the streets for the 1st time this year and then sat out pearoa, i think if these events died then a lot of the sponsorshiop would to, thier are not 10000 people to race infront of at any of the natioanl rounds

[steveyb]

Steve, i have big problems with people who do not want to ride somewhere banning other people that do, I tlaked to Russell Josiah about the isle of man and he went once and did not want to go back, his choice, Barry Sheene made his choice as well, let people make thier choice, if no one wanted ot ride it, the race would die,

as for street races in NZ, i raced them for the 1st time this year, year it is scary running down the front straight of pearoa so close to those water barriers, its a hell of a lot of fun to, if you do not want to race them fine, but don;t stop me, ill be back, I went to see Jared Love in hospital with two broken ankles as well, i bet hes back next year as well

i agree with them not being in the NZ road race titles, and i support riders who do not want to ride them, let them have thier choice, let me have mine to

Indeed, I fully support that argument, that everyone should have a choice and be able to take advantage of those choices, such is the nature of a free society. I would however say that sooner or later one of those that get badly hurt or worse will be your mate. You will very likely change your mind at that point.

One of the best quotations I have seen is on the Korea War Memorial in Washington DC (sure it can be attributed to someone): "Freedom is not Free"

Don't get me wrong, I guess I don't want anyone to ban such things out of hand, (which is what it sounded like I was advocating I guess) and if the price to pay for such a 'spectacle' (ch'e spetacolo) is that some people are killed doing what they want, then who am I to say no you can't do it. But I ask, is the price too high? Is it really so worth it?

My opinion is that it is not.

Cheers all, said enough now.

Steve