Wayne Gardner demands immediate TT ban

[gixerracer]

Yea pretty much, I had a very young family at the time and it just seemed very sellfish of me, if I was single I may have stayed over there, I was the fastest ever newcomer to lap the Island on a 600 at the time which is why I went back because I got a deal I couldnt say no to but once I was there and the deal wasnt really what It cracked up to be i couldnt wait to get out of there.
I do see why people love it as on a nice day when you feel you have done a good lap it is a great feeling but man you want to do some laps around there in the rain and fog it freaked me out lol

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

[Biggles08]

... I went back because I got a deal I couldnt say no to but once I was there and the deal wasnt really what It cracked up to be i couldnt wait to get out of there.

So in essence you are somewhat agreeing with Wayne G then? There certainly are racers that only do it because of the 'deal' and this is a massive (sometimes singular) incentive to go compete?

[Mental Trousers]

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.

The IOM is relatively safe compared to that shit. They're crazy, and I mean crazy. They're riding 200+ horse power bikes on farm tracks where cars have to put a wheel on the grass when they meet going opposite directions. And those are the larger races that have tv cameras there, not the club races that are even dodgier.

Gotta respect someone who has actually been there, done that and says "no thanks but you guys keep on doing what you're doing". Onya

[gixerracer]

No I do not agree with gardner I made the choice to not go back a third time or many more The deal I got was not based on money as it cost me maybe 10k still but the bike I was offered had won its class at the previous 4 TT's and was owned by Honda UK so thought it may be a way in to the short track BSB thing but that is not the case nowdays and they all no it. I went back simply because I thought I may be able to win a TT race which would have been kind of cool trophy

So in essence you are somewhat agreeing with Wayne G then? There certainly are racers that only do it because of the 'deal' and this is a massive (sometimes singular) incentive to go compete?

[steveyb]

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)

And let's face it, you need is a decent rest, or is that, all you do is have a decent rest most of the time?

[dipshit]

And your Point? close the roads ?

I was agreeing with you and saying comparing a race meeting to the UK's roads is silly.

"Two people killed road racing on the IOM, 7 people on average killed on the roads in the UK every day."

"One is an organised event one is not"

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

[Quasievil]

I was agreeing with you and saying comparing a race meeting to the UK's roads is silly.

I aint to sharp after big brekky sunday

[Quasievil]

Form your own opinions,
Found this interesting.

[Tony.OK]

Ah the PC world we live in.....

Don't like it.........don't fucking do it then! Easy!

No one has to compete, if someone is pressured into competing at an event they don't want to do, well thats the riders fault then ain't it, not the event itself.

Its all about choices.........ya know......those things we are getting less and less of nowadays.

[scracha]

So in essence you are somewhat agreeing with Wayne G then? There certainly are racers that only do it because of the 'deal' and this is a massive (sometimes singular) incentive to go compete?

Nope. He's saying HE made the choice as opposed to somebody like Wayne G made it for him.

The IOM TT will die a death if and when sponsors/riders/insurers decide it's too dangerous and the number of riders decline. Or the IOM gubbernment start losing money because of the bad publicity.

[Kickaha]

Form your own opinions,
Found this interesting.

Where's the competitior numbers for those years to go with it?

[Quasievil]

Where's the competitior numbers for those years to go with it?

Yeah couldnt find that dude.

Faster bikes, same road same human brain is what I got from it

[Edbear]

Where's the competitior numbers for those years to go with it?

Yeah couldnt find that dude.

Faster bikes, same road same human brain is what I got from it

That's really the point. From an average of 40mph to 126mph on the same road. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it's a whole different ball game these days.

Sure it's a personal choice to race or not and the powers that be will decide the future of the TT based on factors that have been mentioned above, however we should take note of the opinions of professional and successful racers, for and against and I believe we shouldn't decry such when they voice their opinions.

It is apparent here that some do care about the life and health of others and are saddened by what they see as death unneccesary. I enjoy bike racing in general and don't subscribe to the cotton-wool approach but each time I watch the TT I am anxious for the riders who have little or no margin for error at the incredible speeds they are achieving on roads never intended to carry such.

[bsasuper]

I hope he dosnt find out what the armed forces do for a living

[wharfy]

Of course no one who lives on the Isle minds the huge influx of people and business each year. They won't want it stopped. What do they care if a few riders have to pay the ultimate price each year. Their country would be a muddy forgotten backwater without it.

The Isle of Man doesn't really need the TT - It is actually a fairly wealthy independent country (with its own government, police force and currency ) they do OK as an international tax haven and holiday destination (20% tax, free health care and education) - The TT does provide some extra cash for some of the retail and hospitality business.
Quite a few of the locals take their holidays then (the schools are closed) and fuck off out of it. To others it is just a pain in the arse (plumbers don't get much work out of it )

Also several hundred riders race hundreds of miles each so the death rate per mile raced is probably not as bad as the average per event (remember there is two weeks of practice and racing) makes it sound.

But it is VERY dangerous and every one who races there knows it - I doubt that many actually do it for the money.

I certainly hope it continues !!