Wayne Gardner demands immediate TT ban

[Biggles08]

The balance though is constantly swinging towards the leftie PC/OSH/wrap me up in cotton wool ideals. The more that people relinquish to those ideas, the easier it will be for them to say the argument is 'balanced'.

I hesitate to agree with you....

This I do feel though falls outside your argument as its dealing with life and death in the arena of what is acceptable collateral damage for present day standards... sure people love to watch IOM, but the fact is the main reason for this is because Joe Public see these riders in the same light as the Roman peasants viewed the gladiators....as expendable. I know motorcyclist's see more than this but the truth remains, the stats simply (unfortunately) do not stack up in favor of it continuing. Put it this way, how many deaths per event is too many for it to continue every year? 10? 20? 50? You see my point...its much like "everyone has a price." Its just a matter of what that price is.

[Oscar]

Lots of kids dying in Africa, why isn't it a) compulsary to donate to them or b) ban reproduction, they're DYING over there man!

Please try to keep up.

I think to fully appreciate your argument, I need to take the same drugs you're apparently scarfing by the handful. Kids dying in Africa, as tragic as that may be, have no effect on our sport. Racers dying on the IOM, do - they encourage any two-bit politician who scans the daily rag to have an opinion on us, and it's never a good one.

To put it another way, how long do think Motorcycle Racing would last in this country if we killed five people a year?

[roadracingoldfart]

Hell yeah. I won a lot of money there!

Yer well chook chasers are hard to pass Pete lol.
It was a great track , but only Trailbikes could cope with the gravel ot the end of the back straight one yera lol it was shocking.

[White trash]

I think to fully appreciate your argument, I need to take the same drugs you're apparently scarfing by the handful.

You should, they're really yummy.

I think to fully appreciate your argument, I need to take the same drugs you're apparently scarfing by the handful. Kids dying in Africa, as tragic as that may be, have no effect on our sport. Racers dying on the IOM, do - they encourage any two-bit politician who scans the daily rag to have an opinion on us, and it's never a good one.

To put it another way, how long do think Motorcycle Racing would last in this country if we killed five people a year?

All I'm trying to portray is that there's heaps of things that kill people in high numbers, they should all be banned obviously.

But please do explain to me, how riders dying at the IoM is going to impact our law makers looking at NZ Road Racing and trying to legilate it out? I think you've been into me stash already man.

[ktm]

Yer well chook chasers are hard to pass Pete lol.
It was a great track , but only Trailbikes could cope with the gravel ot the end of the back straight one yera lol it was shocking.

At least the speedbumps got rid of the go-carts hahaha

[Oscar]

All I'm trying to portray is that there's heaps of things that kill people in high numbers, they should all be banned obviously.

But please do explain to me, how riders dying at the IoM is going to impact our law makers looking at NZ Road Racing and trying to legilate it out? I think you've been into me stash already man.

The non-motorcycling public and politicians of this country have a stereotypical view of motorcycle racing and riding as whole. It isn't that good, and every time they pick up the paper or watch the TV and see that a racer has died, it gets a little worse.

We're viewed as reckless risk takers and that is reflected in the completely unjustifiable shafting we just received from ACC.
Notwithstanding that, have you ever run a major road race? I have, and even though it was a long time ago, when the wowsers were still in the minority and PC-think hadn't been invented, it was not easy to persuade the City to let us run it. I can't begin to imagine the hoops they'd put you through these days.

[Mental Trousers]

The balance though is constantly swinging towards the leftie PC/OSH/wrap me up in cotton wool ideals. The more that people relinquish to those ideas, the easier it will be for them to say the argument is 'balanced'.

It's the same thing that happens everywhere. If people whine, moan and cry for long enough they get their way simply because those making the rules get sick of hearing from the fuckers. Usual story, vocal minority (the vocal bit, not necessarily the minority bit).

[emaN]

So if you are stupid enough to go there and kill yourself that's your choice, but don't come asking me for donations when you end up in a box!

Ooooo, careful.
Others having a differing opinion to yours doesn't imply 'stupidity' on their behalf.
Silliest thing I've seen you post in a few yrs.

[emaN]

Ha ha ha, someone's linked to this thread over on the IoM forums. The racers, that's right, RACERS are laughing at the notion they need to be told to stop what they're doing and live for, and be wrapped in cotton wool so they don't hurt themselves. It's THEIR choice, you guys don't understand that?.

I bet they are. Embarassing really.
Here we are, most of us never having been to an event which we're decrying and labelling as immoral and deplorable.
Sigh.

[Marknz]

Sorry, Wayne G has got it wrong this time. Long live the IOM TT.

[racerhead]

Here's a bit of a video following 3 riders at a weekends road racing on the national circuits in Ireland.

Theses guys have a better idea than 90% of the crap posted here so far so have a quick look and see whats its really like at grass roots level. And then make your mind up.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/nort...nd/8593237.stm

Unfortunately for the IOM TT races they get a huge media focus and every bit of bad news gets alot of publicity but it does very little to show the safety improvement side of things which is improved year on year.

And also someone has mentioned that most spectators go to watch the TT as a blood sport and compared it
to the roman lions. Thats a total load of narrow minded sh#t. If you actually had a look at the spectator numbers at any road race event they are mostly watched by enthusiasts who follow all types of motorcycle racing so going by your logic the majority of people that turn up at nationals or the winter series are there to see crashes???????
Think most people come along to watch some good racing and following the sport they love

[onearmedbandit]

Yeah I doubt very much that anyone who makes the pilgrimage there goes mainly to see the crashes. For anyone to say so probably says more about them than others.

[Deano]

I hesitate to agree with you....

This I do feel though falls outside your argument as its dealing with life and death in the arena of what is acceptable collateral damage for present day standards... sure people love to watch IOM, but the fact is the main reason for this is because Joe Public see these riders in the same light as the Roman peasants viewed the gladiators....as expendable. I know motorcyclist's see more than this but the truth remains, the stats simply (unfortunately) do not stack up in favor of it continuing. Put it this way, how many deaths per event is too many for it to continue every year? 10? 20? 50? You see my point...its much like "everyone has a price." Its just a matter of what that price is.

Its all relative as far as I can see. You're also speaking in general terms that your and some others' ideals are the 'norm'.

"Who's" level is acceptable collateral damage - Joe Public, the gubbmint, One ex GP racer ? The racing fraternity is the one that counts.

The number of deaths per event - how many vehicle fatalities are 'acceptable' on our roads. The road toll is low compared to other mortality rates, yet the powers that be still want it lower. It will never be low enough because the level of acceptance will be declining down that slippery slope I mentioned earlier. The PC/OSH advocates will see to it. Everyone has a price but that price is getting more and more expensive as our expectations toward a 'perfect world' where no one should die 'unnecessarily'.

The 'price' should be determined by the people doing it and their supporters. They are the ones who pay the price.

And I doubt very much whether people love to watch the IoMTT because they consider racers expendable. Are you suggesting the majority of Joe Public watching do so to see racers crash and die ? That's just ghoulish. Do you think it might be the sheer marvel of the skill and courage of the racers and the spectacle, the noise etc ?

My mind is set.

[onearmedbandit]

but the fact is the main reason for this is because Joe Public see these riders in the same light as the Roman peasants viewed the gladiators....as expendable..

FACT? Where have you done your research? What was the margin of error in your poll? How many people did you ask about this? Oh really, none? Fuck man that's probably the stupidist thing I've seen you post, and normally your posts are amongst some of the more intelligent ones. Honestly, do you really think people operate this way? Yes lots of people like to see crashes etc, the old 'Car Wars' and 'Bike Wars' videos are evidence of that. But 'expendable'? Really?

[avgas]

When was the last time someone was killed in MotoGP or SBK?
The sport is certainly dangerous, but the IOM TT is reckless & dangerous.

When it was interesting.