The argument to slow down the TT race by restricting capacities is the same as the argument to reduce deaths on the roads in general by reducing capacities which is the same argument to be used to ban motorcycles outright. Be careful what you wish for. Speed limits are in place in public roads in an effort to reduce vehicular deaths and injuries. Nevertheless, people on motorcycles still die on our roads. Why aren't motorcycles restricted to, say 12 BHP? Why aren't they banned? Is it because a death on the daily commute is somehow less important than a death on the TT course? If people want to restrain racers from doing what they love (pushing to their personal limits on the historic TT circuit), why aren't they also doing their utmost to restrain us from doing the thing we are simply stuck doing (dodging traffic on the daily commute)? When considering that question, remember that for each subsequent death, pressure to further move the safety goalposts will again be applied. If the goal is always to reduce the number of deaths, the process cannot stop until there are no deaths. Or are there acceptable numbers of deaths? Who decides this number? People in general are increasingly weighing loss of life vs specific activity and pushing down on the scale in favour of preserving life at all costs. This trend is spiraling upwards, all the time. What is more important - continuity of life or living the life you want to live? Who gets to decide this? Why?
There are according to current figures there are over 188,000 deaths in the UK from heart attack (Coronary Artery Disease) every year. There are 7million people with this, and over a hundred will die today that are under 75 years old. The solution to this is to Force the population to eat better, Strictly control alcohol, Ban smoking, Force people to give up their stress causing jobs such as company owners, directors, people working overtime, physical jobs. This will provide a far greater impact on saving lives. This would affect everyone who has commented on this topic. The government has already begun with Sugar Tax following price hikes in alcohol (minimum per unit costs to start UK wide in the next months) & massive taxation of cigarettes/ tabacco. Do you still support taking away other people choices as this might lead to having your own taken away? You right to eat what you like, and earn money? Everybody dies, its how you live that is important. Stop The Nanny State
You’d save more lives by banning you, me and everyone else who rides day to day on normal roads. Might as well stay in bed.
Banning it isn't the answer BUT bad publicity caused by deaths could eventually having sponsors running away meaning the funding isn't there anymore. I don't think the TT organisers can be complacent about it, which it sometimes appears they are, especially seeing the incidents happening directly after Dan Kneen's accident.
There’s a difference between banning everything and the so called nanny state, and seeing if there are reasonable steps to take to make things safer. That’s where helmets, seat belts etc come from. Not all change and progress can be halted based on the slippery slope argument.
Personally I don’t think the TT authorities are complacent about it, outside the family and team I expect they feel these events harder than most. But it’s racing on public roads, with all the risks that brings with it. Slow it down to pushbike speeds and there will still be injuries and deaths, short of stopping racing completely there is no truly safe option. As long as the individual taking part has the capacity to evaluate the risks for themselves and then make their own decision, then it is not down to me to tell them they can’t do it.
Mcpint was shown on tv the other night on a program from a couple of years ago of him about to set off on a bike that he knew wasn't right, his face was of a man doing something he didn't want to do or feel comfortable doing, just saying.
There's a big difference between an adult exercising his or her right to choose, and other Nannies from the state, demanding that their choices are removed, reduced or diminished to nothing. Adults choose for themselves, and its got FA to do with anyone else. In a democracy, the government can't take your freedoms from you by force, so they just convince enough of you to hand it over voluntarily. You go right ahead and hand over your rights, but you aren't going to going to get any support from me.
As i’m here now watching thought i’d chip in...the racing is unbelievable to watch live and any change to it would take away from the thrill of watching/taking part. The riders are aware of the risks but ain’t we all when we throw a leg over the saddle? The amount of “tourists” that come a cropper over the mountain is more worrying to me...i think this is what will end up being “restricted” in the future but doing that will force them to take more risks on the other parts of the island?
I also love to watch the big bikes but still feel that one day things will have to change. Yes the riders are happy to do it but the governing body will make the shout as and when they feel the time is right. One could argue do we need the superbike class when many of the teams opt to run superstock bikes in the superbike class. Personally I'd still love to see a proper lightweight class reintroduced, moto3 or the 300's. Do we need two ssp and two sidecar races? Why not more classes?
I also love to watch the big bikes but still feel that one day things will have to change. Yes the riders are happy to do it but the governing body will make the shout as and when they feel the time is right. One could argue do we need the superbike class when many of the teams opt to run superstock bikes in the superbike class. Personally I'd still love to see a proper lightweight class reintroduced, moto3 or the 300's. Do we need two ssp and two sidecar races? Why not more classes?
It’s not just you. I spent 10yrs in my 30s & 40s “doing the right thing” Gave up flying, skiing & even biking for a mixture of cost & family concerns. Returned to the latter two just over a year ago & yeah OK I’m currently resting due to a broken collarbone from falling off but never felt more alive. I wouldn’t want to live in a world where every risk was constantly downgraded every time someone CHOOSING to do something they loved fooked it up & got hurt (or worse). RIP to those this year that have paid the ultimate but they wouldn’t want it changed & hell neither do I
It we have had imposed limits before, the most recent was when a nismo GTR backflipped into tge crowd killing a spectator.
BBC Scotland Evening News obviously covered the story , with him being a Helensborough lad. And they were making a strong point of the fatality numbers. All comments from family and friends were about his dream of racing at the TT, and doing something that had always been his goal in life. RIP Adam.
