Isle of Man TT - why is this still allowed?

[Motogull]

You gonna watch it? In 14 mins time.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

All people in life should have something that excites them. That is the reason why people push the boundaries and why extreme sports exist in the first place. For motorcyclists the ultimate challenge is the TT, for mountaineers it's climbing Mt Everest. For Kayakers it's negotiating the fierciest rapids. If I had a passion that strong for something, I'd want to aspire to conquer the hardest challenge in whatever discipline that I was undertaking.

All participants are fully aware of the risks before they start. If I had the bottle or skill I'd love to give it a go.

Fine post.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Gawdblessya Guv. The cheque's in the post first thing Monday. Honest.

 

[Poyetry In Motion]

ignore my stupidity

 

[Stat Brother]

You gonna watch it? In 14 mins time.

Yes I will have a watch, tonight.

I remember a while ago, when in the throws of realising F1 is cobblers.
I watched a (maybe) MotoGP event and it had everything, thrills spills overtaking danger and excitement.
The commentary was great, it was everything F1 was fast losing.

But even with all of that, and my subsequent walking away from F1, the bike just left me cold.
I figured because I had no experience myself, it was never going to light my fire, which was odd as on a level I knew what I was watching was good.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Glory Be! The Senior TT highlights are go.

 

[Nibble]

I have no knowledge of 2 wheels & a motor, to the point that I've never even sat on a motorbike.

I'm not trying to be controversial here, it's a genuine question, based on the fact that just one death at an organised sporting event, sends regulatory bodies into a tailspin.
As an outsider looking in, the only thing I know about the TT is, it kills people.

This story caught my eye:-

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/motorsports-spectators-injured-isle-man-crash-144248300.html

and fortunately the closing paragraph saved me from the next obvious follow-on google search

The TT races, which draw throngs of bikers to the island, are generally regarded as the most dangerous in motorcycling with 240 rider fatalities since 1907.
The latest was 43-year-old Japanese Yoshinari Matsushita, who was killed in practice last week. He was the 21st to die at the circuit since 2000.

As said I don't wish to tread on the toes of this boards TT fans, I'd just like to know how they are able to bypass H&S.

Does it kill people, really? I would have thought it's the people taking part that kill themselves. Anyway, I like that there are still a few things out there that don't have H&S boards and signs and regulations stifling it. H&S is good in the workplace, it stops people being exploited etc, but people should have choices and I applaud it.

 

[ManxSeagull]

Mad Sunday is the Sunday between practice week and race week.

Years ago it was the only day where the mountain section of the course was one way and the visitors could bomb over that section of the course as they pleased.

Over recent years the mountain section is one way for the duration of TT fortnight in an attempt to eliminate accidents (particularly head on accidents, when road was two way and riders misjudged bends). About 70% of the road is unrestricted speed.

The remainder of the course is normal road and speed limits.

Various additional speed limits have been added around the course during the TT period to reduce speed and accidents.

 

[Stat Brother]

Well 2 things:-

1) I now know why the event kills people, or as Nibs would have it, kill themselves doing it.

2) How the frack is sideburn man still alive. He seems like he'd be a liability on the Pro Knitting circuit.

 

[Stat Brother]

Mad Sunday is the Sunday between practice week and race week.

Years ago it was the only day where the mountain section of the course was one way and the visitors could bomb over that section of the course as they pleased.

Over recent years the mountain section is one way for the duration of TT fortnight in an attempt to eliminate accidents (particularly head on accidents, when road was two way and riders misjudged bends). About 70% of the road is unrestricted speed.

The remainder of the course is normal road and speed limits.

Various additional speed limits have been added around the course during the TT period to reduce speed and accidents.

Post 68 before we get acknowledgement that there is an attempt to reduce accident.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Well 2 things:-

1) I now know why the event kills people, or as Nibs would have it, kill themselves doing it.

2) How the frack is sideburn man still alive. He seems like he'd be a liability on the Pro Knitting circuit.

Guy Martin is a hero

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Well 2 things:-

1) I now know why the event kills people, or as Nibs would have it, kill themselves doing it.

2) How the frack is sideburn man still alive. He seems like he'd be a liability on the Pro Knitting circuit.

Guy Martin's possibly never going to win a TT, but my God - his efforts deserve respect. Everybody who races there deserves respect, in fact. They're ALL heroes.

 

[ManxSeagull]

Post 68 before we get acknowledgement that there is an attempt to reduce accident.

Yes to reduce visitor and local rider accidents, but remember this thread started when a racer lost control coming down Bray Hill and his machine broke up and hit spectators.

Two totally different discussions in my opinion.

The actions of the government/local police have dramatically reduced the number of deaths to visting spectators. Racers are a different issue which is harder to control

 

[Stat Brother]

Yes to reduce visitor and local rider accidents, but remember this thread started when a racer lost control coming down Bray Hill and his machine broke up and hit spectators.

Two totally different discussions in my opinion.

The actions of the government/local police have dramatically reduced the number of deaths to visting spectators. Racers are a different issue which is harder to control

Ok I now understand what you were saying

 

[Motogull]

Well 2 things:-

1) I now know why the event kills people, or as Nibs would have it, kill themselves doing it.

2) How the frack is sideburn man still alive. He seems like he'd be a liability on the Pro Knitting circuit.

Did you enjoy it though? It never ceases to amaze me how fast they go.

Guy Martin is a scream. Earlier this week a presenter pre race observed that it was time to go to work or something like that and GM laughed at him. "This isn't work, its riding a motorbike." Michael Dunlop is the one some of us worry about though. More than anyone, he rides it like a short circuit.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Did you enjoy it though? It never ceases to amaze me how fast they go.

Guy Martin is a scream. Earlier this week a presenter pre race observed that it was time to go to work or something like that and GM laughed at him. "This isn't work, its riding a motorbike." Michael Dunlop is the one some of us worry about though. More than anyone, he rides it like a short circuit.

To me it almost feels like it's Michael Dunlop's destiny to meet his maker trying to emulate or surpass Joey

 

[foul old ron]

To me it almost feels like it's Michael Dunlop's destiny to meet his maker trying to emulate or surpass Joey

I thought the same until Fridays Senior when he seemed to realise that he does have a limit. Genuinely feared for his safety on the last couple of laps when he was behind cos I thought he would push too hard, but he didn't.

 

[wellquickwoody]

". I think the carnage is unacceptable,.

And what connection to motorcycling do you have?

 

[wellquickwoody]

This time I will type slowly for the hard of thinking:-

All other motorbike racing (with the exception of The North West 1 & 200) has had 10 fatalities this century, compared to 24 at the TT. These figures assuming they are correct all show a massive decline since the mid 80's.


So clearly you are wrong @WellQuickWoody.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rider_deaths_in_motorcycle_racing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Snaefell_Mountain_Course_fatal_accidents.


So once again, my simple question is:-

Why in this age of safety first, has the IoM TT managed to be allowed to continue?
That's all nothing sinister, no anti bike/enjoying yourself agenda, just a simple question.

Hmmm, I was about to go for it , but now realise we are talking about fatalities since the year 2000, not the last 100 years. That said, you are underplaying the figures -

10 fatalities in Irish road racing since 2000.

29 in British national and club series since 2000.

Also -

200 fatalities at the TT since 1910.

117 in Moto GP since 1943

2 in WSB (relatively new series)

120 in British national and club series since 1930

41 in Irish road racing since 1929

 

[wellquickwoody]

im prepared to bet there hasn't been on average 2 deaths a year in any other kind of motorbike racing..

Really?