There Was A Post Last Week About The Isle Of Man Tt Motorbike Races And How Dangerous They Are.

[sandyRoe]

It takes its toll. Today during a race a young man from N Ireland, Jack Oliver, died after a crash during a crash in the Kells Road Race in Co Meath Ireland.
The riders are brave, some may foolhardy, so is it time to stop these races for their own protection?

[10ClarionSt]

Motor bikes don't interest me in the slightest. Never have but I've no doubt if the suggestion to stop them is put before the enthusiasts, then I would guess they would want to carry on having these events. After all, every motor cyclist is indestructable. Aren't they?

[FatticusInch]

https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Sport/Question1798296.html
If it happened with such regularity in rallying there’d be questions asked.
It seems the two wheel fraternity accept it as part and parcel of the ‘sport’.
For me it’s natural selection.

[maggiebee]

I would stop horse racing, not because the riders might get hurt, but because the horses do and they have no say in the matter.

[choux]

TT bike racing v Formula 1 (yes, I know they are incomparable but allow me a little licence here).

The changes over the years to make F1 racing far safer has worked, thank God. There used to be such horrific crashes with life changing/threatening injuries. It is a great testament to designers and engineers whose skills have saved many a life, I am sure. Many of the race tracks are safer now for the thousands of spectators on site. The cars react differently when in a crash so we rarely see any driver trapped in a car as it bursts into flames.

TT bikes are not affording the same protection for the riders - just the same for non-TT bikes, of course. The Isle of Man seems to be the pinnacle of experience for many bikers and the roads, bends and dips are fraught with danger. All in the "need for speed".

https://thesportsgrail.com/isle-of-man-tt-top-25-fastest-lap-and-top-speed-record-list/
"The Isle of Man TT, also known as the Tourist Trophy races, is a yearly motorcycle racing event held just on Isle of Man in May/June for many years since its establishment in 1907. Many participants have perished in the race, making it one of the most deadly racing events in the world."

I cannot understand why anyone would risk their life in such a pursuit of sport on roads that are not designed for such incredibly high speeds. But there you go - there is no accounting for a lot of things in our crazy world. However, I do feel incredibly sad for families that are bereaved in this sport. I also feel for the ordinary motor bikers who drive on our roads and do so safely and legally yet are branded as thrill-seeking, speed-breaking, dangerous riders.

In short, sandy, one cannot stop someone from risking their life (and possibly others' lives) in the name of sport, but I wish that were not the case.

I have never seen the other course to which you refer so cannot really comment but I assume it has the same sort of inherent dangers.

btw, I am surprised your thread has not attracted more attention...

[ToraToraTora]

maggie: "I would stop horse racing, not because the riders might get hurt, but because the horses do and they have no say in the matter. " - have you ever tried to get a horse to do something it doesn't want to do?

[ToraToraTora]

it's road riding that is very dangerous, track riding is no worse that the cars.

[10ClarionSt]

Not quite on topic but horse riding is reckoned to be the most dangerous sport in the country with the most injuries/deaths. My friends' 14 year old daughter was simply walking her horse in the stable yard with the reins wrapped around her two middle fingers when something spooked the horse. It reared up sharply and the reins ripped her two fingers clean off. I'm sure there are similar injuries incurred.