Isle of Man TT needs a rethink?

[ringo]

The isle man TT, I'm not a fan of it but I have a simple understanding that it's about superbikes going really fast over swooping country roads. It's fun to watch of course, but I think the death rate in this sport is too high for these modern times.
It's starting to make itself and it's participators look stupid, ignorant or crazy. With all the safety gone into other kinds of motorsport, I really think something needs to be done about the Isle of man TT.
I see that two people have died this week alone, and it looks really bad from my point of view, a weakly casual fan. The sports almost looks barbaric with it's these kinds of death rates.

[ernos5]

Not at all, sadly the Isle of Man is one of the few events still left in the world which is truly spectacular and what I wish F1 was still like.

Not the fatalities, but the risk and excitement. The fatalities are a side-effect, but that's why they get paid the big bucks in F1, or at least used to. These days F1 is a bit of a nanny-sport, but I along with a lot of motorsport fans don't have another faster and riskier sport to watch.

If I had a lot of money, i'd gladly start another motorsport formula with high downforce, high powered +1000hp, 10-12 cyclinder engines that regularly exceeded 400km/h on the circuit. Sure it'd be riskier, but it would take more balls to be a driver, and I for one would gladly volunteer and sacrifice myself to that rare exciting opportunity.

[Pierce89]

Ringo I'm disappointed in you. So, you're not a fan of the TT. Its always been this way. Why should they change? It souunds like you think they should change for the sake of political correctness. The TT riders are like the f1 drivers of old that some here always look back on with rose-tinted glasses, but they deserve their own sporting entertainment like the rest of us. By your logic above, skydiving, base jumping, free climbing etc should all be outlawed.

If they don't impact your world, let them have their race.

[Sombrero]

Definitively not ! These road races are the last real racing challenge. Nothing to fear, everything to lose as they said. Here we have still true racers not only drivers like in all the other major motorsport leagues.

[strad]

Ringo, It's cool you have an opinion on it and all. but why should what is one of the oldest of true road races have to change to conform to your sensibilities?
I and I am pretty sure a very large number of others feel it should be hands off.
I accept your feelings and they are valid for you and I assume many others, but for myself I love it.

[MOWOG]

Lots of good comments here. =D>

I would point out that there are loads of people who are participating in so called Extreme Sports specifically because they find traditional sports boring. They want to push the envelope, they want to live on the edge, out where you think about what you are about to do and say, "Holy hell, I could DIE doing this." There is a thrill that comes from cheating death and there are always going to be those people who go in search of that thrill.

Usually they are young people who believe themselves to be immortal.

The world should have a place for people like that.

[flyboy2160]

Ringo, I completely disagree with your conclusion that "something must be done."

By who? I assume you mean the Isle of Mann government. For what reason? The riders do this voluntarily.

Your logic leads down the path to the tyrannical nanny states we have today all over the world. By what right do you say I can't smoke or drink or inject what I want into my own body in my own home? It's my life, my body, and I should be free to do what I want with it - as long as I don't initiate force against another person.

If you don't like the TT, don't watch it. But don't impose tyranny on the freedom of others who are not harming anybody but themselves.

[MOWOG]

It seems obvious to me that the only things banned on the Isle of Man are lawyers!

[krisfx]

I don't watch the TT, but some of my colleagues do and listening to them talk about it is fascinating.

Listening to stories of the riders moving their head around trees on the side of the circuit to take the fastest line..

It's nuts and is one of the last "properly mental" races in the world. People compete because of the danger, so leave them be?

[McMrocks]

I don't like it if people are killed by practising a sport but i can't imagine any way of making the TT safer. The riders should get the highest amount of safety possible, like airbags and other stuff. But the only way to make the IOMTT totally safe is to quit racing there. But as long as some people are willing to risk their lifes by driving there it won't be totally safe.

I disagree with some other comments that say that real racing has to be dangerous; In my opinion racing is just driving a vehicle the fastest way around a circuit and that has not neccesarily to be dangerous. Good racing could be safe. The Isle of Man will probably never be safe

Maybe it is the wrong thread but my condelences to all drivers that have left us and there relatives.

[Cam]

Respect. That's what I have for these brave riders. They know the risks, yet still try to mark their names in the book by riding simply flat out. No lift and coast here. TT might be an antiquated dinasuar from a bygone era, but thank god it's still here.

Anyone concerned of needless deaths should campaign against smoking. Really.

[sAx]

..It souunds like you think they should change for the sake of political correctness...

Think of any top-line or national Motorsport event, DTM, WRC, IndyCar, NASCAR, F1, etc. If the rate of deaths were similar to the IoM TT, would you still be of the same view? Sometimes, you have to protect people from themselves, if only for their families sake!

[MOWOG]

The Mille Miglia was stopped because of the death of spectators, not death or injury to drivers. Big difference. If people started getting killed or maimed while watching the TT, you would see changes made and in a hurry too!

Sometimes, you have to protect people from themselves, if only for their families sake!

Are you a US citizen, sir? Because if you are not, you should consider becoming one. You would fit right in!

[rjsa]

The politically correct pasteurization of the whole world. Ohhh dear lord.

Just let it be, crazy dudes will charge trees with their bikes no matter you giving them a controlled environment to do so or not.

[FoxHound]

Its interesting that a lot of the guys who get injured, break bones, limbs etc all come back for more.
This is their way of life.