NW200 Debate 22.35 Tonight BBC NI SKY 953 Nolan Show

[kestrel]

As Thread Title...........
Amongst other topics will be whether or not it's time to ban racing at the NW200 following the death of Simon Andrews.
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Isle of Man.........Road Racing Capital Of The World

[1198]

I didn't know the chap but I'd guess the knowledge that his death may result in the end of this road race would sadden him as much as anything.
I saw a an interview with the widow of a racer who died at the TT. She said he knew the risks, and raced anyhow / because of them. I suspect he (Simon Andrews) had a similar sentiment, albeit perhaps in the offhand 'it won't be me' way many RR seem to adopt, probably in a denial mechanism.

[pinkyfloyd]

Road racing is one of the most dangerous sports in the world. The various establishments have been debating whether to ban it or not since Joey Dunlop died in 2000. So far it has never happened and I do not think it ever will.

There have been 16 recorded deaths in the NW200 since it started in 1929 including Robert Dunlop, Joeys little brother. They have changed the course a few times to slow it down as the bikes got faster but so far no ban.

Its a dangerous sport but the guys who race it love it every bit as much as those who watch it. They know the risks, they are fully aware that a single spill could be the end of them. While there are still people who want to race it, I think they should be allowed to.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[CaNsA]

Ban the NW200 and the riders & teams will go somewhere else, possibly somewhere that doesn't have the experience of holding an event like this.

The area will lose out on the cash that the fans spend, businesses will close, crime will rise, kittens will die and the world will burn.

Doesn't matter if you are a rider or a racer, you know the risks every-time you get on that bike.

Ban road racing?
They might aswell ban motorbikes on the road for all the good it will do.

[krarkol]

It sounds bad with the amount of deaths for any road race.

But thinking about it statistically, it doesn't really seem THAT dangerous?

There are plenty of less dangerous sports that probably have just as many, if not more deaths but because they don't involve high speed machines being ridden on the limit, no one mentions them.

With the speeds involved in events such as the IOM TT and NW200, I actually expected the death rates to be a lot higher.
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Bandit 600 - deaded

[von1papen]

There was a good article in one of the local papers that mentioned something about 14 cyclists being killed in competitive races in the last few years yet nobody wants to ban cycling.

They made a fair point. Also, Nolan is a fat ignorant mouthpiece

So don't be expecting any logic or common sense.
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[Rogerborg]

Pedalist race deaths.

<think-of-the-children.png>

And anyone who tells you that you can't make up your own mind about risks thinks that you are a child.
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[Knacker]

A guy who I used to know Died on the IOM TT he was 1 of the reasons I got into motorbikes and he loved Road Racing and I can only think of what the riders who have passed away would be saying if they did successfully ban Either the NW200 or the IOM TT.

Maybe we should all just sit and play Chess, Although make sure the Chess pieces are smoothed off as we wouldn't want anyone to get a scratch could be horrific!
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[Rogerborg]

[dolly3900]

11 people have died running the London marathon. (source, Wiki)

This did not stop me from running the distance in Cardiff and Edinburgh and more importantly, it has not seen anyone call for it to be banned.

In any sport, you know the risks, you mitigate them with the best preparation and safety support you can and if the worst happens, then you go out with a smile on your face, knowing that you died doing something which makes you feel alive.

No-one forces anyone to run, race, ski, etc. so why the fuss?

If we were in a society where people were chosen at random to get on a bike and ride it, balls out, around a track or else, then it would be different, but we have a thing called free will.

We are probably at the stage of being the safest we are likely to get, without wrapping ourselves in bubble wrap and cotton wool, with the risk to the life and well being of spectators being at a minimum (save for the thrill seekers who ignore the advice and stand in silly places), so the spectacle of a 200mph death machine hooning past us at full chat is about as safe as it is going to get and should things go wrong, prey for a quick end without suffering.

Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that anyone who loses their life in the name of sport deserves all they get, far from it, but you can not remove all danger from life and sport or you may as well remove life itself.
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[Teflon-Mike]

[pinkyfloyd]

They have been talking about banning the IoM one since it started. The NW ban is a recent thing. Ulster GP has been on the hitlist too as its the faster of the 3 tracks.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[Llama-Farmer]

Watched this on catchup, just the NW discussion at the end of the programme, not the whole lot.

Steve Parrish seemed to be a voice of reason.

Nolan seemed like an ignorant prick who obviously doesn't have a clue about the sport, but also had no interest in a balanced discussion. As the host shouldn't he be the impartial party? Cant remember seeing such a loaded attitude.

The way he treated audience members who he disagreed with was very hostile.

Be like David Dimbleby having a go at the panel on Question Time.
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[moonzoomer]

Nolan needs a good kick in the family allowance and a smack in the gob at the same time, useless pile of lard.

[kestrel]

[Kris]

Everyone should watch the programme (link for UK below) as it outlines the same thought processes and arguments that the anti-bike brigade will use to lobby against motorcycle use in the future.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0444zln/the-nolan-show-series-5-episode-4

Tugging at heart strings, emotional straw men arguments, calling for protection for 'our own good', treating motorcycle racers as drug addicts...

Fuck 'em all.
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[chickenstrip]

Perhaps we should ban all the foods that make this Nolan fella fat - it's dangerous, he could die of a heart attack!

As to the comment along the lines of, I don't need to ride bikes to understand the tragedy the families go through - yes, I think perhaps he does, because families of those killed in racing often have the deeper understanding of what racing meant to those sadly lost; they understand that they died doing what they loved, and I'd take that any day over dying in misery and pain in a hospital bed from some debilitating illness in my old age.

Punters go to see the crashes - what utter bollocks! If it's crashes I want to see, there are plenty of motorsport crash compilations on Youtube I can watch, in the comfort of my own home, rather than pay all that money to go somewhere like the Island or NW200, get wet in the rain, and maybe have to attend dozens of races to finally actually see someone come off. It's the entire spectacle of racing, the sounds, the speed, the egging on of favourites, the whole thing of a rare and enjoyable spectacle in the sport we love.

Just some thoughts