Did This Guy Really Drive On The Track During A Live Race?

[egor110]

T0MMY said:

egor110 said:

Well off topic but we should have economics classes from the Polish.

On min wage jobs they seem to make there money go a lot further, i pressume they all pay tax, road tax insurance etc so where do they make the savings?

Probably largely from living in rented, shared accomodation and appreciating how wealthy they actually are.

After I left Uni I took a massive paycut to get my foot in the door in a science job, earning £13,000. I was still living in a student house, sharing a room with my GF and paying £200/month for a nice flat in central Edinburgh. I ran a 200SX, a motorbike, did trackdays etc. etc.

I think most people's money goes on a) accomodation and b) stupid car choices (i.e. financing or leasing a shiny new VAG product they can't afford but seem to think they're entitled to). My actual outgoings would be pitiful if I didn't spend all my cash on overpaying my mortgage and frivolous petrol powered toys...I reckon even now I could live comfortably on minimum wage if I really had to, and still have a fun car to hoon about in.

Edited by T0MMY on Friday 21st November 18:04

If you were on min wage though, the average rent down here (somerset) is £600-£700 month so say you earnt £1000 a month that's pretty much gone on rent without stuff like council tax, food, car insurance,petrol.

[AB]

I watched a guy steal a golf buggy and drive out one of the service gates of The Royal Liverpool during the open, taking a pedestrian out in the process.

Wonder what happened to him?

[T0MMY]

egor110 said:

If you were on min wage though, the average rent down here (somerset) is £600-£700 month so say you earnt £1000 a month that's pretty much gone on rent without stuff like council tax, food, car insurance,petrol.

But I'm talking about renting a room in a shared house rather than a whole property. The flat I mentioned cost £1200/m with 3 bedrooms so living with a partner that was only £200 each for the room.

Not saying it's a nice way to live, although at that age and with good flatmates I enjoyed it! Couldn't hack living with housemates now but if you can stomach it it can be very cheap indeed.

[xjsdriver]

gregf40 said:

Exactly.

Don't get me wrong - the kid is a completely idiot. But I don't think prison is the right place for him. Community service would have been a better punishment IMO.

Edited by gregf40 on Monday 17th November 15:48

+1 But I think a more fitting sentence would have been to work as a volunteer marshal for 8 months instead (as well as litter picker and any other jobs no-one else is really keen on at the race track - I'm sure the toilets at the track could do with a good scrubbing, etc etc).

[DonkeyApple]

T0MMY said:

But I'm talking about renting a room in a shared house rather than a whole property. The flat I mentioned cost £1200/m with 3 bedrooms so living with a partner that was only £200 each for the room.

Not saying it's a nice way to live, although at that age and with good flatmates I enjoyed it! Couldn't hack living with housemates now but if you can stomach it it can be very cheap indeed.

I always thought that this was how everyone started out.

I was shocked to meet people who rented an entire flat when they were starting out. I could never work out how they could afford it, especially as they often had nice cars and socialised actively.

Later in life I suddenly worked out that they hadn't been able to afford it, they hadn't been factoring investing income into their future which was why they had so much disposable income, or thought they did.

It's sad because one small accounting error of forward spending receivables while not building reserves means that now at 40 we are all settled with houses and families while they have nothing and are seriously having to consider making the big move to Brighton or Bath to pretend to be educated artists living a superior, alternative lifestyle in order to cover up owning nothing but debt obligations and being of no value to the opposite sex.

I think what annoys most people is that you reach an age where you do indeed appreciate that you not only have just one life but statistically you only have one window to make something of it and that window is your 20s. If you haven't focussed your life and set the balance in your 20s then that's really it, the world rapidly marches forward and you are left out of the race. And through social media we seem to see more and more 20 something's not just failing but inviting others to failure. After all, we all know that we will be picking up their tab and that our children will be hindered by theirs.

[T0MMY]

xjsdriver said:

+1 But I think a more fitting sentence would have been to work as a volunteer marshal for 8 months instead (as well as litter picker and any other jobs no-one else is really keen on at the race track - I'm sure the toilets at the track could do with a good scrubbing, etc etc).

I'm not sure I'd want him marshalling...he'd spend more time looking at his phone than looking at the track.

[With these feet]

xjsdriver said:

gregf40 said:

Exactly.

Don't get me wrong - the kid is a completely idiot. But I don't think prison is the right place for him. Community service would have been a better punishment IMO.

Edited by gregf40 on Monday 17th November 15:48

+1 But I think a more fitting sentence would have been to work as a volunteer marshal for 8 months instead (as well as litter picker and any other jobs no-one else is really keen on at the race track - I'm sure the toilets at the track could do with a good scrubbing, etc etc).

Why on earth would the circuit want him anywhere near the place? Custodial sentence may seem harsh but is a warning shot for others. Marshals do the job because they love motorsport and its a way of getting up close to the cars. Why should he get the chance to do that?

Fines never get paid as they all declare they are broke or repay at 50p a week. Sure community work could be punishment but there are people that do the work for a living, not punishment and for a period of time - not forever - so hardly hardship.

[RoadRunner220]

T0MMY said:

xjsdriver said:

+1 But I think a more fitting sentence would have been to work as a volunteer marshal for 8 months instead (as well as litter picker and any other jobs no-one else is really keen on at the race track - I'm sure the toilets at the track could do with a good scrubbing, etc etc).

I'm not sure I'd want him marshalling...he'd spend more time looking at his phone than looking at the track.

Agreed.

Like someone said earlier in the thread, if there was an accident in front of him he strikes me as the type that would get his phone out and take pictures to load up on social media rather than to actually try and help out the person/cars involved.

[Monkeylegend]

AB said:

I watched a guy steal a golf buggy and drive out one of the service gates of The Royal Liverpool during the open, taking a pedestrian out in the process.

Wonder what happened to him?

He did birdie and the pedestrian felt a bit under par for a few days.

[AB]

Tee'd that one up for you didn't I?

[SteveC123]

I don't think the sentence is harsh at all. As the judge says, what this imbecile did was premeditated.

Set aside any concerns relating to safety and focus on the fact he ruined the event for hundreds but especially for the competitors. Wasn't the figure of £250k mentioned in terms of competition fees? Then there's all the other costs associated with competing - fuel, tyres, service parts... for many, accommodation etc.

That money came straight out of their pockets and even if a financial penalty had been set, no doubt an offer of £1 a week would almost certainly have been as good as it got!

It's not just about the money, either. For those unfamiliar with Motorsport of this sort, whilst some drivers may pay to 'turn up and drive', at this level most of the competitors will have dedicated a massive amount of time and effort in preparing the car, going on test days, getting it to the venue, even setting up an awning to keep the car under and work on it when not out in the track.

Then they usually have a bunch of people around them helping them with all of the above - be that a professional team or friends doing it 'for the love of the job' - their weekend (not day - they'll have been there all weekend and usually the Friday in the lead up to the event too at a bare minimum) will also have been ruined.

All because a couple of selfish, moronic tools thought it would be a 'right laff' to get out on track, effectively committing the offences of TWOC and abduction into the bargain.

So no... the sentence wasn't too harsh and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks the tt in the back egging him on and filming it should have been locked up as well.

Edited by SteveC123 on Sunday 23 November 17:16

[superlightr]

dangerous driving - should have to re-take is driving test.

[wessexrfc]

SteveC123 said:

I don't think the sentence is harsh at all. As the judge says, what this imbecile did was premeditated.

Set aside any concerns relating to safety and focus on the fact he ruined the event for hundreds but especially for the competitors. Wasn't the figure of £250k mentioned in terms of competition fees? Then there's all the other costs associated with competing - fuel, tyres, service parts... for many, accommodation etc.

That money came straight out of their pockets and even if a financial penalty had been set, no doubt an offer of £1 a week would almost certainly have been as good as it got!

It's not just about the money, either. For those unfamiliar with Motorsport of this sort, whilst some drivers may pay to 'turn up and drive', at this level most of the competitors will have dedicated a massive amount of time and effort in preparing the car, going on test days, getting it to the venue, even setting up an awning to keep the car under and work on it when not out in the track.

Then they usually have a bunch of people around them helping them with all of the above - be that a professional team or friends doing it 'for the love of the job' - their weekend (not day - they'll have been there all weekend and usually the Friday in the lead up to the event too at a bare minimum) will also have been ruined.

All because a couple of selfish, moronic tools thought it would be a 'right laff' to get out on track, effectively committing the offences of TWOC and abduction into the bargain.

So no... the sentence wasn't too harsh and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks the tt in the back egging him on and filming it should have been locked up as well.

Edited by SteveC123 on Sunday 23 November 17:16

I agree with all of the above, but as the driver who nearly crashed into him when pulling out of our pits, (green and black car) I do feel (wait for it) forgiveness for him!!! That's right, to chastise him is easy, to forgive and even try to help, that is hard. The kid is/was a fool, no question, but this will ruin his future. Is that what I wanted to see? not really, does he deserve it? I don't think so, was it to warn off other YOLO's from doing similar stunts, yes without doubt and I'm sure if he was asked again if he'd do it again he would have a different answer.

[Munter]

wessexrfc said:

I'm sure if he was asked again if he'd do it again he would have a different answer.

I thought he'd already answered that question with "Yes I would".

[luckystrike]

Munter said:

I thought he'd already answered that question with "Yes I would".

Hi did, but before he realised he'd be spending Christmas and a solid part of next year in the nick. You'd like to hope his attitude has altered somewhat since.

[xRIEx]

luckystrike said:

Munter said:

I thought he'd already answered that question with "Yes I would".

Hi did, but before he realised he'd be spending Christmas and a solid part of next year in the nick. You'd like to hope his attitude has altered somewhat since.

Unfortunately, the legal system doesn't allow any do overs.

[T0MMY]

It's difficult for these kind of people...they have to maintain their all important "I'm so cool I don't give a fk about anyone" image as their comments are publicised on social media. Sadly that means that showing the kind of remorse that might have got him a lighter sentence is all but out of the question for fear of losing face.

[Munter]

luckystrike said:

Hi did, but before he realised he'd be spending Christmas and a solid part of next year in the nick. You'd like to hope his attitude has altered somewhat since.

If his attitude is changed because of the sentence. Then he has to have the sentence to change his attitude.
It's a paradox type thing.

The post above mentioned him trying to maintain his status by saying he didn't care. I see the pressure there on people. But it has to be punished for people to get the message that real life has real consequences.

[mr2j]

It's probably been said already but is this chap the sort of chap that puts his hand into a live toaster just because someone told him it was incredibly dangerous to do so?

[Zumbruk]

teamHOLDENracing said:

I am a driver and team manager of one of the cars in the affected race and I don’t feel sorry for the lad.

Hear, hear. Well said.