Bad crash at my local boy racer meet

[trackside tripod]

OK so who do I blame....hmm...difficult one. Obviously the organisers for not organising it properly...not enough marshals or police taking control....the spectators for standing in a stupid place. You could blame the lack of marshals for that too but nevertheless, I always think people should be responsible for their own stupidity and by definition the drivers too. When you're young you think you are invincible, with more skills than a professional racing driver. The reality being more money and horsepower than talent. As several have said already, this was a major accident waiting to happen. What annoys me is that it'll make things far more difficult to organise car meets in the future. Personally I'd stick to proper, well organised car meets, not just something a bunch of kids (sorry, professional organisers) organise on social media!

[unbiased]

zebra said:

unbiased said:

zebra said:

Good grief.

Thanks for your input.

Happy to point out your stupidity, naivety and delusional tendencies.

Are you a millennial by any chance?

I am indeed.

Are you in the midst of a midlife crisis by any chance?

[Bobtherallyfan]

designforlife said:

I'm doing simply Jap again this year as well... 2 years ago cars were doing burnouts/powerslides leaving the show, I've seen the same at Japfest, PH sunday services etc etc.

Just because it's during the day and a sanctioned event, doesn't mean people don't f**k about when leaving the venue.

I expect the local camera van will be in the area as locals are, quite rightly, a little upset about the number of foals being killed this year. Prats and free roaming ponies don’t mix.

[Boydie88]

Durzel said:

Also lol @ people suggesting the Police should commit resources to babysitting this. Notwithstanding the fact that it has been said plenty of times that the tttery starts as soon as the Police leave, these people shouldn't be racing up and down the street anyway. What mental gymnastics do you have to do to blame the Police for not supervising behaviour that is illegal and shouldn't be happening anyway.

Such a weak argument. By your theory there shouldn't be any need for the Police or an law as people should just obey the law.
They're in no part to blame for this but given they had resources to send a dozen or so cars to the scene in the aftermath, I wonder why events like this aren't used to build relations between the Police and the community.

As I said, Policing should be as much, if not more, about preventing than reacting to crime.

[S1KRR]

Durzel said:

Jagmanv12 said:

Re: the question of the organiser being liable.

Is Goodwood responsible for those leaving the Sunday breakfast meet "enthusiastically"?
Or PH for those leaving Sunday Services?

Apples and oranges somewhat I think.

Goodwood has a legitimate purpose. The fact some people that go there might leave enthusiastically after they've been excited watching racing cars going around isn't really their fault. Some people do push it when they leave (which shows that money doesn't really change behaviour, just the repair bill).

It's tough to argue that a car cruise, which could be anywhere but invariably are situated right in the middle of busy public thoroughfares, have the same level of plausible deniability. The above linked video is also an isolated incident whereas it's tough to argue that anyone in one of the many videos floating around of the crash are obeying any speed limits for starters. It's like the tttish driving Olympics.

https://caffeineandmachine.com/

has a strict "no driving like a dick" when you leave. I believe they have had trouble recently with a few bikers. And off the back of that are considering banning bikers for good! I believe (but no proof) they ban those who hang the arse out as well.

So if you want to stop it, you can.

[cerb4.5lee]

S1KRR said:

https://caffeineandmachine.com/

has a strict "no driving like a dick" when you leave. I believe they have had trouble recently with a few bikers. And off the back of that are considering banning bikers for good! I believe (but no proof) they ban those who hang the arse out as well.

So if you want to stop it, you can.

If the organisers are that boring though...I don't think that you will be missing much by not going to it in the first place. It feels like a proper stick up the arse event to me.

I bet that they offer afternoon tea and scones there as well. Not for me, but some of my mates have been and said that it is a good event...so each to their own.

[Court_S]

GEllisM4 said:

We see more and more these days councils spending money on the wrong things - Parks nobody uses, cycle lanes nobody uses, library's nobody uses.

You see things from a very, very narrow point of view. Parks aren a waste of money; we use the two locally to us loads because our little boy enjoys them. Likewise the library is an event for him. The cycle infrastructure in this country is woeful hence the conflict.

No one is ever going to sanction a closed road or whatever for people to enjoy because there will always be one or two dicks going off piste and ruining it for everyone else, they just can’t help themselves especially when the cameras come out, that applies to people of all walks of life.

[InitialDave]

cerb4.5lee said:

If the organisers are that boring though...I don't think that you will be missing much by not going to it in the first place. It feels like a proper stick up the arse event to me.

I bet that they offer afternoon tea and scones there as well. Not for me, but some of my mates have been and said that it is a good event...so each to their own.

And there'll still be events for them to go to in the future because of being this firm about not being dicks and pissing off the locals.

If you think it's not how an automotive-centric venue or event coordinators should run things, run your own differently.

[Court_S]

cerb4.5lee said:

If the organisers are that boring though...I don't think that you will be missing much by not going to it in the first place. It feels like a proper stick up the arse event to me.

I bet that they offer afternoon tea and scones there as well. Not for me, but some of my mates have been and said that it is a good event...so each to their own.

I think it’s more about continuing to exist rather than being boring. There have been lots of complaints from residents about parking on the road and people leaving in a less than sensible fashion. If you live next door, I can imagine tat getting dull petty quickly.

I’m heading down in a couple of weeks for breakfast.

[cerb4.5lee]

InitialDave said:

And there'll still be events for them to go to in the future because of being this firm about not being dicks and pissing off the locals.

If you think it's not how an automotive-centric venue or event coordinators should run things, run your own differently.

I'm not saying that they are wrong for doing it that way I'm just saying that it isn't for me.

It is the same with track days and you can't do this and you have to adhere to that, also you are not allowed a loud exhaust and you get black flagged if you drift!

So for me it isn't any wonder that people go to these local boy racer meets in fairness. Just my opinion though.

[cerb4.5lee]

Court_S said:

I think it’s more about continuing to exist rather than being boring. There have been lots of complaints from residents about parking on the road and people leaving in a less than sensible fashion. If you live next door, I can imagine tat getting dull petty quickly.

I’m heading down in a couple of weeks for breakfast.

Yes and it is a catch 22 from their point of view in fairness. My mates said that I would really enjoy it if I went, and maybe I am cutting my nose off to spite my face by not wanting to go.

[Davie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dEeCwDLWdI

Couple of clips in there, Lambo launching up the road... people stood watching in the central reservation... all it'd take is a car to move over sending the faster car in to the central reservation and into the people... oh... wait...

I'm actually amazed there aren't more incidents and deaths at events like this one and others... seems "sending it" is part and parcel now.

[ukaskew]

cerb4.5lee said:

I'm not saying that they are wrong for doing it that way I'm just saying that it isn't for me.

It is the same with track days and you can't do this and you have to adhere to that, also you are not allowed a loud exhaust and you get black flagged if you drift!

So for me it isn't any wonder that people go to these local boy racer meets in fairness. Just my opinion though.

You seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of how a civilised society works. If banning people driving like dicks is 'boring' then I'm afraid you're part of the problem.

Given your comments about track day rules I guess you're ok with playing music loudly in your back garden past midnight etc?

[coppice]

Boydie88 said:

Durzel said:

Also lol @ people suggesting the Police should commit resources to babysitting this. Notwithstanding the fact that it has been said plenty of times that the tttery starts as soon as the Police leave, these people shouldn't be racing up and down the street anyway. What mental gymnastics do you have to do to blame the Police for not supervising behaviour that is illegal and shouldn't be happening anyway.

Such a weak argument. By your theory there shouldn't be any need for the Police or an law as people should just obey the law.
They're in no part to blame for this but given they had resources to send a dozen or so cars to the scene in the aftermath, I wonder why events like this aren't used to build relations between the Police and the community.

As I said, Policing should be as much, if not more, about preventing than reacting to crime.

It isn't the police's job to 'supervise' an event but to prevent crime , and to catch those who commit crimes

. I have been twice to a well organised cars and coffee thing and even that was enough - with idiots showing off their often daft cars , and badly , as they left. One car nearly went into the crowd of gawping knuckle draggers filming stuff on their phone.

I've just spent a weekend watching and writing about racing on Anglesey. Great cars, from seriously quick ones to the merely brisk, great camaraderie and super racing, often from the same type of car that spends its life in multiplex car parks. No police present, nor needed. What a shame that this type of event goes almost un-noticed, not just by the folk who claim to like cars, but by the media .

And now we are all in the same boat as the idiots in Stevenage as far as the wider public is concerned . Cheers guys .

[Electro1980]

Boydie88 said:

Such a weak argument. By your theory there shouldn't be any need for the Police or an law as people should just obey the law.

Yes. That’s how civilised society works. Most people obey the law and respect other people. There shouldn’t be any need for the police, but unfortunately the behaviour of a small minority means there is.

Boydie88 said:

They're in no part to blame for this but given they had resources to send a dozen or so cars to the scene in the aftermath, I wonder why events like this aren't used to build relations between the Police and the community.

As I said, Policing should be as much, if not more, about preventing than reacting to crime.

Yes, they did, but that will have meant that those officers were not doing a load of other stuff. Someone somewhere probably didn’t get a visit from the police following complaints of antisocial behaviour or a burglary didn’t get the investigation it needed, or a street in the town centre wasn’t patroled at closing time.The police involved were not just sat around in the station doing FA. They will have being doing other things only to be pulled away by two tts driving like idiots.

Events like this are not used because the organisers don’t want it for various reasons.

[Mandalore]

Electro1980 said:

Boydie88 said:

Such a weak argument. By your theory there shouldn't be any need for the Police or an law as people should just obey the law.

Yes. That’s how civilised society works. Most people obey the law and respect other people. There shouldn’t be any need for the police, but unfortunately the behaviour of a small minority means there is.

Boydie88 said:

They're in no part to blame for this but given they had resources to send a dozen or so cars to the scene in the aftermath, I wonder why events like this aren't used to build relations between the Police and the community.

As I said, Policing should be as much, if not more, about preventing than reacting to crime.

Yes, they did, but that will have meant that those officers were not doing a load of other stuff. Someone somewhere probably didn’t get a visit from the police following complaints of antisocial behaviour or a burglary didn’t get the investigation it needed, or a street in the town centre wasn’t patroled at closing time.The police involved were not just sat around in the station doing FA. They will have being doing other things only to be pulled away by two tts driving like idiots.

Events like this are not used because the organisers don’t want it for various reasons.

And, I feel sorry for the people who didn’t get the promised call after the robbery, or those who got assaulted outside a pub, because people are unthinking idiots.

[fatboy18]

Durzel said:

You could make an argument that they willingly put themselves in a risky environment, though. If you make a point of turning up to the Pamplona bull run and get battered you can hardly say "but I was just minding my own business!"

Plus the spectators being there fuels the antics too.. If there wasn't a crowd (or any crowd) perhaps there wouldn't be so many idiots playing up to them, or maybe the event wouldn't happen at all.

The spectators share a part of the blame for things like this happening by encouraging it.

good post, of course it's dreadful what has happened but you make a very valid point.

[DJFish]

I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often.
People with phones edging further and further into the road to get the best picture, without any thought of the consequences, directly into the path of the very cards they’re encouraging to floor it.
Seems a bit silly when you think about it.

In this case the person filming the incident may well have been the cause due to blocking the sight lines at the junction.

Maybe it’s just me but whenever I’m in that situation I always take a step back rather than forward.

[coppice]

Of course it is ghastly for those involved, as nobody signs up to this sort of thing to get hurt, but to see, and encourage , high jinx .

If it had been prevented taking place as an event the chorus would have been the predictable refrain about PC gone mad , freedom eroded , just having fun innit ad nauseam .

But , because it wasn't prevented - or more particularly the hooligans who spoiled it for the majority were not collared in time - there is now a chorus of it being the police's fault . Can't win really.

[98elise]

DJFish said:

I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often.
People with phones edging further and further into the road to get the best picture, without any thought of the consequences, directly into the path of the very cards they’re encouraging to floor it.
Seems a bit silly when you think about it.

In this case the person filming the incident may well have been the cause due to blocking the sight lines at the junction.

Maybe it’s just me but whenever I’m in that situation I always take a step back rather than forward.

If something is blocking your view, then you drive at an appropriate speed, not floor it and hope.