Brighton Speed Trials 2013 cancelled
Discussion
I was made aware of this article from BST Facebook page by a fellow competitor which reads:
Brighton Speed Trials 2013
The Brighton and Hove Motor Club, the organisers of the annual Brighton Speed Trials, held on Madeira Drive each year have decided not to stage the event this year. This decision was taken following advice from the City Safety Advisory Group who review safety plans for major events staged in the city.
At last years event there was an incident which resulted in the passenger in a ASCO Honda being fatality injured. Enquiries into this incident continue and the Coroner is yet to hold an inquest into her death.
Representatives from the Brighton and Hove Motor Club and Brighton and Hove City Council, met last week and agreed that it would be unwise to host the speed trials until the circumstances that led up to the incident are fully understood and the Coroner has reported her findings.
Brighton & Hove Motor Club
Brighton Speed Trials 2013
The Brighton and Hove Motor Club, the organisers of the annual Brighton Speed Trials, held on Madeira Drive each year have decided not to stage the event this year. This decision was taken following advice from the City Safety Advisory Group who review safety plans for major events staged in the city.
At last years event there was an incident which resulted in the passenger in a ASCO Honda being fatality injured. Enquiries into this incident continue and the Coroner is yet to hold an inquest into her death.
Representatives from the Brighton and Hove Motor Club and Brighton and Hove City Council, met last week and agreed that it would be unwise to host the speed trials until the circumstances that led up to the incident are fully understood and the Coroner has reported her findings.
Brighton & Hove Motor Club
Very sad, but not sure I agree with cancelling it. Any motorsport is dangerous , especially those bikes as they are insanely fast and if something goes wrong you have very little run off. But this event has been running since I think 1912 and it's a shame. But if it has been cancelled on advice from the authorities I respect that.
I was there last year (and many others previously). The accident in question happened almost directly in front of where we were standing. There is a mahoosive bump in the road at that point, caused by badly filled roadworks, which (I feel) contributed to the accident happening. Many bikes had a wobble over it, and cars were also being pitched about too.
Much as I want the Speed Trials to continue, I feel that it shouldn't until the road is resurfaced, or at least levelled where utility co's have vandalised it. We all take part in motor sport events knowing that there is risk, and I hope that no fingers are pointed when the inquest takes place.
Having said that, in my opinion there is, though, still an overriding 'duty of care' with the organisers. However small the chance, this could happen again and whereas the first time was maybe chance / bad luck, I doubt that a second similar incident would be looked at the same way.
All IMHO, of course!
Kim
Much as I want the Speed Trials to continue, I feel that it shouldn't until the road is resurfaced, or at least levelled where utility co's have vandalised it. We all take part in motor sport events knowing that there is risk, and I hope that no fingers are pointed when the inquest takes place.
Having said that, in my opinion there is, though, still an overriding 'duty of care' with the organisers. However small the chance, this could happen again and whereas the first time was maybe chance / bad luck, I doubt that a second similar incident would be looked at the same way.
All IMHO, of course!
Kim
I find it hard to believe that they would have let it run with poorly filled in roadworks? I'd have thought the MSA / officials would have inspected it and cleared it first? I would also have liked to think that the council would monitor anyone making road repairs there, and ever the road workers themselves should be made aware the job has to be perfect as it is a sanctioned motorsport venue. Tragic outcome IF that proves to be the case. The whole 1/4 mile is certainly no Santa Pod but I did not think it was bumpy enough to throw a vehicle off line?
I'm afraid it will never come back... in a world where you shouldn't play tiddly winks without eye protectors and cheeses aren't allowed to roll down hills without a police caution a speed event in the Green Party's Brighton will sadly never be resurrected.
I have fond memories of the 1/2 mile at Brighton (Tony Law's fatal accident in the Rovercraft led to the truncation), the top 10 shootout with the fastest of the hillclimb/sprinting fraternity in their unlimited bangers and the maddest of the two wheeled contingent - happy days..
I have fond memories of the 1/2 mile at Brighton (Tony Law's fatal accident in the Rovercraft led to the truncation), the top 10 shootout with the fastest of the hillclimb/sprinting fraternity in their unlimited bangers and the maddest of the two wheeled contingent - happy days..
Sorry to read that the Brighton Speed Trials has been cancelled I done the events in the late 80's and early 90's, I was there racing the time Tony Law had his accident and they shortened the course. The first time I did the event I was told by one of the top single seater drivers ( Dave Render) not to lift off over the finish line as there is a dip in the road and you will lose it ( remember the course was longer then). As you went just passed the finish line the whole car used to leave contact with the road even in my car at around 117 mph,I only done the shorter course once and had ignition problems,its a shame that such a classic event is not going to be run this year lets hope it returns next year. Motorsport is dangerous we all no the risks that are taken (remember on the long course speeds were topping in the region of just over 180 mph) and a certain motorbike rider did most of the coarse on the back wheel crossing the finish line at 153 mph. Lets hope the event returns,it was a big National meeting when I did the event and there used to be reports of 20000 spectators watching the event it used to be a big event for Brighton
I am aware that this is quite a late response to this thread, i only found it by googling the speed weekend in fact, but for me, im very suprised that in the health and safety mad times we live in, if there is this so called bump on the strip, then how the hell was a speed weekend allowed to take place last year with what sounds like a sub standard surface, sure, its sad to all involved that were hoping to be there this year, but if there is an issue with the track then can you wonder at it!
Im not a biker, or even a triker, or much of a speed lover if truth be told, the one thing that i am though is a very close friend of Charlotte Tagg, the amazing lady who lost her life last year at this event, we were friends for over ten years and i miss her very very much indeed.
I agree that this inquest hoo har is taking an age, and i as much as everyone else would love to see the outcome soon, it wont bring Charlotte back, if only it could, but at least it will bring some closure to the whole thing, although i dont believe that any amount of investigation can ever tell any of us what truly happened that terrible day.
Motorsport is dangerous, everyone knows that, and that in the cold light of day, if you go into a racing environment theres that oh so slim chance that you may not come back from it, and if any investigation concludes that the road surface was a contributory factor then lets hope it gets sorted, and the speed weekend can continue in years to come, because i know for a fact that Charlotte would not want a traditional long standing event thats been running for so many years to be lost because of what happened, which was, despite the causes, an accident.
Im not a biker, or even a triker, or much of a speed lover if truth be told, the one thing that i am though is a very close friend of Charlotte Tagg, the amazing lady who lost her life last year at this event, we were friends for over ten years and i miss her very very much indeed.
I agree that this inquest hoo har is taking an age, and i as much as everyone else would love to see the outcome soon, it wont bring Charlotte back, if only it could, but at least it will bring some closure to the whole thing, although i dont believe that any amount of investigation can ever tell any of us what truly happened that terrible day.
Motorsport is dangerous, everyone knows that, and that in the cold light of day, if you go into a racing environment theres that oh so slim chance that you may not come back from it, and if any investigation concludes that the road surface was a contributory factor then lets hope it gets sorted, and the speed weekend can continue in years to come, because i know for a fact that Charlotte would not want a traditional long standing event thats been running for so many years to be lost because of what happened, which was, despite the causes, an accident.
Edited by clarkey1984 on Friday 30th August 01:54
clarkey1984 said:
I am aware that this is quite a late response to this thread, i only found it by googling the speed weekend in fact, but for me, im very suprised that in the health and safety mad times we live in, if there is this so called bump on the strip, then how the hell was a speed weekend allowed to take place last year with what sounds like a sub standard surface, sure, its sad to all involved that were hoping to be there this year, but if there is an issue with the track then can you wonder at it!
Im not a biker, or even a triker, or much of a speed lover if truth be told, the one thing that i am though is a very close friend of Charlotte Tagg, the amazing lady who lost her life last year at this event, we were friends for over ten years and i miss her very very much indeed.
I agree that this inquest hoo har is taking an age, and i as much as everyone else would love to see the outcome soon, it wont bring Charlotte back, if only it could, but at least it will bring some closure to the whole thing, although i dont believe that any amount of investigation can ever tell any of us what truly happened that terrible day.
Motorsport is dangerous, everyone knows that, and that in the cold light of day, if you go into a racing environment theres that oh so slim chance that you may not come back from it, and if any investigation concludes that the road surface was a contributory factor then lets hope it gets sorted, and the speed weekend can continue in years to come, because i know for a fact that Charlotte would not want a traditional long standing event thats been running for so many years to be lost because of what happened, which was, despite the causes, an accident.
Im not a biker, or even a triker, or much of a speed lover if truth be told, the one thing that i am though is a very close friend of Charlotte Tagg, the amazing lady who lost her life last year at this event, we were friends for over ten years and i miss her very very much indeed.
I agree that this inquest hoo har is taking an age, and i as much as everyone else would love to see the outcome soon, it wont bring Charlotte back, if only it could, but at least it will bring some closure to the whole thing, although i dont believe that any amount of investigation can ever tell any of us what truly happened that terrible day.
Motorsport is dangerous, everyone knows that, and that in the cold light of day, if you go into a racing environment theres that oh so slim chance that you may not come back from it, and if any investigation concludes that the road surface was a contributory factor then lets hope it gets sorted, and the speed weekend can continue in years to come, because i know for a fact that Charlotte would not want a traditional long standing event thats been running for so many years to be lost because of what happened, which was, despite the causes, an accident.
- Wishing for a "Like" button*
Dan
I think it'll never return in its current format, and remember in older days the cars went off2 at a time ! - maybe Bexhill could revive their sprint, after all their road signs proclaim the town to be "the birthplace of British motor racing" !
However an alternative thought - a Green council will never want to be associated with the noisy polluting internal combustion engine (I'm thinking Jim Tiller's Allard here...). So how about reviving the event for electric/alternative powered vehicles. Probably be boring for the next few years but once the technology catches up .....
However an alternative thought - a Green council will never want to be associated with the noisy polluting internal combustion engine (I'm thinking Jim Tiller's Allard here...). So how about reviving the event for electric/alternative powered vehicles. Probably be boring for the next few years but once the technology catches up .....
I was at the Brighton & Hove Motor Club pub last week, and got no real insight into what might be the outcome of the inquest. There were a few theories from different pepole and explainations for why the accident occured ( which I feel I must keep to myself not post here ) BUT generally the consensus was that the event will ( hopefully ) be run again in 2014 and this inquest will / shall not be the end of a fantastic event. I did not get the impression the inquest was " out to get " the event cancelled, but to try and ensure the event will be safer if it is to be run again. Lets hope so. I personally think they might stop the bikes and have just cars to keep the terminal speeds reasonable, but just my opinion.
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