Spectators killed at California 200

[hornetrider]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-us-canada-1...

Nightmare. Not heard of this race before but seems to be a night rally.

[Altrezia]

I was just reading about this. Horrid. Thoughts are with the families.

[AndyMil]

Feel for the families, but it sounds like poor spectator control and the "I'm Invincible" attitude to motorsport that contributed to group B rally cars being banned and that attracts the kind of attention that motorsport can do without.

[hot metal]

Feel sorry for the driver too, he is going to feel terrible and it doesn`t help that people were throwing rocks at him as well. Not his fault ,accidents will happen in motorsport.

[mrmr96]

Non mobile version includes interviews with eyewitnesses:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10978569

[dilbert]

Why do people always stand on the outside of a bend?

[mrmr96]

dilbert said:

Why do people always stand on the outside of a bend?

Unfortunately I think it's because (as the guy in the video says) they are 'allowed to stand where they want'. I imagine that people standing on the outside of bends lack imagination somewhat and just say 'hey it's not crowded over here, so I'll take this spot' and not thinking of the potential carnage. Darwin Award? Maybe that's a bit harsh but you get the idea.

(PS - does the article say they were stood outside a bend?)

[dilbert]

mrmr96 said:

dilbert said:

Why do people always stand on the outside of a bend?

Unfortunately I think it's because (as the guy in the video says) they are 'allowed to stand where they want'. I imagine that people standing on the outside of bends lack imagination somewhat and just say 'hey it's not crowded over here, so I'll take this spot' and not thinking of the potential carnage. Darwin Award? Maybe that's a bit harsh but you get the idea.

(PS - does the article say they were stood outside a bend?)

I don't know, I didn't read it. I'll have to eat my hat if they weren't.
What I did read was that the spectators were stoning the errant driver, who fled the scene under a hail of missiles. That was enough for me. I stopped reading.

I won't criticise them for who they are, but someone ought to tell them the score.

[mrmr96]

dilbert said:

mrmr96 said:

dilbert said:

Why do people always stand on the outside of a bend?

Unfortunately I think it's because (as the guy in the video says) they are 'allowed to stand where they want'. I imagine that people standing on the outside of bends lack imagination somewhat and just say 'hey it's not crowded over here, so I'll take this spot' and not thinking of the potential carnage. Darwin Award? Maybe that's a bit harsh but you get the idea.

(PS - does the article say they were stood outside a bend?)

I don't know, I didn't read it. I'll have to eat my hat if they weren't.
What I did read was that the spectators were stoning the errant driver, who fled the scene under a hail of missiles. That was enough for me. I stopped reading.

I won't criticise them for who they are, but someone ought to tell them the score.

If a driver had lost control and run over your wife you'd probably be pretty pissed off and emotions would be running high. Stoning the driver is clearly not the answer but you can understand that people who have just seen their friends/family killed may just be looking for someone to blame at that point.

[FourWheelDrift]

They will just introduce whatever they did to World Rallying that stopped people standing in the wrong place and too close on certain European events back in the Group B days. Group B fans - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4UuZ5mauKk

[MonkeyHanger]

dilbert said:

I don't know, I didn't read it. I'll have to eat my hat if they weren't.

Best get chomping then.

It seems it happened on the landing side of a jump called the Rockpile...


From the descriptions it sounds very similar to Hirvonen's off in Finland recently, apart from Spectators being allowed to stand on the wrong side of a jump.

[Doniger]

The harsh reality is that the only people to blame are the ones who got hurt and killed. Motorsport Is Dangerous, and those three words are common knowledge, and printed on race tickets and on signs at tracks.

If you don't want to expose yourself or your companions to the risk of being hurt or killed in an accident, don't go. Simple.

[Munter]

SOunds like he came over a jump a bit at the wrong angle. And either landed in the crowd, or rolled in to it. Moral of the story being don't stand down wind of a jump I guess.

[Animal]

Apparently the driver got air going over a bump but didn't land squarely and the vehicle rolled into the crowd. I won't post a link here, but for anyone that's interested there's a video on the CNN website of the incident. It's not graphic, but it does illustrate the course and how close the spectators are.

As for throwing rocks at the driver? fking stupid monkeys. The same sort of people who would undoubtedly arrive at such a scene and say helpful things like 'Somebody should do something.'

Edited by Animal on Sunday 15th August 18:03

[anonymous-user]

Cars jumping and spectators standing anywhere they like, that's just crazy.

[GT Kodiak]

mrmr96 said:

If a driver had lost control and run over your wife you'd probably be pretty pissed off and emotions would be running high. Stoning the driver is clearly not the answer but you can understand that people who have just seen their friends/family killed may just be looking for someone to blame at that point.

You'd think they'd be more interested in tending to their dead/dying loved ones at that point...

[Racer X]

What they do not mention is the Booby Traps that are made on these Courses to get the drivers into trouble by these same people standing inside the Danger Zone.
At the same time a good amount of Alcoholic and who knows what it being consumed for many hours. The Juice flows in and common sense flows out. I do not think the Driver had much choice once things got out of hand. The people on the other hand had an idea of a "What if", that is if they were thinking and could have easily not been in that particular spot at that moment.

Years ago people got to0 close in the Water in Boat Racing until they had a few reminders of what could happen.

This Baja style Racing in California and Mexico is over some rough terrain and to spread out to put a fence all the way around the Course, (most are between 250-1000 mile Races). It is a real shame that this accident happened but it could have been avoided.

If a person want to run across a 8 lane Roadway to see how good the drivers are at missing him and he ends up getting flattened ? Who is to blame. The Safety Nazi's and Attorneys will want to blame the Drivers or the person that paved the Roadway.
We have gotten away from holding people accountable for their own Actions.

As far as the Stoning of the Drivers, it is the same mentality that goes on a Riot Spree at any given moment. Normally started by some Career trouble makers mixed in with Drunks.
Maybe some are the results of getting pelted one to many times by Rocks coming up from these vehicles in a previous race, the one rock that loosened their Brain from the Stem.
I have been to these Races the Drunks will want to fight you for asking them to move into a safe position, then fight you when someone gets hurt. It is the nature of the Beast.

You would not push your Wife or loved over the Railing into the Lions Den at the Zoo, why then would let the same person stand inside of a Safety Zone on a Corner at a Rough and Bumpy Race Track ?

[nigel mansell]

nothing nasty to see thankfully, but here it is,the spectators are lining the track !

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=206_1281882371

Edited by nigel mansell on Wednesday 18th August 00:43

[The Moose]

I've been involved in motorsport for the last 3 years and another 5 years of trackdays before that.

What is drilled into your head at all times is that Motorsport is dangerous. Not just for the competitors, but the spectators also.

I'm sure they were having a fantastic time getting close to the action...until they fked up. Obviously, I'm sad people died at a motorsport event, but I can't help but think it's their fault!?

I'm sorry, but if I come around Copse at Silverstone, lose it big time at over 100mph and hit the wall and there just happens to be a group of spectators there...who is to blame?!

Like I said, I do recon the spectators are at fault. Those vehicles weigh between 1 and 2 tonnes each travelling at high speeds (including jumps) then you would be a complete tosser to get anywhere near in the way. Oh, and they had a bit too much to smoke/drink? So fking what? If you don't want to be in danger then keep your wits about you and don't get stoned when at a dangerous point on a race track.

Oh, and fking disgusting behaviour throwing stones at the driver. fking disgusting.

Cheers

The Moose

[nigel mansell]

yes,noticed that,drink etc ? involved,only the spectators to blame and the organisers of the event if any !