[sanjuro]

I don't know if everyone heard about this offroad race where 8 spectators were killed by a rolling vehicle, but this is the natural result:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/08/california-200-and-other-races-foster-dangerous-mad-max-atmosphere-critics-say.html

“The feds have allowed a 'Mad Max' atmosphere to develop with too many people and too many machines crammed into too little space,” said Kieran Suckling, director of the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit environmental protection group. “The feds don't have the resources, and apparently not the interest, to regulate off-road vehicles properly.”

 

[5150dhbiker]

So, I was out riding my motorcycle up at Kennedy Meadows (up in the Sierras) from friday till earlier today and just heard about this.

My buddy Andy gave me the link to the article but basically a truck crashed at a desert race killing 8 people and I believe 16 people are in ICU. Kinda sad considering all the lawsuits that are going to happen now and the huge effect on the racing scene.

My heart goes out to the families though.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/08/15/california.racing.deaths/index.html?hpt=C1

 

[5150dhbiker]

Haha, you posted this at the same time I posted it. My buddy Andy was at that race and left just before it happened. He was just out there pre-running his truck though.

 

[stevew]

darwin had a good day.

 

[Ciaran]

Watching a truck or auto race from the side of the course without any barriers doesn't seem like the brightest thing to do. A tragedy to be sure, but something like this was bound to happen given the close proximity of the spectators to the race course.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

What's wrong with a Mad Max atmosphere?!?!?



Oh, yea, the dead people.

 

[tylerpier137]

I am amazed by the post's above me.

I was at this race, I was only feet away from the crash, I did the most I could with only a pair of gloves and my EMT training. I had 3 people I was trying my best to help die on me out there in the dirt. You people are the lowest of the low to say things like that about innocent spectators dieing from a racing accident. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

If anyone wants to help the family's of the deceased and injured an organization called Fast-Aid is taking donations.

http://www.fast-aid.org/

Click on California 200.

 

[tylerpier137]

Check the other thread before you post here.

 

[fro biker]

that is ****ty to hear. can't say i am surprised though...everytime i watch baja and rally, i cringe in the spectator sections.

 

[lovebunny]

It would be hard for him to do that since they were both posted at the same time huh?

 

[IH8Rice]

I am amazed by the post's above me.

so you think its okay for people to be that close to the trucks as the speed by?

its obviously a tragedy the people died, but standing next to 6000lb trucks hauling ass can be dangerous (see crazy)

 

[tylerpier137]

so you think its okay for people to be that close to the trucks as the speed by?

its obviously a tragedy the people died, but standing next to 6000lb trucks hauling ass can be dangerous (see crazy)

Yes, obviously being that close to course was a bad idea, thats why I wasn't. I'm talking about the fact that people are talking ill of the dead. When someone post on here about bicyclist getting hit on the street no one post anything like that. Why is it appropriate here?

 

[eric strt6]

 

[fro biker]

tylerpier137, i commend you sir for your valiant actions . seriously, acts of heroism like that are few and far between.

 

[sanjuro]

I have always respected the fans of any Rally sport.

Instead of trapped in bleachers having vendors pass them hot dogs and beer, these people made the effort to get out and participate in the event.

I've walked hundreds of miles along bike race courses, and I've enjoyed it being there as much as watching the race.

I know there is no chance of an errant bicycle killing me, but I greatly respect these people for showing up and I personally worry about how this will be the end of the things I love.

This definitely means no more rally racing in California.

 

[sanjuro]

I am amazed by the post's above me.

I was at this race, I was only feet away from the crash, I did the most I could with only a pair of gloves and my EMT training. I had 3 people I was trying my best to help die on me out there in the dirt. You people are the lowest of the low to say things like that about innocent spectators dieing from a racing accident. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

If anyone wants to help the family's of the deceased and injured an organization called Fast-Aid is taking donations.

http://www.fast-aid.org/

Click on California 200.

Thank you.

 

[Kanye West]

I am amazed by the post's above me.

I was at this race, I was only feet away from the crash, I did the most I could with only a pair of gloves and my EMT training. I had 3 people I was trying my best to help die on me out there in the dirt. You people are the lowest of the low to say things like that about innocent spectators dieing from a racing accident. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

If anyone wants to help the family's of the deceased and injured an organization called Fast-Aid is taking donations.

http://www.fast-aid.org/

Click on California 200.

Good for you Ty! You still in Ventura?

 

[MMike]

You rolls the dice, you takes yer chances....

 

[Matchew]

This is terrible news, my thoughts go out to the families of those injured or worse. At the same time I feel that these people should have taken more responsibility and used more common sense when standing near the course. I don't know the exact circumstances of this but the first thing that came to mind were the insane, almost suicidal crowds of the class B rally era. Irresponsible crowds also leave zero room for error for the drivers. My thoughts are also with the driver(s) that now have to live with this accident.

 

[MMike]

I have more sympathy for the driver. As said above he has to live with this, and strictly speaking, as he was RACING, it's not his fault. The crowd put themselves in harms way.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

I saw a video of the crash......and no disrespect to the people who died, but the people in the crowd were IDIOTS. After the truck that killed the people crashed and rolled over, spectators were running DOWN THE TRACK on the backside of a blind drop-off to see the wreck, with trucks still whizzing by at 45-50mph.


After seeing that, I'm amazed more people aren't killed at these races.

 

[dante]

These aren't the first Rally fans who have been killed watching their sport, and probably won't be the last, either... Just probably the last in California, as I assume rally racing is pretty much finished there.

 

[eaterofdog]

Tragic.

First person arrives and sets up a safe distance from the track. Next person arrives and thinks I'll set up right in front of him. Repeat 30 times and you have people on the track.

 

[jasride]

There was one gentleman on the "Today Show" this morning that was at the event who had a friend that lost his life in the event say that he feels the driver should take more responsibility, and tried to pin the same amount of blame on the driver as the spectators. I just cant see it that way.

He was saying something along the lines of the driver that crashed was hitting this jump at like 90mph when pre race drivers were hitting the same jump at like 45 or 50mph, including said gentleman.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

He was saying something along the lines of the driver that crashed was hitting this jump at like 90mph when pre race drivers were hitting the same jump at like 45 or 50mph, including said gentleman.

Well, it is a race.........

 

[kazlx]

Not to point out the obvious, but it's a race, which means the first one to the finish line wins....which usually means going fast. It's sad that people died at the event, but every race I have been to has had people standing in stupid places way to close to the track. I understand that you want the best view of the race, but that also usually means the least amount of safety.

To chastise the driver is ridiculous.

Unfortunately, I also see this incident being used by environmental groups as ammo to attack off-road racing....

 

[Jimmysal]

The real travesty here is the environmentalists trying to use the deaths of these people to push their agenda banning off road vehicles in the dunes...

 

[IH8Rice]

He was saying something along the lines of the driver that crashed was hitting this jump at like 90mph when pre race drivers were hitting the same jump at like 45 or 50mph, including said gentleman.

the video didnt look anything like 90mph

 

[jasride]

Well, it is a race.........

Totally. Let me clarify my opinion if it wasn't clear at first.

Not the racers fault!

 

[jasride]

the video didnt look anything like 90mph

Huh, I didn't see the vid but that was the guys words.

 

[kazlx]

the video didnt look anything like 90mph

Yup...no way 90...maybe 45-50....

You can't see people actually getting hit in the video...but the amount of idiots at that race is amazing. People are ON the course with no regard for 3000lb trucks racing by.....sorry, but the blame is squarely on the fans for that. Where is these people's common sense that says, "Hey, maybe I should stand a little further away and not on the backside of this jump...?"

 

[Kevin]

Where is these people's common sense that says, "Hey, maybe I should stand a little further away and not on the backside of this jump...?"

QFT!
Or how bout people standing on the outside of a warpspeed corner with nothing between them and a 1200kilo car except a bloody piece of tape?
I have a hard time not insulting these people even if they are dead...
Its like building your house next to an active volcano and wonder why you have lava in your livingroom!

 

[IH8Rice]

Huh, I didn't see the vid but that was the guys words.

you cant see the carnage thankfully, but you can see the speed


thankfully at least one drunk said to get off the track
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/15/breaking-at-least-8-dead-in-california-200-off-road-race-traged/

 

[Silver]

I am amazed by the post's above me.

I was at this race, I was only feet away from the crash, I did the most I could with only a pair of gloves and my EMT training. I had 3 people I was trying my best to help die on me out there in the dirt. You people are the lowest of the low to say things like that about innocent spectators dieing from a racing accident. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

If anyone wants to help the family's of the deceased and injured an organization called Fast-Aid is taking donations.

http://www.fast-aid.org/

Click on California 200.

Tell me a couple of them were flatbillers. I could use a spring in my step today.

 

[Sandwich]

I'm sure there will be all kinds of fallout from this, but the moral of the story is: "Don't put yourself in harm's way, and you won't be harmed." There were riots at my school in 2002 or 03, and somebody was hit by a car trying to escape. It's a tragedy, for sure, but if that person hadn't been there, trying to flip cars or encourage those that did, he wouldn't be dead.

The fault, in this case, lies on the ones who were there, too close, and you can't point the finger at anybody else. Sadly, common sense is dying in this country, protected by people (lawyers) who immediately blame anybody but the person who puts himself in the bad position.

 

[kazlx]

The saddest part to me is the fact that is that enforcement even needs to be discussed. Common sense shouldn't have to be law. You don't have to have a law to make me wear a seatbelt or a helmet on my motorcycle....same as standing in obviously unsafe location. The rules from MDR even state that spectators shouldn't be within 100 ft of the course. I don't think it should be their responsibility to tape off 50 miles of desert....

 

[kazlx]

Sadly, common sense is dying in this country, protected by people (lawyers) who immediately blame anybody but the person who puts himself in the bad position.

Amen.

 

[scottishmark]

I assume that the marshalling is all but non-existant at these events then? At lest rallying has the ability to delay/cancel stages if the crowd are in stupid positions, doesn't sound like anything was checked here.

 

[IH8Rice]

this man is my hero

Andrew Therrien was one of the first spectators killed by an off-road truck during Saturday's California 200 disaster, but before he died the single father pushed three people to safety, including his 3-year old daughter....
just seconds before the truck collided with Therrien he was able to shove his daughter Kaylin, his girlfriend Nikky Cariola, and a friend's 7-year old son.

http://jalopnik.com/5614018/this-is-the-california-200-victim-who-saved-his-daughters-life

 

[BurlyShirley]

It's a stupid sport that needlessly tears the **** out of the desert and should be outlawed anyway IMO.