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genman

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Started out such a good event and it's all gone down hill.
No official name but all live press coverage stopped after the death was announced.
 

BLS

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Started out such a good event and it's all gone down hill.
No official name but all live press coverage stopped after the death was announced.
Watched the highlights last night of thursday nights racing them 650s boys were no holds barred racing,there saying it was black hill
 

genman

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Now confirmed it was the kid...Malachi Mitchell Thomas.
Sad loss of a talented young rider.
 

hutchy_belfast

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Donning the flame suit here but as someone who has been to the NW for 25 of my 29 years I don't think I can go to it anymore. It must have nearly a 1% mortality rate or possibly more. If my son grew up wanting to do it I honestly think I'd rather break his leg than let him. Yup all the platitudes about knowing the risks, doing what one loves and it being in the blood apply. But to me it's 2016 and the time to state sanction such annual carnage has passed.
 

genman

G
Donning the flame suit here but as someone who has been to the NW for 25 of my 29 years I don't think I can go to it anymore. It must have nearly a 1% mortality rate or possibly more. If my son grew up wanting to do it I honestly think I'd rather break his leg than let him. Yup all the platitudes about knowing the risks, doing what one loves and it being in the blood apply. But to me it's 2016 and the time to state sanction such annual carnage has passed.
I know what your saying but there are plenty of jobs equally or more dangerous in everyday life that those doing them don't necessarily enjoy.
Even my own working with industrial generators..1 mistake with some of them and i'm a crispy critter with nothing to even bury.
All we can hope is that such incidents as this week are learnt from and actions taken to reduce or possibly remove the hazards.
 

hutchy_belfast

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I know what your saying but there are plenty of jobs equally or more dangerous in everyday life that those doing them don't necessarily enjoy.
There really aren't. The highest occupational mortality according to Google is professional fishing at 116 per 100,000. Quick fag paper maths says they NW is at least 5-10x that rate over the last 10 years and that's not even counting the multiple really seriously injured guys. People critiscise the 'blood sports' but boxing and mma wouldn't have a patch on road racing for death and serious injury.
I don't know if changing it to a TT style staged start would help but it can't go on like this
 

genman

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There really aren't. The highest occupational mortality according to Google is professional fishing at 116 per 100,000. Quick fag paper maths says they NW is at least 5-10x that rate over the last 10 years and that's not even counting the multiple really seriously injured guys. People critiscise the 'blood sports' but boxing and mma wouldn't have a patch on road racing for death and serious injury.
I don't know if changing it to a TT style staged start would help but it can't go on like this
All the stats tell me is that the safety measures simply aren't as good for road racing as in other jobs....I still see far too many exposed hard objects around the circuits....safety can always be improved in any job and nothing is learnt by just pulling the plug on such events.
 

DriftnSlide

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There really aren't. The highest occupational mortality according to Google is professional fishing at 116 per 100,000. Quick fag paper maths says they NW is at least 5-10x that rate over the last 10 years and that's not even counting the multiple really seriously injured guys. People critiscise the 'blood sports' but boxing and mma wouldn't have a patch on road racing for death and serious injury.
I don't know if changing it to a TT style staged start would help but it can't go on like this

Horse racing and equestrian are more dangerous sports. There are not many calls for them to be banned.
I understand your views, however they are "your" views and you are entitle to them, as are the riders queueing up to compete at this sport and it is everyones right to do so.
Health & Safety cannot dictate everyones life and choices, people can make their own decisions.
 

Mark_C

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First of all, condolences to the guys family. I agree with @hutchy_belfast above, I used to love the NW200 and the TT, but they've gotten to the point where enough is enough. I used to ride bikes on the road but I gave that up too as it's just not worth it any more - other drivers are unpredictable and there is just too much traffic on the road. I also couldn't conceive of leaving the kids behind if i had an accident. I really cant understand how someone with kids for example could do something that could leave their children with one parent, just because it's something 'they love'. That's, imo, the ultimate in selfishness.

On the point about horse riding above - there are far more equestrian events like eventing, racing, hunting, showjumping etc every year than there have been road races in the past 100 years, and the best stat I can find on the internet in a quick search is that in the entire UK in ALL forms of equestrian sport per year there are 10 deaths, that is a HELL of a smaller percentage than the number of deaths per road race. In fact it's almost negligible,
 

DriftnSlide

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On the point about horse riding above - there are far more equestrian events like eventing, racing, hunting, showjumping etc every year than there have been road races in the past 100 years, and the best stat I can find on the internet in a quick search is that in the entire UK in ALL forms of equestrian sport per year there are 10 deaths, that is a HELL of a smaller percentage than the number of deaths per road race. In fact it's almost negligible,

This is not really the time to be discussing such things and again your entitle to your own opinions, but because your opinion is they are selfish (which racers will be first to agree they are) you think they should be robbed of their choices and decisions because you don't agree with them ? I'm not sure where you got your info from, but since 1993 there have been 59 fatalities in eventing alone. Since 1939 there have been 47 fatalities in Irish road racing.
 

Mark_C

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You're backing my figures up there though. 59 in 23 years. Compare the number of equestrian events to the number of road races.

To put it in perspective, there are 180-ish events per season, and almost 100,000 entries. That's in ONE year. (From british horse society figures)
 
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DriftnSlide

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Irrespective of the spin on figures (and number of events and participants) it is still fundamentaly clear from them, that there are more fatalities in equestrian sports than in road racing.
There is still no call for these to be banned and rob the individual competitors of a sport (and way of life) they are passionate about, because some people do not agree with it. It is a free choice in life and should remain so. You do not have to like it or agree with it, but you should not force your prejudices on individuals who disagree with your views.
 

ilovequo

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He's not spinning figures.
The death and serious injury rate per race is ridiculously high...
I love watching it but something drastic needs to be done to increase safety... Removal of walls/ditches/trees/lampposts all justifiable if it saves one life.
Case in point, Guy Martin at last years UGP
 

Dave..

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Motorcycle races are dangerous, everyone knows that but no one is being forced to take part, no one has a gun to their head.
I rode bikes for years and stopped because for me the risks were too high but again that is my choice.
I think the only thing that will stop road racing will be organisers being unable to finance the liability insurance. I hope that never happens.
 

fabiostar

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i can understand the views of some here wanting it stopped. well if you want your life run for you move to china or somewere. thankfully people are still allowed to make there own adult mind up on how they live there own lives. if you want to save the world go stop the 30k people who die every year from drink in the uk but dont stop people doing as they want in sport that has been improving its record for years.

A poor young man has lost his life and as normal the gutter press jump on and everybody starts calling it a death race..

have some respect folks for the family
 
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