Jim Clark

A

andrew muir

Club Member
I was shocked yesterday to find out the events which I was lucky not to witness at the Jim Clark.
I was late at getting to the Swinton Stage and could only get to see at the end of the stage.
An absolute tragedy that 3 people should lose lives this way, thoughts go out to the driver, co-driver and all the families of the deceased and injured.

I have still not heard back from other friends spectating I pray its not them.

I do hope this is not the end of this great event, this is a commemorative rally it may now be remembered for all the wrong reasons.:(
 
Very sad, but I'm not surprised.

I love rallying but the safety standards are lagging a long way behind racing. Also the task of managing spectator safety on public roads or forest roads once a year is huge for an organising 'club'.

Watch any rally on TV and you will see an accident waiting to happen. I don't really know what the answer is though if the sport is to continue - dedicated spectator stages are usually overcrowded and can be artificial.

Tragic for all concerned.
 
Yes, very tragic news.

My recent experiences on the Circuit of Ireland taught me that it is almost impossible to stop spectators stand in dangerous situations and not realising that unlike X Box games, a piece of tape or fencing does not keep a car on the road.

We had numerous spectators who refused to move from locations that were marked up as Prohibited, one even assaulted a marshal. We also had folk who were told to move by one of the Safety Cars, they did so, but once the car had gone moved back to their original location.

However, this happens in forests as well as closed roads, and as you say Rob, how it can be dealt with is going to be a major issue. The days of arena rallying may not be far off.
 
Sadness beyond the tragedy is that these rare accidents will always draw more attention than motorsport itself and place far more motoring events under HSE scrutiny. It's amazing that the few road racing events still enjoyed in the UK and Ireland are still going with all things considered. Road racing has such a huge following and it's so sad that it will eventually die out.
 
I hhave just read in local newspaper that following the accident there is going to be an enquiry into saftey at simillar events etc, and there may be criminal charges pending the enquiry.:(
 
Criminal charges against who, the spectators who put themselves in harm's way to watch the sport they love?

I'm glad the TT is still going, not a bike lover myself but I will always make time to watch that. Probably the only real old school motorsport left
 
I do hope the nanny state doesn't go into headline grabbing overdrive!! :(

Having been a spectator my view of these things is very Darwinian!! If you choose to sky dive, run across the path of tigers in a safari or stand where a charging rally car may come off the road, you made that choice; how can others be blamed for potential accidents. We have a duty of care to ourselves also, surely!? This beautiful game we play each day called "life" is full of risks and potential for accidents based on our own personal assessment of the risks and the decisions we make.

If the organisers didn't close off the roads and a granny crossing the road got hit then fair enough on criminal negligence. But an adult spectator, knowing the risks and standing somewhere unsafe, of their own volition? You can't stop people putting themselves in harm's way and taking risks if they choose to.

The second video in this article says it all ....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-27678234

Rant over.



Ali K
 
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