Posts
8758
Joined
3/21/2007
Location
HAIKU, HI
US
Edited Date/Time
7/8/2015 3:04am
In the four wheel word at the moment this is a topic that is receiving attention. Reason I post this stuff is to see if there are any parallels to SX/MX and/or any ideas we can glean from other forms of motorsports to make our sport safer.
Catch fences of the bottom of downhill sections might be something to consider or be more mindful of where people can stand. As we saw at Washougal really bad things happen when a bike hits somebody. I saw this up close and personal at Hangtown in the mid 90s after a start and it left a indelible impression on me. This big guy got cleaned out from behind so never saw it coming. He was hurt enough that they stretchered him out.
Catch fences of the bottom of downhill sections might be something to consider or be more mindful of where people can stand. As we saw at Washougal really bad things happen when a bike hits somebody. I saw this up close and personal at Hangtown in the mid 90s after a start and it left a indelible impression on me. This big guy got cleaned out from behind so never saw it coming. He was hurt enough that they stretchered him out.
Do you have any connections to the industry? If you are looking to make real change, I'd encourage you to talk to the promoters. Surely you have MX Sports email?
Have you thought about compiling all the issues as you see them and proposing solutions in a well presented plan?
I have many thoughts of my own, but havn't had the time to present them well enough. Let me know if you'd like to hear some of my ideas.
I love the sport more than I am safety conscious to be clear. My rationale is the more we can do to make things safer (NOT SAFE for those of you reading challenged) the more participants we keep in our sport as well as attract more newbies.
The more ideas and input we get the better IMHO.
The Shop
Free shipping: VITALMX
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
I learned to keep myself safe and to hell with everyone else.
the most important part of the track is no on the track but beside it.
always walk the track in the morning,not to look at jumps and such but what is along side,where you can push,get out of shape and have runoff to gather it in,
likewise,note where not to push because of track furniture.
i hate quads.
1. Actively monitor safety performance - and provide transparent reports.
2. Not accept the status quo
3. Actively Identify safety concerns via internal reporting and internal reviews of hazards, near misses and actual injuries.
4. listen when other parties raise safety concerns
5. Have active initiatives to improve safety
5. Monitor and report on the outcome of initiatives
If you rely on static/prescriptive rules, nothing changes, and they don't adapt to changes e.g. 450's, or stadium changes.
There was really nothing that the event promoters could have done in this instance regarding canoe rider safety. You simply must keep your eyes peeled and be ready to move.
Appreciate the kudos but after watching this sport change over the last forty years (and not all for the better) I am over same s^&t different day mode our sport has been in to a large degree. I like what bobojim posted especially the part about culture needing to change. Speaking of.......
racingfortheson-What color is the sky in your world? I would like to visit your planet...the one where more people aren't being injured in greater numbers.
dre3101-Another scrub success story. Thanks for the pics and I'm glad no spectators were injured.
Accepting status quo is our biggest liability IMHO as that means we're just waiting for the government or insurance goons to swoop down on us. We have the opportunity to regulate ourselves in an attempt to lower injury rate/reduce severity of injury. It will help our cause long term if we are proactive.
Or we can just keep telling ourselves that MX is dangerous and there is really nothing we can do so why even bother especially since it is the Internet that makes it seem like there are more injuries?
Did I dream it or did Asterisk start collecting data on injuries within the last year or so? I think there should also be a database on bike and vehicle thefts in our sport particularly on what alarm was utilized, how was the theft pulled off, etc and have this information shared.
Knowledge is power.
they had haybales lining the track which are really more dangerous than anything . Auston Albers dad was standing with his back to traffic,one of those riders got out of shape and would have saved it but the haybales kicked the bike out.
It hit Albers and cleaned him out,compound tib,fib and shoulder,shoulder blade. He went into shock and very nearly died.
haybales suck.
DC@mxsports.com
DC
MX Sports
Pit Row
Michael "Rock" Rigdon, Blue Buffalo/Slater Skins/Yamaha head media liaison and technical adviser was seen here contemplating some "insider knowledge" from RacerX Illustrated's/Allied Sports', Davey Coombs.
By the way "liaison" is spelled wrong on your blog, you should at least get your title correct.
I recently worked a regional event where we had to pull two groups of riders aside and flat out lay the law down about jumping on yellows/medic flags. Riders meetings have gotten to be a joke, people don't listen, and then they complain about issues that we specifically go over in the meeting. If we say the yellow flag is wheels to the ground, that doesn't mean scrub the double is ok! It means wheels to the ground.
Track owners, promoters, officials can't do it all, and as much as some of you want to believe that its all about the $$$, well I can promise you for me its not. I do what I do because I love the sport, and you can ask anyone that knows me and they will tell you the same thing.
Rider safety is always first and foremost from local to National Level. But no matter how safe it is things happen. But first and foremost rider and spectator input is always needed at any level.
what I see at redbud the last 2yrs is something I like very much.
The moving back of banners and stakes about a watertruck width from the yellow track edge markers.
It should be a requirement that a lane about 5ft wide be left open and clear on each side of the track as runoff area for a rider swapping or out of shape to have a chance to get under control.
I know some places it isnt possible.
Impressions can be skewed, too, because folks pay attention when something bad happens, but not when something bad doesn't happen because safety measures have been implemented. The most safety conscious, proactive promoter will still get crucified if something wrong happens.
This seems like one of the harsher seasons in awhile on the riders regardless of what series they are in, but it seems more like a rider error year than a "why was that there" year.
Regarding " Building another forum thread to imply that no one is listening is kind of redundant, unfair and not as helpful as you may think." this is a 100% incorrect assumption. You know I don't mince words and I am not bashful. If I wanted to take you or anyone to task about safety I wouldn't have implied it I would have made it clear but this isn't the case.
To elaborate on my culture of safety point I am speaking more to the comments I read online IE. MX is dangerous, you can't make it safe, we don't have more injuries it is the Internet etc.
The parallel from the article to our sport I see is catch fencing. Based on the instances you've shared and re3101's Red Bud story and pics my off the top of my head suggestions are:
1) Increase safety zone area by jumps where bikes have gone into the crowd.
2) Examine where additional catch fencing could be utilized.
3) Have areas that are off limits on the first lap for spectators then after the pack has thinned allow them to get closer.
4) Have age limits in certain spectator areas where the risk of a bike leaving the track is greater. Adults can take a licking better than a five year kid.
I do have one question DC: Does Asterisk get details now from racers on what safety equipment they were wearing, the obstacle they got hurt on (if applicable) and input on what they could have done differently if anything? This would be helpful in coming to a decision on if chest/back protection should become mandatory like it is in MXGP next year.
BTW hadn't seen that picture from Hangtown before. I like it!
FTE-Very well said This seems like one of the harsher seasons in awhile on then riders regardless of what series they are in, but it seems more like a rider error year than a "why was that there" year. Odd thing is coming into 2015 we had the shortest injured list in USA in a LONG time.
Maybe in the real world people are in fact making the effort to make it safer and it's paying off.
Post a reply to: Do race organizers listen to safety concerns?