Statement from Rich Taylor (LACR Lawsuit)

truck
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Louisville, KY, USA
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6/4/2024 10:14pm

Bottom line is if all who ride had this same threshold for litigation the sport would cease to exist.

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fins227
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6/4/2024 10:24pm
truck wrote:

Bottom line is if all who ride had this same threshold for litigation the sport would cease to exist.

Quickly 

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C.Worthy
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6/4/2024 10:49pm
truck wrote:

Bottom line is if all who ride had this same threshold for litigation the sport would cease to exist.

fins227 wrote:

Quickly 

Thanks to people like Rich Taylor and Rich Cain (RC16)

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1
early
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6/4/2024 11:15pm

The Shop

6/4/2024 11:53pm

 I unfortunately did not know this prior to the crash or that the area where my son crashed even existed.”

 

what a load of BS that corner looks to be visible from anywhere on the facility….. 

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Motofinne
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6/5/2024 12:30am

As much as it sucks that the kid got hurt, suing the track is completely insane and should be condemned by everyone.

Was that turn the safest ever obstacle on a MX track? No. But no obstacle is safe, MX is dangerous. You can crash on a straight and break you back if you are unlucky.

It is a completely different story if as an example, a rider takes off a jump when there is a green flag session and there is a tractor in the landning or something similar.

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2
Sandusky26
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6/5/2024 3:33am
bc775 wrote:
Gotta love all the moto tough guys in here. There is zero reason to have drop offs like that that close to the track. All the...

Gotta love all the moto tough guys in here. There is zero reason to have drop offs like that that close to the track. All the clowns up in arms over the lawsuit guarantee will be singing a different tone if that was your kid. How many walked the track and never knew that drop was there? More than likely alot. Its a corner. People arent examining them that closely. There wasnt a proper safety lane period. A kids life was changed from something that could of been easily fixed with a dozer. Its inexcusable. 

If I see a big pile of dirt, I'm going to think a drop off would be near.

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2
Richy
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6/5/2024 4:34am Edited Date/Time 6/5/2024 4:52am
bc775 wrote:
Gotta love all the moto tough guys in here. There is zero reason to have drop offs like that that close to the track. All the...

Gotta love all the moto tough guys in here. There is zero reason to have drop offs like that that close to the track. All the clowns up in arms over the lawsuit guarantee will be singing a different tone if that was your kid. How many walked the track and never knew that drop was there? More than likely alot. Its a corner. People arent examining them that closely. There wasnt a proper safety lane period. A kids life was changed from something that could of been easily fixed with a dozer. Its inexcusable. 

Sandusky26 wrote:

If I see a big pile of dirt, I'm going to think a drop off would be near.

100% man, a few years ago most people would have thought the same...

I thought it was gonna some wild drop off into the ass end of the desert littered with rocks and cactus and mad max hobo's and stuff... Calling that 'negligent' or so out of order that it warrants a law suit?? No way...

It's bad luck and I'm sorry it happened but that's even more convincing it's not a glaring track issue.

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6/5/2024 5:10am Edited Date/Time 6/5/2024 5:18am

The fact is, there are a ton of places on almost every track where it would be a bad idea to whiskey throttle out of control off the track.  The trees that line east coast tracks and the actual cliffs that surround parts of Glen Helen come to mind.  If you lose control of a 60 horsepower motorcycle, bad things can happen.  Just because bad things happened to you or your family doesn’t make it someone else’s fault that YOU lost control of YOUR motorcycle and whisky throttled off the track.  

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6/5/2024 5:43am

The settlement is bad enough, then add in what it costs to retain a Lawyer, which is complete insanity. Afterwards your Insurance doubles.

I had my track shut down because of noise, probably saved me from grifters like the Taylor's.

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2
aees
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6/5/2024 5:57am

If you own a track, and you charge people for riding there, it will come with obligations. You can't just rake in the cash when its convenient and not take responsibility when shit goes south. That's also why you have insurance.

Clearly this was something that could be fixed. 

So all in all, don't run a track if you can't make it reasonably safe. This part was not reasonably safe since it was also pointed out as unsafe by people with experience. Nothing else as far I know, was pointed out.

 

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47
GrapeApe
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6/5/2024 5:59am
I’m wondering who this mcccdez is that signed up today just to inject themselves into this post. This happens every time we have a thread like...

I’m wondering who this mcccdez is that signed up today just to inject themselves into this post. This happens every time we have a thread like this. 

GrapeApe wrote:

Kind of like how you just showed up after years of absence?

One is nothing like the other. I may have been absent for a while, but I came specifically to this conversation with my known name, not...

One is nothing like the other. I may have been absent for a while, but I came specifically to this conversation with my known name, not under the cover of an anonymous screen name. I’m quite sure mxxcdez (who let his cat walk across his keyboard to get his screen name) has an account on here that is a bit less anonymous. 

I know exactly why you re-appeared, unlike the other guy that may just be a guy that rides "mx" "xc" and "dez" and just joined Vital.

Remote image

 

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6/5/2024 6:14am
bc775 wrote:
Gotta love all the moto tough guys in here. There is zero reason to have drop offs like that that close to the track. All the...

Gotta love all the moto tough guys in here. There is zero reason to have drop offs like that that close to the track. All the clowns up in arms over the lawsuit guarantee will be singing a different tone if that was your kid. How many walked the track and never knew that drop was there? More than likely alot. Its a corner. People arent examining them that closely. There wasnt a proper safety lane period. A kids life was changed from something that could of been easily fixed with a dozer. Its inexcusable. 

Sandusky26 wrote:

If I see a big pile of dirt, I'm going to think a drop off would be near.

Probably one of the best takes in this thread...LOL.

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yak651
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6/5/2024 6:19am
aees wrote:
If you own a track, and you charge people for riding there, it will come with obligations. You can't just rake in the cash when its...

If you own a track, and you charge people for riding there, it will come with obligations. You can't just rake in the cash when its convenient and not take responsibility when shit goes south. That's also why you have insurance.

Clearly this was something that could be fixed. 

So all in all, don't run a track if you can't make it reasonably safe. This part was not reasonably safe since it was also pointed out as unsafe by people with experience. Nothing else as far I know, was pointed out.

 

Point out in those screen shots what is unusual with that berm compared to other MX or SX tracks please

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1
joshd
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6/5/2024 6:26am
aees wrote:
If you own a track, and you charge people for riding there, it will come with obligations. You can't just rake in the cash when its...

If you own a track, and you charge people for riding there, it will come with obligations. You can't just rake in the cash when its convenient and not take responsibility when shit goes south. That's also why you have insurance.

Clearly this was something that could be fixed. 

So all in all, don't run a track if you can't make it reasonably safe. This part was not reasonably safe since it was also pointed out as unsafe by people with experience. Nothing else as far I know, was pointed out.

 

I’ve always said the sports has some of the most stupid, ignorant fans, this post solidifies that. 

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WFO Dave
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6/5/2024 6:51am
brocster wrote:
Been in Ca.  7 years and rode 38 of 52 weekends last year and have never seen anyone walk the track prior to riding. Never.  Most...

Been in Ca.  7 years and rode 38 of 52 weekends last year and have never seen anyone walk the track prior to riding. Never.  Most people do a sight lap and check out the track obstacles and not the million ways you can get hurt by going off track.  It’s just not that common and can understand the complacency and sucks that things like this don’t come to light until “after” something happens. Don’t own, never, have, any EKS brand goggles not sure why as I always thought RT was a good dude and again I am not going to judge because I am sure he has his reasons, that we’ll never know. I’ve had to pick my son up off an arena floor and I can tell you, “fear” does some crazy shit to your brain so I’ll give him that pass atleast…

Anytime a local track here in Texas "re-did" the layout we would always walk the track. One reason is that it was new and the other reason was that practice hadn't started yet so you couldn't ride it. I remember my son and Josh Demuth stepping off several of the big jumps. And yes the fear a dad has when your son's out on the track is real. 

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6/5/2024 7:01am

First off , my thoughts go out to the family and young rider who's sustained the injury. Nobody ever wants to see somebody get hurt like that.

A couple questions that I have - was this part of the track complained about before this incident? If so, how much was the section talked about? Was it discuss days or weeks prior? Or the day of? Did the track owners just ignore complaints?

The only fault I can find with a track owner is if there are floods of complaints coming in about a certain section of the track and they just blatantly ignore it and do nothing to fix it.

I have a feeling that's not the case here and from looking at the videos and pictures, this doesn't look like and abnormally dangerous part of a track. I know a video doesn't do it justice but from what I saw, I would have never thought anything negative about that turn.

 

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6/5/2024 7:27am Edited Date/Time 6/5/2024 7:57am
First off , my thoughts go out to the family and young rider who's sustained the injury. Nobody ever wants to see somebody get hurt like...

First off , my thoughts go out to the family and young rider who's sustained the injury. Nobody ever wants to see somebody get hurt like that.

A couple questions that I have - was this part of the track complained about before this incident? If so, how much was the section talked about? Was it discuss days or weeks prior? Or the day of? Did the track owners just ignore complaints?

The only fault I can find with a track owner is if there are floods of complaints coming in about a certain section of the track and they just blatantly ignore it and do nothing to fix it.

I have a feeling that's not the case here and from looking at the videos and pictures, this doesn't look like and abnormally dangerous part of a track. I know a video doesn't do it justice but from what I saw, I would have never thought anything negative about that turn.

 

A couple questions that I have - was this part of the track complained about before this incident? If so, how much was the section talked about? Was it discuss days or weeks prior? Or the day of? Did the track owners just ignore complaints?

This was talked about in the other thread, but yes it was complained about and mentioned from multiple people before the incident. I(my concern was the one on the vet track) and at least one other person were told "we have one of the safest tracks in So Cal." ML said Donn Maeda asked for the section to be removed before they held the Transworld race there which if I remember correctly was a week or two before this incident. Rick Ryan mentioned it to someone at the track before racing started the day of the incident. I know of others that also brought it up to track staff before the incident but I do not know what the response from the track was.

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Johnny Ringo
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Tombstone, AZ, USA
6/5/2024 7:31am

Why not sue Suzuki for getting whiskey throttle? 

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1
6/5/2024 7:47am

Why not sue Suzuki for getting whiskey throttle? 

They couldn’t find anyone to serve 

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6/5/2024 7:49am

Why not sue Suzuki for getting whiskey throttle? 

Why not sue Eks Brand for his vision being obscured? 🫣

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6/5/2024 7:57am Edited Date/Time 6/5/2024 8:08am
First off , my thoughts go out to the family and young rider who's sustained the injury. Nobody ever wants to see somebody get hurt like...

First off , my thoughts go out to the family and young rider who's sustained the injury. Nobody ever wants to see somebody get hurt like that.

A couple questions that I have - was this part of the track complained about before this incident? If so, how much was the section talked about? Was it discuss days or weeks prior? Or the day of? Did the track owners just ignore complaints?

The only fault I can find with a track owner is if there are floods of complaints coming in about a certain section of the track and they just blatantly ignore it and do nothing to fix it.

I have a feeling that's not the case here and from looking at the videos and pictures, this doesn't look like and abnormally dangerous part of a track. I know a video doesn't do it justice but from what I saw, I would have never thought anything negative about that turn.

 

mattyhamz2 wrote:
A couple questions that I have - was this part of the track complained about before this incident? If so, how much was the section talked...

A couple questions that I have - was this part of the track complained about before this incident? If so, how much was the section talked about? Was it discuss days or weeks prior? Or the day of? Did the track owners just ignore complaints?

This was talked about in the other thread, but yes it was complained about and mentioned from multiple people before the incident. I(my concern was the one on the vet track) and at least one other person were told "we have one of the safest tracks in So Cal." ML said Donn Maeda asked for the section to be removed before they held the Transworld race there which if I remember correctly was a week or two before this incident. Rick Ryan mentioned it to someone at the track before racing started the day of the incident. I know of others that also brought it up to track staff before the incident but I do not know what the response from the track was.

I'll believe people complained about it, even though judging off those screen shots it doesn't look like something out of the ordinary. My question is this: Did those people who complained still ride/race even though it wasn't changed?

If they did, then that's on them. Clearly it wasn't THAT bad. Not like those people who complained would lose hundreds of thousands of dollars by not racing. Hell, they complained and still PAID to race on that track.

If there was a loader parked ON the track, and the track owner refused to move it, would they still race? Nope. They'd get a refund and go home. That berm is NOT gross negligence.

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ohh_454
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6/5/2024 7:58am

Is the family of the guy who started 6D suing Glen Helen for him going over a berm and dying a month or so ago?

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8
6/5/2024 8:41am

As more facts come out it seems even worse for the Taylor family. I can’t believe he thought his statement would help. LACR should have taken this to trial and counter sued for attorney fees. Between what actually happened and the kids instagram post I think they would have won. 

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wvumounty
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6/5/2024 8:48am
ohh_454 wrote:

Is the family of the guy who started 6D suing Glen Helen for him going over a berm and dying a month or so ago?

You can bet it would be the same low life attorneys and “expert” witness backing the case. They tend to run in packs after getting one settlement.

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Riddla
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Downey, CA, USA
6/5/2024 8:53am
ohh_454 wrote:

Is the family of the guy who started 6D suing Glen Helen for him going over a berm and dying a month or so ago?

He didn’t go over a berm. I happened to be there racing that day and it’s a very sad circumstance. 
Ride in Peace Rob 🙏🏽

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BoxcarWilly
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6/5/2024 8:59am Edited Date/Time 6/5/2024 9:00am

I will certainly not be supporting EKS brand in any way, shape, or form going forward. 

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6/5/2024 9:00am Edited Date/Time 6/5/2024 9:01am

The Instagram post by the son does make it look a lot worse. The delusion of Rich thinking his statement was going to help his case in the public eye is also wild to me. 

I'll admit the only time I started really paying attention was after Rich released that statement. When I read it, and maybe it's just me, I was under the impression his son was permanently injured in a way that would keep him from doing a lot of things. Looks like he's somewhat fully recovered, based on some of his other posts on Instagram. Mountain biking, things like that. 

I have a teenage son and it would be an absolute nightmare to watch him be injured like that at all, even if there was a full recovery. There are a lot of parents in this thread who I know would feel the same. 

The fact the kid is still able to enjoy life, do the things he loves, post on Instagram about it, is a GOOD thing to me. So the fact Rich is still trying to justify this whole thing is just disgusting to me. 

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mikelawlor
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6/5/2024 9:01am

For those who are backing Rich and saying things like “why do you care so much” “how does this affect your personal life?” Well for one it makes costs of owning and operating a track higher ie higher insurance rates which is in turn passed on to the consumer, you and me. So for some people who are on the fence of going racing or practicing and it cost an extra $20 every time might decide it’s not worth it. Also Mx tracks won’t stay open if they can’t make a living doing it. So if a track owner can’t sustain business  because his cost have gone up and rider turnout is down he’s gonna close up shop. Now we have less and less riding areas. 
No one should sue a track after you signed the release of liability waiver unless like previously stated there was gross negligence on the track owners part (machinery on track during a live race or even parked close to the edge of the track) but as the kid stated “missed my brake”, he clearly lost control of his own motorcycle in a race that either him or his father signed the release of liability waiver. The icing on the cake is this guy supports his family with a business that needs support from the Moto community. I don’t think there is a better example of shooting yourself in the foot. 

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Meister
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Canton, OH, USA
6/5/2024 9:07am

Whats the difference between whiskey throttling off this berm or a big faced double on a track and completely overshooting the landing? I think its BS they moved on with the lawsuit.

 

Without starting another thread.... IS there ANY acceptable circumstances where you may entertain the idea if you received life altering injuries at a track? I can only come up with 1 in my head. 

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