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105
Who is going to say no to safety?
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A few years back when starting the RiderDown Foundation I created a business plan for a sister organization that I always felt could be a much larger and more productive entity. RiderSafe.org would by definition be a proactive (rather than reactive like RiderDown.org) organization addressing all aspects of safety that impact a rider. Issues ranging from training and fitness to gear and bike design. Track design and course worker education. On-site medical teams with up to date knowledge and equipment specifically targeted at the type of trauma issues we experience. These are just a few of the areas that need to be addressed. A top down, macro look at all of the issues is required. It's a huge undertaking and without the support of "the big players" and the various existing groups who are all protecting their own agendas the timing just wasn't right. Perhaps the time has come?
No offence GL8 wish I had a quarter of the talent you have, Heal up and kicka$$ outdoors. The jump at Daytona was B.S, but wasn't Daytona Designed by a Rider
( some guy named (R.C) LOL!!! The word UNION never goes over well and without a fight.
A Saftey Committee for all and a Cost Committee for the Lites Racers is needed.
28 entries for Salt Lake and a 48 average for the West Coast Lites ( NOT GOOD)
61 average for the east coast (OK) How many times can PC win a title ? It's getting old.
Nationals want to take out all the BUMPS....now SX wants to take out all the JUMPS.
Death and danger is part of being an extreme sport. It's what draws us to the track.
Langston and Reed are basically retired, what does Alessi, RV, Dungey, Hill, Canard, Wiemer, Hansen etc. think about a riders union? These are the riders that will make or break the union. I say they are too young to care and too focused on racing to bother with an union.
The word UNION is a bad term for so many reasons.....but I get the idea and am stoked finally someone is stepping up to the necessary but daunting plate.
This is long overdue and it appears the right people are in the right place at the right time?
The riders would be very wise to council with very sharp and seasoned vets like Tatonka at RiderDown.org and David Bailey is a strong idea. Ask what Doug Henry thinks too?
Hit up older guys like MC ( I would call him first thing to be honest). It also wouldnt hurt to hit up guys like RJ too. He tells it like it is and would be a good combo with DB....
I have spoke with SH105 many times about this, he has great insight too on simple but obvious and immediate needs that should not go overlooked....
Plan to spend a lot of time and money to make it really stick long term.
A professional mission statement that is well written and carefully crafted will be vital in these early stages IMO.
I suggest a thread to start sampling possible Mission statements? This can be very helpful to those with the challenge of writing one.
A good backbone statement will allow for it not spinning into something that it was not meant to be but allowing for what It can evolve into without freaking out the profit focused controllers.
Cheers to better days ahead!
That area of the track was dangerous. A straight with two tabletops and a foot of slush on top of hard packed clay and the whole area had been over-watered. We walked the track Saturday and were worried about those jumps in particular. It was a relatively high speed section, the jumps had low ramps, and the whole piece of track was obviously going to rut badly. It did.
As you can imagine, I now deeply regret not complaining loudly. I figured that no one would listen to a lower level riders dad, and that maybe we just need to 'toughen up'. If the elite riders weren't complaining, I must have it wrong.
Let's hope I can make someone listen before the next round.
A lot of f-ing back seat drivers on this board now. Jeesh. (not referring to this quote, referring to everyone telling Langston how to run it)
So I get the track safety part, but what do you do about the bikes? The way it is now, the bikes get faster and heavier. The tracks get more extreme to increase the difficulty. The main event 20/40 seperate quickly after the first couple of laps as those with $10,000 suspensions and fresh high rev race motors quickly move to the front. We end up watching the few big budget season survivors race at the front while the privateers do what they can to make those huge triple/quad jumps to try and stay on the lead lap.
In other form of motosports the fix is a bit easier. In Nascar, add restrictor plates, in Formula 1, change the formula once in a while so folks have to re-figure out a way to go fast. Not so easy in MX/SX. You can restrict air intake, but that can make it more dangerous when trying to clear quads and series of 3 feet deep trenches, or whoops as they still call them.
Lowering the whoops and safer rhythem sections are easy fixes, making a safer lighter bike that can still clear jumps is another story.
Maybe a certain window should to be allowed after each session for an appeal to be lodged - but what happens if all the party's concerned are unable to make a decision in that time is anyones guess!
Im all for rider safety but riders & fans could end up waiting for hours until a unanimous agreement is reached. Ok the safety of the riders should come first but going back to my first point, when 50-70% of any pro track is dangerous in the first place, how do you define what is and what isn't TOO dangerous?
My only addition is not to try to open it up to every hard card holding Pro. This should be limited to the top 100 national number guys, and with your season ranking a requirement you join union and pay whatever dues structure is laid out. Could be any rider that scores national point, etc, but not everyone, makes no sense to have 200 privateers and 10 top guys, when you could have 100 of top 100 and have the clout to make a stand when it is needed. Riders Reps are elected from that group and it is done. Give privateers something to work for get into union, etc. Make that top 100 ro 150 ranking mean something.
Dues could be sliding scale based on that ranking or points. Union then could offer sliding scale of benefits: purses, retirement, insurance options, revenue sharing, min salary amounts, etc. Might make a guy sitting in national number 80 work harder to be a top 50 guy that gets more union attention and next level of benefits.
This needs to happen and address the AMA Pro Rulebook(s) first (safety, testing, jersey numbers if you want) or the union is no show at Hangtown....
Go get guys...we are rooting for this to work!!
Reed, Langston, Hamblin, StewartN RV, you have the most important group showing concern. For Feld it is all about dollars. A part of them wants a rider to get hurt, it shows drama and excitement . these riders can alter felds narrow mind set. Start small with safety, then branch out with purse. Make it professional and clear. You guys are the show. Good luck Sean.
Pit Row
105
I fully support the riders forming a Union, it's overdue.
Will get back and read the next 7 pages of this thread tonight.
About me; weekend warrior turned practicer, big time Moto Fan forever.
Can you prove it?
Crashes are a part of it, and having some in pre-race ads in an effort to put butts in seats? I get that. But suggesting that they want people hurt was over the top for me. If that were the case, I'm sure they could sacrifice a few photographers per week.
But...they have risk management personnel on the floor each weekend, and we get a red map showing where we can't go, in an effort to keep us safe.
Thanks for clarifying, though.
Best of luck.
Hoss
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