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Sheesh, we ACTUALLY have berms with cliffs on the other side where I live (Mountain View MX/Washougal). People have been seriously hurt by going over them into the ravines, but I guess the riders in the PNW have some decency...
That does not look like a dangerous berm. I can’t think of a track that doesn’t have major consequences for launching a berm like that
Exactly, unfortunately California has a State filled with loosers in more than one way (starting with a 50/50 money and property split if a couple gets a divorce), whom refuse to accept responsibility for their own decisions.
In this instance a lawsuit never should have even been allowed by the court. People ride tracks at their own risk as many have mentioned, providing a tractor does not unexpectely pull in front of them and they slam into it etc, as that is obviously a completely different situation.
Sounds like Rich singed the waiver for his of age son to ride and that allowed liability to be placed on the track. This is what Cooksey reported and I have zero way to verify it.
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You shouldn’t have sued the track, you know the risks
He thought long and hard about it, and almost got away with it…and then someone spilled the beans and he almost got away with it a second time, many defended him thinking no way this guy would sue and surely it was the insurance company. And then he came out and said nope, it was me, I sued because it was really dangerous. And then he almost got away with it a third time, until the moto community came out with the evidence of pictures of this “dangerous” bermed corner…Amazing some are still defending this guy, but I guess free goggles for privateers and some cash for the moto media forgives all sins
Do you know the kid? It sure sounds like you have all of the facts. I know that there are two currently active lawsuits, one for a broken ankle and distracted flagger, and maybe a third. As far as Rich that was a settlement with the promoter, which means the track had to be listed since the event was held at their facility, something that happened 7 years ago which likely has no correlation to today's issues.
Nope, but it sure sounds like YOU know some people involved. I'm just going off the posted social media from his kid after the crash. Doing all kinds of activities.
Go shill somewhere else, you aren't going to get much sympathy here.
How long do you think insurance companies look back at claims history when quoting insurance premiums?
Standard is a 5 year loss run.
Are you sure that a girl passed away at LACR and not at Lake Elsinore? I thought the reason Elsinore closed was due to a girl being ran into on the kids track.
When did the rich Taylor case settle?
Yes I believe he had the two tracks mixed up. The little girl was Elsinore.
As far as LACR goes with their current insurance, obviously the insurance company decided not to renew their policy and the cheapest quote they got from another company was $160k for the year. However, I do know they, along with many others, are working to do whatever they can to get this figured out. They have multiple ways they are thinking of going depending on how the insurance thing works out. Fingers crossed!
That would be great. I heard there were some options, and I hope they pan out.
I was at Elsinore the day the girl got killed and the ambulance ws just leaving with her when I drove past them at the entrance, and I am also extremely familiar with the majority of the reasons given as to why it was closed, as stated by the land owner and the person leasing the track whom I know. Are all these reasons true, hard to say, but I know that some are. Bottom line is, yes, the girls death and possible lawsuit by the parents are a major factor. The land owner and the person leasing the track were sent papers from the girls lawyers even though her parents said on a major news channel that they definitely were not suing.
I also know the owner of Perris Raceway, and he told me last week that they are just barely making it and if they get sued or their insurance goes up again, they will likely have to close.
Funny you say that, my pops would tell me to say I crashed jumping my bicycle and I was never on a dirt bike 🤣🤣🤣🤣
If you’re brought in by ambulance EMS will have to write a report, in which includes location. Worth a shot though, just claim concussion if they catch you in the lie.
This statement is lame, especially from someone who also raced. Did you not watch your son race? My son and I raced every weekend when we were younger. I watched every race he entered. This doesn't make sense. Zero respect. Moto is dangerous.
Pit Row
I saw a rider (can't think of who right now) put on a pair of EKS googles at the WSX this weekend for an interview and I definitely cringed. Not a good look.
Slogan ideas! I'll start:
You Can't spell "Track Closed" Without EKS
X-Brand: The Ex is for Your Track
EKS: Ending Kids' Sporting
I thought they said Lacr on the video, but I've been helping my mother recover from a broken hip and have not had a lot of sleep the past 3 weeks. So I'm not as clear and focused as I normally am.
I work for 4 or 5 hours in my shop a day and then spend another 8 to 10 hours with my mother at the hospital and then rehab. She had signs of dementia that were caught early on and meds had it under control. But the Anesthesia really fogged her up. She has started to have some moments of clarity again. But the hospital and rehab place have been stressful; on her and she's often confused and scared so I've been there helping her . I've had to be available to make decisions for her treatment too.
I apologize if I got that info wrong.
I understand people being upset, but there really is not any proof that he was trying to "get away" with anything NDA's are common with a lot of contracts and After it was public he owned up to it. It surprised me that he was the one behind it. I just don't know that its worth trying to ruin him and all the other innocent 3rd parties who make a living selling his products. He was doing it for his kid. I can understand not wanting to buy his stuff, but it hurts more people that had nothing to do with it . His kid may be fine now. But at the time there could have been a big chance that he would not be fine. Also major injuries will come back to haunt you later on in life. How many people here have had a major injury and been told there was a chance they would have major complications the rest of their lives, but are doing well now? I would bet many. So Rich would have had to make the choice early on.
This is bad from every viewpoint. Hate to see it happening.
^ "His kid may be fine now. But at the time there could have been a big chance that he would not be fine. Also major injuries will come back to haunt you later on in life. How many people here have had a major injury and been told there was a chance they would have major complications the rest of their lives, but are doing well now? I would bet many. So Rich would have had to make the choice early on".
Thought that's what health insurance was for ? Here's to all the ^ "Many people here who have had a major injury and been told they would have major complications the rest of their lives, but are doing well now" (And plenty who may be functioning and back to their lives but aren't really "doing so well" right now), but still chose NOT to sue someone for a payday. People can swing from RT's nutsack like Tarzan all they want I don't gaf. But don't try to tell me how much he cares about the sport. A go fund me to cover his (share) of the medical expenses and a track safety movement would have done way more for the moto community. Shout out to all you guys that are gimping around like weebles but would never blame the consequences of your decisions on someone other than yourself. Or try to get a big payday over an injury. Just a different perspective I guess.
Personally, I feel like its much easier to make that decision for myself, than it would be to make for a child or loved one .
I got an infection and spent over 10 years getting better after some paperwork mistake resulted in me not getting antibiotics. Easy enough decision to make for myself not to do anything but get as much better as I could.
But if I put myself in the place of somebody having to make a choice for somebody else, that gets much harder. I hate the idea of suing anybody . And I'm not defending Rich. Hes going to be fine. If his sales start taking a hit he can stop supporting racers, let some people go.
But He himself is unlikely to be hit too hard by any movement . And is it really worth it to take away all of the other peoples way of making a living?? Not buying the goggles that Your local dealer has on the shelf that they already paid for, is only hurting them.
I don't know him, I don't sell his products at my shop. I just think that people should always try and understand the opposing viewpoint they are disagreeing with. Try and get into the same frame of mind that it would take for You to make that same choice. Many people say that a tractor on the track would make it OK to sue.
I think you by far have the most reasonable and rationale thought process. You’re clearly much more intelligent than I am and also some others on here. Nobody has to agree with his actions or do it themselves, I get that 100%. I just can’t justify burning someone’s business down when the person doing the burning would never know if they would do something similar when presented with a similar or worse situation. The law wasn’t broken and the person being burned at the stake had an extremely tough and most likely regrettable decision to make for his son. His track record of helping out racers, riders, and supporting the industry is commendable. My inner Dad is kicking too as I have little racers myself and couldn’t imagine working through these decisions in the moment of destruction and rebuilding. This all just feels over the top and I’m not one to judge those actions.
Fair enough. We've been through some injuries with kids but NOTHING like he was faced with. So do I know "For sure" if I was in the same boat papa bear mode wouldn't kick in and make me want to sue a track ? I say no, but like you say, you never really know until you're in their shoes. I know I'd be guilt ridden and 2nd guessing myself forever, would transferring some of the blame to the track help ? Probably to some extent. I hope I never have to find out. At the end of the day I'm glad he's ok and back living an active life. But it SUCKS we may lose another track over it. If a few shops have to eat some goggles I honestly don't care. Seems like disappearing tracks is going to hurt them more than eating a few pairs of goggles but what do I know.
The local shop argument is a strange one. If I'm going to go pick up some goggles, I'll still get goggles. Just not that brand.
Its life experience. I was not as understanding or willing to offer the benefit of doubt to people when I was younger. But the I have gone through some stuff. Being caught in a burning building and seeing my life flash in front of my eyes, watching my mother fall to her knees as I went back away from the window to try and make my way out through the fire, flatlining during a surgery, breaking my foot badly and having an infection and being on pain meds for 10ish years, weening of said pain meds, the list goes on.
And as I experienced bad things and reacted. I started to watch myself. And realize how I had been judging people , assuming that I knew the full story. But realized that only the person making that choice , knows the full story.
I try and look at people and what they do as a whole. See if their actions were intending to do good, even if they did not. If they have otherwise been a good person, or if its just another in a long list of bad moves.
And again, Not defending Rich Suing , just saying that I doubt it was the big evil plan that some think it was.
The point being that the local shop owner has already paid for those goggles.
And depending on how long they have had them, they can not just return them . They already paid for them. If they don't sell them they will take a loss on them no matter how many pairs You buy of other brands.
It's not that deep. It's a sin for a rider to sue a track, especially for something as benign as whiskey throttling off a berm. No one should have to explain this further... It's personal responsibility.
It's worse that a well connected industry guy with a lifetime of experience decided to go down this route. Oh no, the consequences of their actions!
It's also strange that there was supposedly so much medical debt. I know how health insurance works and there's no way the out of pocket was that high. I also highly doubt his son was not insured. Then again, I don't even recall seeing a split of medical vs attorney vs whatever "padding" is on top of that (it's been awhile since I've read the details). None of that really matters though.
I also find it hilarious that anyone would think he should be spared for the sake of the employees of his company. If things go poorly, the employees of Eks can blame Rich Taylor for the actions of Rich Taylor. Further, Rich can sell his stake as to not be associated any longer and maybe the rest would be spared. (This is a big stretch)
On the employee side, I live in the the corporate world. I've watched large groups of people get gathered up and walked out of buildings on several occasions during economic downturn. Always good to have an idea of "what should I do next?" and be ready to act on it. I've always gotten by, fortunately, but you better believe my resumé is always up to date.
Bottom line, I'm sure Rich Taylor felt a ton of guilt... Guilt he had to relieve himself of as quickly as possible by making it everyone else's problem. Now, he can feel guilty all over again, but maybe he doesn't give a fuck.
Post a reply to: Statement from Rich Taylor (LACR Lawsuit)