by VenturaAlfa » Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:26 pm
Leadfinger,
No rebutting, I agree with everything you've said.
Putting this back on track, have we all been lucky? No, the opposite. We haven't been unlucky. We are just one small speck on a 2,3 or 4 mile road course most of the time. Pretty hard to hit even with a 3200 pound stock car. If you attend a lot of races you are probably fortunate that they have figured out how to keep 20-25gallons of high octane fuel out of the crowd as well as most of the aforementioned stock cars, indy cars and F1 cars. In Europe, Africa and South America you can still stand right up against a track and that still occurs at North American Rallys and places like Pikes Peak. Even SCCA events don't do much to keep the few spectators that are there back from the track.
Safety has definitely improved over the years and will improve more as time goes on but racing will always be a dangerous sport and that is part of its appeal for some people.
I was watching the Isle of Mann the other night; there were bikes going by at 180 plus with people standing right next to the road. Truly amazing, can't imagine riding a bike that fast through the country side and can't imagine standing that close to one going by that fast.
Ventura Alfa