WERA Boycotters at Nelson Ledges

Heavy-Dee · 09-12-2006, 8:24 PM

I've been keeping a pretty close eye on this. Looks like Sean (Mongo) is doing the right thing. Looks like the riders that boycotted (at least some) are going to get involved in the right manner. And Scott (the owner of NL's) has been contacted and is open to making changes.

Everyone keep your fingers crossed. Other than that, I'll be out there Sunday running my 100% safe times of 1:19's. Okay, hopefully faster. At this point though I just want to hold onto #2 in the points and make my tires last the last two rounds.

HD

Heavy-Dee · 09-13-2006, 6:31 PM

Donate if you like

Also, a nice well written response from the management of the track. As it turns out, Scott and Kerrie are not owners either. But they do run the place.

HD

Heavy-Dee · 10-11-2006, 3:53 PM

Nelson Ledges Safety Action Fund

$4061 was raised (1k was the original goal) and is being sent to the management of Nelson Ledges to go directly to some specific safety improvements. A new set of Held gloves was raffled off and our own Abtech was the winner!

HD

luvtolean · 10-11-2006, 3:57 PM

Sweet, congrats abtech!

abtech · 10-11-2006, 4:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heavy-Dee

Nelson Ledges Safety Action Fund

$4061 was raised (1k was the original goal) and is being sent to the management of Nelson Ledges to go directly to some specific safety improvements. A new set of Held gloves was raffled off and our own Abtech was the winner!

HD

So now I can pose with LTL and the HondaGals with my Helds

.

Although I have thrown my fair share of rocks at Nelsons, I put my money where my mouth is and know this money will go to improve rider safety at one of the original midwest racing facilities.

Now I think I'm going to start a fund for new asphalt at Grattan. We should only need about $375K to get this thing rolling

.

steingar · 10-11-2006, 4:10 PM

I dearly hope I'm not being an idiot, although not being and never becomming a track racer (airplane sucks up the race funds), I fear I may be. If the track is the same for all riders, and everyone has to put up with the same risks, where's the foul? Racing is fast and dangerous, which is part of the reason people watch it.

If it truly is that far off the norm, wouldn't the other racers follow suit? I would rather go broke than die. And can the track owners truly be shielded from litigation if the track is that unsafe? I doubt any waver in the world would cover negligence.

As far as the non-professional racers go, if the track is that bad there is no reason you guys shouldn't vote with your feet. No matter how much you care about it the racing is still a hobby, certainly not worth dying for.

Sorry, perhaps I don't quite get it. Feel free to ignore this if I'm just being dumb.

Hammer · 10-11-2006, 4:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steingar

I dearly hope I'm not being an idiot, although not being and never becomming a track racer (airplane sucks up the race funds), I fear I may be. If the track is the same for all riders, and everyone has to put up with the same risks, where's the foul? Racing is fast and dangerous, which is part of the reason people watch it.

If it truly is that far off the norm, wouldn't the other racers follow suit? I would rather go broke than die. And can the track owners truly be shielded from litigation if the track is that unsafe? I doubt any waver in the world would cover negligence.

As far as the non-professional racers go, if the track is that bad there is no reason you guys shouldn't vote with your feet. No matter how much you care about it the racing is still a hobby, certainly not worth dying for.

Sorry, perhaps I don't quite get it. Feel free to ignore this if I'm just being dumb.

So you fly planes?

Why not fly only bi planes on dirt runways. They did it for years like that. Bikes are faster and the tracks have to keep up with the progression of technology as with any other industry.

luvtolean · 10-11-2006, 4:31 PM

Take out GPS, terrain avoidance, useful air traffic control, hell, the whole FAA. Hey flying is supposed to be dangerous vote with your feet.

Steingar, your argument plainly sucks.

phobiaphobe · 10-11-2006, 4:37 PM

You fly an airplane?

steingar · 10-11-2006, 5:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luvtolean

Take out GPS, terrain avoidance, useful air traffic control, hell, the whole FAA. Hey flying is supposed to be dangerous vote with your feet.

Steingar, your argument plainly sucks.

Not at all. I learned to fly sans GPS, terrain avoidance, and all that other stuff, as do most other pilots. And I woud love to fly a tail-dragger biplane out of a dirt strip, as would most big-city pilots. The analogy only fails because most non-pilots know little about flying.

I manage my risk of flying by:

1. Owning my own ship and maintaining it meticulously. That way it is less likely anything will break during flight.

2. Doing careful preflight examinations every time I fly.

3. Following the rules and procedures set out by the FAA, the vast majority of which are there to keep me from crashing.

4. I will not rent an aircraft if it is not up to my specifications, nor will I land at or fly out of a strip unless it is of sufficient length and condition.

5. Lastly, I will not fly if the weather meets certain self-imposed minimum conditions.

What I do is try my best to manage the risk in a dangerous situation. Lots of people get out of or stay out of flying because its too dangerous. They vote with their feet.

I fail to see why racers can't do likewise. The risk is already managed by bikes in good repair and appropriate protective equipment. I don't honestly understand why racers wouldn't refuse the race if the track is in ill repair. And again, if everyone votes with their feet the track owners will be forced to do the appropriate maintenance.

By the bye, telling someone their argument sucks is unproductive and somewhat infantile.

luvtolean · 10-11-2006, 5:24 PM

Steingar, there is no doubt, you bring out the best in me.

Hammer · 10-11-2006, 5:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steingar

4. I will not rent an aircraft if it is not up to my specifications, nor will I land at or fly out of a strip unless it is of sufficient length and condition.

The racers bikes are in excellent condition, maybe better than your plane in some cases. But they have a certian schedule that they follow and Nelson is on the schedule. If you are required to race under contract what else can you do? The racers have no pull when it comes to how the track is maintained, just like you do not have control of the air traffic controllers or the way the strip is maintained. If you are diverted to a runway that you do not like by the ATC, you must land where they tell you to not where you want to.

ND4SPD · 10-11-2006, 5:37 PM

Steingar, do you also sweep every corner you will ride on a particular Saturday with a dust pan and broom before you actually go ride?

steingar · 10-11-2006, 5:38 PM

Actually, no I don't. I can do whatever I want in an emergency, no matter what ATC says. Sorry, wrong analogy.

However, if all the riders refuse to ride one track, what do they do, fire everyone? If the one rider rides slower because the track sucks and the other faster, the faster guy wins. But that's racing, right? It sounds like just another factor to be considered by the racers.

Again, I fully admit if I'm missing something and am not well informed.

Hammer · 10-11-2006, 5:46 PM

Ok, why do they need to change/update the tracks. The same reason you are not landing on grass/dirt runways any longer. The tracks have to be updated to keep up with the speed and abilities of new riders. If a rider who is under contract does not race he may get fined depending on how his contract reads. And I said nothing about you landing in an emergency did I?

Heavy-Dee · 10-11-2006, 6:10 PM

Steingar,

your point is not w/o merrit. But the fact of the matter is that "racing" means going as fast as you can. Slowing down b/c *if* you crash it's going to hurt might make sense, but just isn't reasonable. If you are trying to win a race, chances are you're going to take the chance and twist the throttle just a bit, even if it's a gamble. That's just how racers are. Choosing to go slow, isn't racing at all.

HD

Red Rider · 10-11-2006, 7:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abtech

Now I think I'm going to start a fund for new asphalt at Grattan. We should only need about $375K to get this thing rolling

.

Where do I donate?

Congrats ab!

KF810 · 10-12-2006, 4:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abtech

Now I think I'm going to start a fund for new asphalt at Grattan. We should only need about $375K to get this thing rolling

.

Does this help??