California 200 Tragedy

cleonard

cleonard

rezrider:
Last thing I heard last night is that MDR )Mojae Desert Racing) is pointing the finger at BLM...regardless why....It's going to be a lot tougher out there if the BLM is responsible both in policing areas AND closing areas.... Just the way I see it...
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Everybody is going to be pointing fingers at everyone else. It's how we deal with things like this here in the US of A.

I'm pretty much with you on the BLM thing. How exactly is the BLM supposed to police and close areas. That is just ridiculous. The BLM is not in the race promoting business. Heck it's an open riding area for people like the members here on DBA. It is not an area reserved for racing. That is something that is lost on the race people. It's all the me, me, me thing we have all too much of.

I guess the scale with eight dead that will shape the aftermath. There have been deaths before. I think last year a play rider was killed by a 4 truck or buggy during a race at Stoddard. That is about the same situation. The racing community seemed to me to place the blame on the person who was killed.

I check when planning a ride to see if there will be a race at the chosen riding area. If it's a bike race I will usually go. If it's a truck/buggy race I choose another destination. The way I like to ride crossing the race course will happen many times. In the open areas safety is the responsibility of all users. I don't care if you are racing at speed or just following a child near camp at 10mph. I've watched racers and in my experience they never look for cross traffic. That kind of behavior is fine on a MX track, but not in an open riding area.

I have no idea how one could control the spectators. The course is a many tens on mile trace across the open desert. Sure you could control it in places like the rockpile, but how could you do that for the entire distance? Those people who want to be close will just go somewhere else.

This whole situation just sucks.
 
rezrider

rezrider

cleonard:
Everybody is going to be pointing fingers at everyone else. It's how we deal with things like this here in the US of A.

I'm pretty much with you on the BLM thing. How exactly is the BLM supposed to police and close areas. That is just ridiculous. The BLM is not in the race promoting business. Heck it's an open riding area for people like the members here on DBA. It is not an area reserved for racing. That is something that is lost on the race people. It's all the me, me, me thing we have all too much of.

I guess the scale with eight dead that will shape the aftermath. There have been deaths before. I think last year a play rider was killed by a 4 truck or buggy during a race at Stoddard. That is about the same situation. The racing community seemed to me to place the blame on the person who was killed.

I check when planning a ride to see if there will be a race at the chosen riding area. If it's a bike race I will usually go. If it's a truck/buggy race I choose another destination. The way I like to ride crossing the race course will happen many times. In the open areas safety is the responsibility of all users. I don't care if you are racing at speed or just following a child near camp at 10mph. I've watched racers and in my experience they never look for cross traffic. That kind of behavior is fine on a MX track, but not in an open riding area.

I have no idea how one could control the spectators. The course is a many tens on mile trace across the open desert. Sure you could control it in places like the rockpile, but how could you do that for the entire distance? Those people who want to be close will just go somewhere else.

This whole situation just sucks.
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I totally agree 100%......How do you manage spectators on an OPEN area? There are only so many rangers (BLM authorities) to go around, race, organizers, etc...it has to remain the responsibility of the spectator to use their heads.....As I had mentioned about the Baja course...people actually stand in front of the vehicles until the last moment so they can get a GREAT SHOT!
 
redrider58

redrider58

What happened is truely sad. Unfortunately, this may be the start that will slowly shut down off-road racing. I heard something about CA is reviewing and looking over all of the past laws and rules for BLM (i think). And I am sure one of the wifes or other family member will try to sew BLM and if not the BLM, the president/race organizer.

A few days ago, we had a debate about this in class... After the debate, it made me think and realize that the general public that has no involvement with any type of off-road motorsports has no clue about racing.....

A few points that some of the kids in my class said:
-Put in Barriers
-Have spectators only stay near the the pits or in grand stands.
-Have people patrol popular spectating areas.
-Make the racers slow down in heavily crowded areas.
-Have all spectators sign a waivor.

Well, Putting in barriers won't work because it costs too much, too hard to put in on a 20+ mile race, and just totally impracticle because spectors will find a way around/over them.
Having spectors stay in grand stands will not work because it is too hard to control a spectating crowd of that size.
Also, having people patrol a 200 mile race is very difficult. Thats a lot of club members riding the course and looking for careless spectators that are breaching the 10ft off the course rule.
The suggestion on having racers slow down on heavily crowded areas just won't work. Racing is racing and your supposed to go fast when your racing.
Lastly, making spectators sign a waivor would not work out well for a few resons... 1) (For the eco nazi's out there) thats a waste of paper and ink. 2) Not all the spectators come through the camping/staging area, then go out to famous spectating spots. Im sure there are other ways to get out to the spectating area. 3) People don't want to stay in a line to sign some papers and watch a race.

Sorry for the long post guys, just tossing out my opinion and showing everyone what the General public thinks about it.
 
James

James

Staff member
redrider58:
Sorry for the long post guys, just tossing out my opinion and showing everyone what the General public thinks about it.
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:shocked: Are you kidding me? That's an awesome post and I think you hit it on the head, basically we're between a rock & a hard place. :bonk: It would have been fun being at that debate. :smirk:

:thumb: Roost to you. :ride:
 
Travace

Travace

like TWS posted it wont change shit. look at the laMans 80 dead and that race is still going strong. Right now it got nation wide media attention but soon the dust will settle and things will get back to normal.
 
redrider58

redrider58

Travace:
like TWS posted it wont change shit. look at the laMans 55 dead and that race is still going strong. Right now it got nation wide media attention but soon the dust will settle and things will get back to normal.
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Well i hope it all dies down, but isn't laMans on a private track?
 
CDA

CDA

Not to dig this post out out of the archives, but I ran across this searching for something else.

$5.8-million settlement reached in deadly off-road racing crash
December 18, 2013
In this Aug. 15, 2010, file photo, people push an overturned off-road race… (Francis Specker / Associated…)
A $5.8-million settlement has been reached with the relatives of those killed and a dozen who were injured when a truck competing in an off-road desert race careened into a crowd of spectators, their lawyers announced Wednesday.

In the 2010 accident in the desert near Victorville, the truck, a modified Ford Ranger, went out of control during the California 200 race and went airborne, slamming into the crowd, killing eight and injuring dozens. The settlement, reached Tuesday, includes 12 of those injured.

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Lawyers said the bulk of the settlement — about $4.8 million — would be paid by the Bureau of Land Management, which failed to follow its safety procedures during the race, an internal review found. The rest would be paid by the event's organizers, Mojave Desert Racing Inc. and Mojave Desert Productions Inc., which have an insurance policy limit of $1 million.

Katherine Harvey-Lee, an attorney in the case, said in a statement that it was their hope that the settlement and safety improvements that emerged from the Bureau of Land Management's probe "will ensure these fun events can still go forward, but in a manner that is safe for all spectators and fans."

The lawsuit claimed that the race was "negligently and recklessly" overseen, and that the spectators should not have been permitted to be that close to the track.

The bureau failed in its "mandatory duty," the suit alleged, to insist that the event's organizers comply with requirements and clearly mark the race track to keep spectators from getting too close. The event was understaffed, the suit also claimed, and no emergency medical service was available, meaning it took longer than 30 minutes for emergency crews to arrive at the scene.
 
rezrider

rezrider

CDA:
Not to dig this post out out of the archives, but I ran across this searching for something else.

$5.8-million settlement reached in deadly off-road racing crash
December 18, 2013
In this Aug. 15, 2010, file photo, people push an overturned off-road race… (Francis Specker / Associated…)
A $5.8-million settlement has been reached with the relatives of those killed and a dozen who were injured when a truck competing in an off-road desert race careened into a crowd of spectators, their lawyers announced Wednesday.

In the 2010 accident in the desert near Victorville, the truck, a modified Ford Ranger, went out of control during the California 200 race and went airborne, slamming into the crowd, killing eight and injuring dozens. The settlement, reached Tuesday, includes 12 of those injured.

pixel.gif

Lawyers said the bulk of the settlement — about $4.8 million — would be paid by the Bureau of Land Management, which failed to follow its safety procedures during the race, an internal review found. The rest would be paid by the event's organizers, Mojave Desert Racing Inc. and Mojave Desert Productions Inc., which have an insurance policy limit of $1 million.

Katherine Harvey-Lee, an attorney in the case, said in a statement that it was their hope that the settlement and safety improvements that emerged from the Bureau of Land Management's probe "will ensure these fun events can still go forward, but in a manner that is safe for all spectators and fans."

The lawsuit claimed that the race was "negligently and recklessly" overseen, and that the spectators should not have been permitted to be that close to the track.

The bureau failed in its "mandatory duty," the suit alleged, to insist that the event's organizers comply with requirements and clearly mark the race track to keep spectators from getting too close. The event was understaffed, the suit also claimed, and no emergency medical service was available, meaning it took longer than 30 minutes for emergency crews to arrive at the scene.
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These results have already made a tremendous impact on off-roading events when it comes to spectating... KOH as an example... although still being able to observe (from a distance) it isn't the same...
 
Naturaledge

Naturaledge

Furk'n lawyers. I wouldn't have gotten out of bed for less than 100 million dollars. :looksleftlooksright:
Im only in a foul mood because I actually got a "Manifesto" this week from a dumbass that stated he would take no less than 40 million...... I really wish I could write him back and tell him, "How about I kick you in the nutsack and we call it square."
Not telling, just saying :thumb:
 
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