NASCAR

[bexman]

Not my pic but this was on the Guardian Eyewitness iPad app yesterday. Beautiful app if you've got an iPad and like photography.

Anyway, had to share it

image.jpg

[crunch]

Re: NASCAR

It's a great journalistic shot but unfortunately a few of the nascar fans were injured in this with a couple still being in hospital.
When the cars collided and this car flipped a lot of debris broke though the catch fence and injured several fans.
Talks are now ongoing on how to improve safety at the tracks for fans with the possibility of including a second catch fence.

[David Stallard]

Re: NASCAR

Yeah - way to kill off any photo opportunities.

It's starting to get H&S stupid at most circuits now, printed on all tickets / programmes / signposts etc "Motorsport is dangerous" if you want to stay safe then wrap yourself in cotton wool and watch it on the TV. yes it's a shame that people got hurt but thay all knew what to expect and they all cheer when there is an accident, funny how that changes to 'call the lawyer' when they break a nail.

Sorry for the rant, but H&S and over the top rules and regs are killing our sports and it really does get my back up.

.DAVID.

[bexman]

Re: NASCAR

Wow I have to say I never saw the story on the news but you are told you enter these places at your own risk. Even karting is a dangerous spectator sport nowadays! I'll stick to ball orientated sports, worst thing that happens to me is a ball on the head much to amusement of twenty thousand odd fans.

[crunch]

Re: NASCAR

I agree with you both David & Mike, I was reporting on what was said and not my view on it.
It is killing a lot of our sports. I can't see it being much fun for fans and photographers when they are shielded so much that they can't see the action.
I'm surrounded in the area that I work with H&S as I play on the motorways for a living and know what a pain it can be at times.

[tesarver]

Re: NASCAR

It is a phenomenal image.

Tom

[Woolley]

Re: NASCAR

yes it's a shame that people got hurt but thay all knew what to expect and they all cheer when there is an accident, funny how that changes to 'call the lawyer' when they break a nail.

As a motorsport marshal I agree with you to an extent, but not in this case. Spectators would not know what to expect when a car gets half way through the substantial catch fencing leaving its engine the other side of the wall and throwing a wheel and tyre over the top into the seating area. There is no way of getting out of the way at those speeds and the point of debris fencing is to prevent the car or any part of it reaching the spectator area and if it's failed to do that then a review is needed.

Motorsport is dangerous, but it shouldn't be so for those watching insofar as it is possible to prevent it. Otherwise we can have a repeat of Le Mans '55 and everyone would just shrug their shoulders and say 'it said it was dangerous on the ticket'.

Back to topic, what a stunning image.