UK spectator safety questions

[Hamness]

Originally Posted by Hubble

Lee Noble in 1998....

Fyi, yes the wheel did enter a spectator area, but not a "crowd". It was an early morning practice session when the incident happened and the Camp corner embankment was very sparsely populated. I did witness the said incident but as an avid motorsport fan of over 50 years, you really do have to make your own "assesment" of what you think is a safe area to view, even if the circuit owners/race organisers/msa inspection has deemed it a safe place to race. Notwithstanding that nobody deserves to lose their life whilst attending a race meeting, made even more poignant in this case as the young man in question was a guest of the series sponsors.

But, have you all noticed that, due to the publicity of deaths in stationary cars on motorway hard-shoulders, that people actually now get out of their cars (not all though) BUT sit within feet of the stricken vehicle and probably feel safe and secure. The sensible ones are as high up the embankment or away from the vehicle as is physically possible. The chap in question here was in a hugely elevated position above the track but errant wheels bounce a hell of a fookin long way. Enjoy your sport but be aware of the situation.

It was only a few years ago that some ******** let a rocket flare of at the Millennium Stadium, which then travelled right across the stadium and killed an innocent spectator. You just cannot legislate for every single occurence that may happen in life, but as we are all made from a pretty rubbish impact absorbing material, then perhaps we should take a little responsibility on our own shoulders instead of thinking that the "authorities" have taken into account every conceivable outcome and that this then makes us safe from all situations.

I was invincible in my teens, but half a century on, Self preservation starts to take a bigger hold on things.

Enjoy, but please go steady.

[Dan Friel]

I recall a very similar thread 10 years ago. Luckily I don't think there's been any serious spectator incidents since then, certainly none quoted here. Combe has made a big effort. Lot's near misses of course, and I've watched a car roll into the Cadwell spectator area just feet from shocked public...

And it's not just circuits..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNlbK...eature=related

Originally Posted by ngdragon

banking before the club chicane at Thruxton is the most dangerous place I can think of- potential for very high speed accidents as the cars brake. I witnessed Bruce Jouanny's F3 accident in 2001 when he flew over the catch fencing, hit the spectator bank and ended up in the bushes behind, That race was late on a Saturday evening and there were few spectators on the bank- if it had happened the sunday there could have been carnage. The police spent a lot of time that evening examining the track from the air and the ground- British motor sport was very lucky that day.

Agreed that the banking is about as dangerous as it gets. Unfortunately I think the lady that was hit by Jouanny's car hasn't made a full recovery, but I hope I'm wrong on that.

[Teletubby]

I understood from her husband that she did recover fully.

[Dan Friel]

Originally Posted by Teletubby

I understood from her husband that she did recover fully.

That's great news, thanks for the info.