Pale Rider

I flew out of Ronaldsway this morning. The Flybe queue was huge as they were having issues with their check in system which had delayed flights to Manchester,so there were quite alot of people hanging around that area of the check in hall. Every other queue seemed to be moving normally. Thankfully I wasn't flying with Flybe, queue for my check in took about 5 minutes, and there wasn't a queue at security either when I passed through. The departure lounge was busy, but I've seen it worse at this time of year. Maybe I was just lucky at the particular time I arrived.

Fortunately or unfortunately I don't have as much hair as that!

No but I wish you were.

What absolute nonsense. Would this be in the sport you usually hate but know everything about? For someone in their recent post that said they weren't against the TT and I was making stuff up, you have managed to turn a topic about a seagull into the TT!

I've been a visitor for many years to the island, but will stand corrected if I did miss that particular instance.

Deliberately luring the bird in just to kick it was a bit uncalled for. I'd say his arrest was probably because he then pushed the other guy who objected to him kicking the seagull in the first place. Sounds like the guy with the chips was a bigger nuisance than the seagull! We were at the grandstand yesterday. The seagulls were a bit of a nuisance at the burger vans. Not helped by the vans having open bins, or people leaving open food containers on the tables, rather than putting them in the large dumpster bins which had lids. If we changed our behaviour slightly, it might reduce the amount of gulls gathering near fast food outlets. I've even seen people deliberately place open chip containers down for a laugh to watch the flock of seagulls fighting each other for the food.

I don't think I'm the confused one. All you do is spout about deaths in roadracing every chance you get, then post you aren't against the TT as above! Bizarre.

Except I'm not from the Isle of Man, only a visitor. It would be innovative because it hasn't been used here before.

They certainly didn't seem as plentiful as in previous years. Digital mapping on a building or perhaps a laser show would be a more innovative idea.

You started it. For someone so against the TT, you don't half post alot about it. There isn't a TT thread on here you don't stick your oar in. If you aren't interested in others views on the subject, maybe best to refrain from posting about it at all and give us all peace.

As 2bees says. Racers are fully aware of the risks of this type of racing. Ryan Keen took to the course in tribute to his brother. And after Robert Dunlop was killed at the NW200, Michael still raced the next day. So I would say the racing fraternity are fully aware of what can go wrong without someone on a forum pointing it out every 10 minutes. The road racing course is an unforgiving place should riders get it wrong, which is why the riders should have a huge say in the future of their sport, their livelihood. And in most cases their whole way of life. Any deaths are extremely sad in motorsport, but I think it is very hard for any of us to comprehend that world unless actually involved in this type of sport.

Yes, stood and watched that. Pretty amazing the amount of people that took part in that.

There was a very good BBC NI documentary on last year about the world of road racing. It featured the thoughts of the riders and their families about their road racing careers. In many cases it was a way of life, not just for the rider but for the families of the riders involved too, helping them set up at meetings, assisting with the pit stops etc. The subject of rider deaths came up. Some riders admitted they were probably selfish to their family by taking part in road racing knowing the risks. Others said they didn't overly think about death, despite having close friends who had died racing. They weren't the mad individuals that some think they are, but committed racers in their chosen career. All supported by their families. There was a female rider, whose name I can't recall, who was in a relationship with Malachi Mitchell-Thomas who was tragically killed at the NW200. Yet after his death she still continued racing. Any race death is tragic. And to suggest fans just forget about the deaths is incorrect. Alot of these riders are heroes to the fans, why would they want to see them killed? Whether racing should continue on the Isle of Man is another debate for residents and government. (Although I never fully understand anyone who hates the racing voluntarily moving to an island that is famous for racing). Anyone Manx born and bred, i can see they haven't been given a choice in the matter. For the subject of roadracing itself, I think that can only be a decision for the riders and their families whether they want a family member to take part. For the future of the TT and MGP which I enjoy spectating, should there be a referendum to decide whether it continues?

I'd mentioned before that I was at the NW200 last year, and noticed the lack of reckless and dangerous riding on public roads. Of course the NW200 has a more urban setting, and everyday traffic makes it harder to get about quickly. The TT needs somehow to get the message across that the event is about the racing, and not causing danger on the public roads. It would seem a minority of the visitors can't distinguish the official races to open roads. The more I think about it, maybe there should be a speed limit on the mountain during TT, and police speed traps. There will be those who will always speed on that road, but at least it gives the police a reason to pull people over. If they witness someone doing 100mph at the moment, can they pull them over when there is no speed limit? Does the rider need to be doing something dangerous or reckless aswell as just riding really fast? (Although some would argue that speed is dangerous or reckless). And that could be the person that the police haven't been able to stop legally, who then runs out of talent a few miles down the road. A limit MIGHT have slowed them down. For those that don't, the police can then do for exceeding the limit.

Pfft. You'd never get a bike up Everest.