Too dangerous?
- Thread starter angry jim
- Start date
oldguy
Always Broken
- Dec 26, 1999
- 9,411
- 0
This debate came up 2 years ago when in succeson Buttons and Emig (couple others I forget) had crreer ending injuries due to the SX layouts. Problem is only the true MX fans would appreciate the technical courses whereas everyone loves the highflying tracks. In order to pander to the masses the tracks are going to get ever more highflying. Good thing the majority of outdoor MX tracks still rely on natural terrain with less emphasis on jumps
I don't know how much more dangerous SX is than MX. Wait 'till the outdoor season and then pay attention to how many injuries there are. I don't have any data to back it up, but I'd guess just as many injuries happen outdoors as indoors.
I believe Emig's career ending injury actually came at a Glen Helen practice day. Pastrana had plenty of major get-offs outdoors last year, Hughes' career was basically ended because of outdoor crashes. Henry's biggest crash came at Budds Creek. SX is not very forgiving, but the same is true of outdoor tracks, just in a different way (3 ft braking bumps, 100 degree heat, 35 min motos).
I believe Emig's career ending injury actually came at a Glen Helen practice day. Pastrana had plenty of major get-offs outdoors last year, Hughes' career was basically ended because of outdoor crashes. Henry's biggest crash came at Budds Creek. SX is not very forgiving, but the same is true of outdoor tracks, just in a different way (3 ft braking bumps, 100 degree heat, 35 min motos).
I think its more the level of competition than the track design/layout. Most of those guys have to ride balls out to keep in the race. The faster you go the easier it is to pile it up. Running a lap in under 60 seconds means your flyin!! But thats the way it is unless you want last place. With Stewart running like he is i can't wait to see him in the 250 class!
yz400fer69
Member
- Jun 5, 2001
- 102
- 0
I might be wrong but I believe button fell of while he was rolling over the whoops. He was riding slow watching the riders lines and he fell off? I believe thats what happened but im not sure. My dad and I were talking about that today also, that tracks are much more dangerous. ONe little error and your in for a big get off. The 125's can barely jump the "smaller" triples.
Sometimes the way the woops are made at some tracks is just asking for crashes. Triples or doubles don't mean much, either can hurt you if there's not enough room to get set, or it's too long for conditions. bad landing area, etc.
It's up to riders to say "This is a dangerous track, and we're not riding it", but how often does that happen?
Example: two years ago we went to a fairground race where several riders thought the setup was plain dangerous and stupid. The promoter and designers had highway concrete dividers right next to the track, with just enough room for someone to walk between the dirt and the dividers. Some of the turns and one jump landing had telephone poles the riders had to go around, "safely" covered with (drum roll please) one bale of hay each.
Here's where the problem arose: the objecting riders went around asking for support, and even though almost everyone agreed there were some serious safety issues, they wanted to race anyway. Hey, if some of us dropped out, better yet! less competition if we were afraid to ride this one!
There wasn't enough supprt for a boycott, and my son decided to ride anyway, I stayed out of it. The 125B practice started and on the first lap, at the ramp for the double, one of the riders changed his mind and his line, forcing my son off the side of the jump, right onto (yep, you guessed it) the top of the concrete dividers from a 15 foot height. Thankfully he was just very badly bruised, nothing broken. Later two riders plastered themselves on one of the telephone poles (protected by that wonderful bale of hay) when they collided on the double's landing.
Some tracks are safe only when NOBODY makes a mistake, and being human, fat chance of that, we won't even discuss mechanical failure.
So the gist is this, some track designs offer too much of a chance for riders to get injured or killed, but until the riders say"no more of this", it doesn't mean a hill of beans.
It's up to riders to say "This is a dangerous track, and we're not riding it", but how often does that happen?
Example: two years ago we went to a fairground race where several riders thought the setup was plain dangerous and stupid. The promoter and designers had highway concrete dividers right next to the track, with just enough room for someone to walk between the dirt and the dividers. Some of the turns and one jump landing had telephone poles the riders had to go around, "safely" covered with (drum roll please) one bale of hay each.
Here's where the problem arose: the objecting riders went around asking for support, and even though almost everyone agreed there were some serious safety issues, they wanted to race anyway. Hey, if some of us dropped out, better yet! less competition if we were afraid to ride this one!
There wasn't enough supprt for a boycott, and my son decided to ride anyway, I stayed out of it. The 125B practice started and on the first lap, at the ramp for the double, one of the riders changed his mind and his line, forcing my son off the side of the jump, right onto (yep, you guessed it) the top of the concrete dividers from a 15 foot height. Thankfully he was just very badly bruised, nothing broken. Later two riders plastered themselves on one of the telephone poles (protected by that wonderful bale of hay) when they collided on the double's landing.
Some tracks are safe only when NOBODY makes a mistake, and being human, fat chance of that, we won't even discuss mechanical failure.
So the gist is this, some track designs offer too much of a chance for riders to get injured or killed, but until the riders say"no more of this", it doesn't mean a hill of beans.
HiG4s
~SPONSOR~
- Mar 7, 2001
- 1,308
- 1
There is a whole web site (I can't remember the name at the moment) dedicated to getting rid of the SX style doubles and triples because of how dangerous they are. They want them turned into table tops or make them so there is a place to land if you come up short instead of nose diving into a hill. I can see the point at least at the amature level.
I don't think the promoters really understand how many people are staying away from MX these days just because of the jumping contest they have become. I know of a lot of people who would love to ride the old style "real" MX if it were available, especially the older crowd. I noticed that riders today really don't know how to turn or ride rough and hilly courses very well. They seem to concentrate on jumping and setting up for the jumps because that is what MX has become.
- Oct 20, 2000
- 2,963
- 2
I think they should leave the jumps in, especially sx & ax, but make it easier and more forgiving. Most of the fans won't know how hard it was doing a 75' triple as opposed to a 50' triple, they are there to see the bikes fly. I don't really think anyone likes the carnage.
It's not hard to get "air" if the jump is built right and there is a landing. Considering most people that go to an event like this are amateur enthusiast or have kids that are, it would make sense to me if no one got hurt. I know my parents would have never let me do anything as stupid as trying a 75' triple in a little arena after they've seen half of the other rider pile drive into the face of a jump trying.
It's not hard to get "air" if the jump is built right and there is a landing. Considering most people that go to an event like this are amateur enthusiast or have kids that are, it would make sense to me if no one got hurt. I know my parents would have never let me do anything as stupid as trying a 75' triple in a little arena after they've seen half of the other rider pile drive into the face of a jump trying.
If you filled in the gaps between the big doubles the fast guys would still go as high and far as they did before, no difference. The only difference would be the other people would be going faster(safely) and make the racing much more exicting too watch and more fun for the slow guys. They would not have to roll anymore singles.
There is only one track close to my house,it is run by very nice people, good location, the whole nine yards. Except it is considered a Stadium MX. I personally know 10 to 15 people who would race there every weekend if they only filled in the gaps. When you go watch the slower classes are so boring because everyone is just rolling the jumps.
I think that if the owner wants longevity at this sport they should stop and think that the fastest way to get a track shutdown is to start having a couple kids get hurt every weekend, which happens quite often.
There is only one track close to my house,it is run by very nice people, good location, the whole nine yards. Except it is considered a Stadium MX. I personally know 10 to 15 people who would race there every weekend if they only filled in the gaps. When you go watch the slower classes are so boring because everyone is just rolling the jumps.
I think that if the owner wants longevity at this sport they should stop and think that the fastest way to get a track shutdown is to start having a couple kids get hurt every weekend, which happens quite often.
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