On TV1 news tonight, the unfortunate driver had a leg amputated.Very sad.Considering the numbers competeing in all forms of motorsport where speed is a crucial element, it hardly even registers on the ACC list of high cost sports. Local sports physio reckons his largest client base is of lawn bowlers.
motorboy2011,
Jun 11, 5:02pm
although yes i agree that its the rescuers 1st place to help the injured and the media should NEVER get in the way of that, I find it quite rude that they wont let the public know the outcome of the crash, esp as this is apublic event, on public roads, and the guys racing are seeing as the "common" man/woman
mugenb20b,
Jun 11, 5:23pm
What's the average age of a lawn bowler!
cheapy11,
Jun 11, 5:36pm
Why on earth would the average public need to know anymore details about this nasty incident! If there was a problem with the car or its safety items then I'm sure all other MNZ competitors will find out as MNZ will make appropriate changes to its vehicle safety requirements. If there was a problem with the event safety then I'm sure all other MNZ event organisers will find out as MNZ will make appropriate changes to its event safety rules. So basically I cant think of any reason that the public would need to know about.other than just wanting to be nosey!
gunhand,
Jun 11, 5:43pm
Why is important to you to know the details of someones misshap! will it help you be a better driver somehow! If thats the case theres a multitude of TV adds trying to get that message across. A form of voyeurism is about all I call it.
sr2,
Jun 11, 5:59pm
I think you might just be feeding the rumour mill. The family asked for the information to be kept private; they are good people and the decent thing is to comply with their request.
motorboy2011,
Jun 11, 6:01pm
Because im interested in the race in general, what's the point point of having an event and having a blackout on the day to day happenings of the event, good and bad. Obviously id prefer to know they came out good and will live to race another day.
Pretty acurate article here. And yeah end of the day possibly a soild 1/4 plate bash panel in the footwell area is hindsight.
supernova2,
Jun 12, 6:20pm
Playing the devils advocate or something here but would a bash panel have made it better or worse!If they run a sump gurad mabe an extension back to behind the seat area but then it could have acted as a ski ramp and then what!It may be that it was just one of those totally unpredictable things and could happen again next week or never happen again.I'd hate to be the people that have to design the rules about safety systems as Im picking they would always be doubting their decisions when an incident like this happens.
fordcrzy,
Jun 12, 6:23pm
half inch plate wouldnt have helped. its just one of those freak incidents where the concrete didnt hit the chassis rails and glanced past taking ot the wheel and footwell
snoopy221,
Jun 12, 6:25pm
Well incidentaly the amount of stock underpasses around nowadays-i have actualy been waiting for the law of averages to eventuate. Were they a rail or road underpass there would be armco.
socram,
Jun 12, 8:21pm
Motorsport is dangerous, always has been always will be, BUT, since the initial development of hard helmets, harness belts and cages, and latterly, neck restraints, there are now only marginal improvements that are possible to improve safety.
It is hard to see how overall, the sport in any of its forms, could be much safer without destroying the events totally and ruining it for both competitors and spectators.
At the end of the day, whether two wheels or four, road, track, mud, gravel or ice and snow, it is a challenge between man, machine and the track.The margin for error is often frighteningly small, particularly so on anything other than a purpose made track and it is a risk that all competitors knowingly take, otherwise they'd be playing chess instead.
morrisman1,
Jun 12, 8:45pm
It seems interesting that road car manufacturers are doing as much as they can to slow the deceleration of the body with things like seatbelt load limiters, airbags etc yet in motorsport the idea is to strap you in as tight as possible. Is that the answer! Well it stops you flying out of the car but how many incidents result in internal injuries!
Perhaps that is somewhere that could have more development. Keeping someone adequately in position in a crash but managing the chance of internal injuries.
socram,
Jun 13, 11:04am
Good point.I seem to remember that Dr Roger Freeth died as result of the sudden deceleration and the damage on his internal organs, not totally due to the seat belts.Maybe we need some form of cushioning or tensioning system on seat belts and the belt area may need to be more of a breastplate than just two 3" straps, to spread the load.Just thinking out loud here as I am not an expert on the structure of the human body, but it is well known that the movement of organs within the skeleton may still be damaged on a sudden stop.
Check out F1 driver David Purley (VC) and his Silverstone crash of a few years ago if you are interested.(Sadly, he later died in an aerobatic plane crash off Bognor beach.)
kazbanz,
Jun 13, 12:57pm
Hey socram freethy died due entirely to internal injuries caused by the placement of the rear fixing points of his belts in the car .-the belts diddn't "fail"the fixing points diddn't "fail" but the way the car folded meant the belts tried to straightline through him. (PB is a bit of a hero to me)
serf407,
Jun 13, 1:17pm
Prodrive had already started moving the seatbelts to loop around the roll cage prior to the Rally Australia Legacy accident.
Given there are more than 10k dairy farms in NZ, there must a fair number of underpasses that might be hazardous to general road users if not constructed in the best possible manner.
kazbanz,
Jun 13, 1:36pm
MM I may be speaking out of turn here but my understanding is that "civilian" vehicles need a restraint system that doesn't crumple their clothes ,cause discomfort and be easy to put on and off. so they get exploding gas bags in their faces as well as One shot exploding "grabbers" on their seatbelts. Rally/road race drivers indeed are trussed into their cars by a restraint system that holds them in place both to help in a crash but also to hold them in their seats during "normal" driving. keep in mind too that rally/roadrace crashes occur at double even triple normal road speeds. I can honestly say I'd much rather be in a rally car with a race suit,helmet and neck brace or a road race car in a crash than in a civilian car.
socram,
Jun 13, 2:58pm
Thanks for that.I wasn't too clear about the exact cause.I was an RF fan on four wheels.Watching him negotiate the Pukekohe hairpin in that Starlet ranks as one of the most impressive pieces of cornering in any class.
movnon,
Jun 13, 9:30pm
well no ones invincible - Brockie tangled with a tree in a purpose built rally car & was probably going slower than most of his time on any track.
mrfxit,
Jun 14, 8:42am
Yea pretty freaky alright Take a look at the angles of the road wall & car. It only JUST caught the front wheel then veered inwards The chassis & suspension broke the culverts side wall letting the car slide further along.
If the culvert side wall had held together, it may have bounced the car off & rolled/spun the car around.
kazbanz,
Jun 14, 8:49am
Sorry I missed ya point there. -Socram "I thought" would be interested in what happened to RF. Really it was just to let him know because we share a common interest
icemaiden001,
Jun 14, 9:01am
I thought PB meant "Peter aka Possum Bourne" . . . Another Awesome guy / rally driver taken too soon !
icemaiden001,
Jun 14, 9:06am
My x was in a Targa accident a few years ago, rolled and ended up with burns when the car caught fire and the harness failed to open. Found out by watching the 10.30pm news ! Rang His Mum thinking She would know something and She hadn't been informed either ! ! !
sr2,
Jun 14, 9:14am
I think I may have been at that one as well, was it the Jag!
icemaiden001,
Jun 14, 2:32pm
Yep !
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.