|
|
Post by will on Apr 5, 2010 10:11:26 GMT -5
This isn't me, but I did the exact same thing in the exact same place a couple years ago.  Same lousy result, too. |
|
|
|
Post by rocky4948 on Apr 5, 2010 10:22:48 GMT -5
Ouch!!!
|
|
|
|
Post by john on Apr 5, 2010 10:31:34 GMT -5
Looks like a public road.
|
|
|
|
Post by will on Apr 5, 2010 10:43:04 GMT -5
It is turn six at PR. To screw up like this, you have to blow turn five, dirt ride across some gravel, then fall off crossing turn six. Your bike ends up halfway up the embankment, generally upside down. It is devastating to the ego. And it is expensive, too. But if you slide in under the tag, you are safe at second.
|
|
|
|
Post by arozanski on Apr 5, 2010 11:04:56 GMT -5
It is turn six at PR. To screw up like this, you have to blow turn five, dirt ride across some gravel, then fall off crossing turn six. Your bike ends up halfway up the embankment, generally upside down. It is devastating to the ego. And it is expensive, too. But if you slide in under the tag, you are safe at second. Curious - what sort of speeds are invoked? Not to jinx anyone, but people seem to weather these types of mishaps rather well (relatively speaking, of course), when properly geared up. While I acknowledge the benefits of proper gear, at some point, it would seem that the speed would negate the abrasion/impact resistance of the pads/armor/leathers, etc. |
|
|
|
Post by will on Apr 5, 2010 11:29:59 GMT -5
Funny you should ask. I'm guessing the guy in the picture was probably doing 60 or so when he fell off. I have fallen off at over 100 and, aside from getting mighty warm where the leather meets the road, it wasn't too bad. Speed isn't the issue so much as tumbling or hitting something solid, and those are less likely at the track. It is still dangerous, and injuries still happen. So do fatalities, although it is very, very rare.
|
|
|
|
Post by john on Apr 5, 2010 12:39:16 GMT -5
It is turn six at PR. To screw up like this, you have to blow turn five, dirt ride across some gravel, then fall off crossing turn six. Your bike ends up halfway up the embankment, generally upside down. It is devastating to the ego. And it is expensive, too. But if you slide in under the tag, you are safe at second. No wonder PIR was taken off the calendar. That's dangerous as hell. |
|
|
|
Post by john on Apr 5, 2010 12:40:51 GMT -5
Curious - what sort of speeds are invoked? Not to jinx anyone, but people seem to weather these types of mishaps rather well (relatively speaking, of course), when properly geared up. While I acknowledge the benefits of proper gear, at some point, it would seem that the speed would negate the abrasion/impact resistance of the pads/armor/leathers, etc. I've fallen off at 120 and only road rash on the palm (Which hurts). I have also run into a wall at 50MPH-ish and had a ton of bruising, but no internal injuries. Sleeping was a pain in the ass, though. None at PIR. |
|
|
|
Post by will on Apr 5, 2010 13:20:37 GMT -5
PR isn't PIR. PIR is Portland, PR is Pacific. Pacific is a much slower, more technical track than Portland. It used to be called SIR - Seattle International Raceway. T6 isn't as bad as it looks, at least as far as I can tell. People fall off there fairly regularly, with similar results - bruised egos and a big repair project. The embankment makes bikes flop around, but I don't recall anybody ever actually making it to the embankment on the dismount.
|
|
|
|
Post by will on Apr 5, 2010 15:12:10 GMT -5
No wonder PIR was taken off the calendar. That's dangerous as hell. Not quite so bad, is it? Video taken by a friend a couple seasons ago. |
|
|
|
Post by john on Apr 5, 2010 17:53:09 GMT -5
From that video, it reminds me of some of the bullring crap I used to see when I raced. It looks pretty damn dangerous, actually.
I saw 2 retaining walls that looked close. Both look like you're pointed right at them before you tip left.
There is also the kink on the straight which looks like it points you at a wall until you tip right.
I am a bit draconian on that stuff, as I have seen quite a few folks hurt. That place needs airfence and a few walls bulldozed.
|
|
|
|
Post by will on Apr 5, 2010 19:08:21 GMT -5
The airfence inventory is getting bigger and bigger. It's a known problem, and the club does what it can. The white retaining wall you see in those corners is actually air fence. Track management has other issues, including property lines and topography. Drag racing is what makes them money, so they are less responsive to road racers. It's what we have, so it's what we race on. Spokane used to be even scarier, because it was a combination track and junk yard, with old engine blocks and who knows what all else in the runoff. It has been cleaned up now, so it's only dust, snakes, tumbleweeds, and the like on the track which are a problem. Runoff is rocky, but at least there is a decent amount of it in most, but not all, parts of the track.
The kink in the front straight is known as the death chute, although I don't know of anybody who has gone into the wall there. We are all very respectful of it, as you can imagine.
Racing is a kind of stupid activity, when you think about it rationally.
|
|
|
|
Post by john on Apr 5, 2010 19:45:03 GMT -5
Racing is a kind of stupid activity, when you think about it rationally. Yeah, but you don't pour gas on a fireplace, unless you're a total idiot. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by will on Apr 5, 2010 22:53:49 GMT -5
Well, I had the singed eyebrows proving something once upon a time. I'm not sure what. It was a trash burn barrel, so it's not a fireplace, right? Oh. Wait...
|
|
|
|
Post by john on Apr 7, 2010 13:46:06 GMT -5
Well, I was referring to a denizen of Montana  |
|
