moffy wrote:

QUOTE:

No stick is going to die if a rider or bike hits it, a human could.

I think you are missing the point here. A stick can cause considerable damage to a rider if he makes contact with it. Such incidents have resulted in fatalities in the past at my local circuit - I won't mention any names. Stevie - you may want to advise if I am way of course here.

I can't make head nor tail of the literature but judging by everyone the changes are a bit more dramatic than first thought. It's a wait and see if you ask me.

I think there must have been a crime on the Isle of Man! From the photos the police have cordoned of the hedges while they investigate a dictatorship.

Ivan, you are right. I don't respond to that idiot moffy anymore.

Sorry admin, you are right. I am sure everyone else is thinking it without me saying it. A first class merchant b...!

Look, Lets not make this personal, these are just my views and opinions. If some of you are coming over for the TT i look forward to meeting you and having a bit of craic.

Im a road racing fan like everyone of you and we have a love for the same thing.

lets just enjoy the racing.

Well I set out for a sighting lap tonight in the car with a heavy heart, and I have just got back a few minutes ago. I'm very pleased I made the effort to do so as it was most educational.
I took the official printed list of prohibited and restricted areas from the Manx Independent newspaper so I could check out every detail. I find that I must admit that many (but certainly not all) of these areas are potentially very dangerous places to consider watching from, and common sense would have prevented me from doing so. The organisers appear to have considered what "could" happen, ie if someone lost it under heavy braking approaching a corner, ran wide and clipped a bank on the exit of a corner, or if a bike hit the aforementioned bank and bounced back across the road, hitting the opposite bank where people were watching from.
Having said that the official comment from Adrian Earnshaw that there were only a few more prohibited areas than last year is totally wrong and very misleading. However our government is very good at misleading the Manx public I'm afraid, so no surprise there. The truth is that there are many other areas that will be out of bounds to spectators by virtue of the fact that they are in private property, and whereas a few years ago TT fans would be welcomed into such places and probably offered the use of a toilet and cups of tea all day, such friendship and co-operation is not so easy to find these days.
I confidently predict that there will be a lot of people who miss the races because they cannot find anywhere to watch from before the road closing time overtakes them. They will be stuck on housing estates, roaming around listening to the commentary on their radios, they will be able to hear the bikes but unable to actually see them. And you can be sure that these people will not bother to come back again to the TT or Manx. And who can blame them. And herein lies the reason for the continued decline of racing on the TT course. I speak with experience, just about old enough to recall almost every practice and race on the TT course, TT and Manx, for the last 40 years. Nineteen of those years as a competitor in the TT and Manx GP.
As a local, I will manage to find somewhere to watch from, but I have never felt less enthusiastic in my life. The two places that I am most annoyed about are the exit of Windy Corner and the exit of Signpost. I cannot fathom why these are prohibited. Firstly Windy Corner. For generations this has been a convenient and vital signalling station for many riders, just about far enough away from the end of a race to pull back a few seconds when necessary. I see tonight that this is now a thing of the past. You have to be positioned up behind the stone wall at the top of the Slieu Losht Quarry access road, too far away for realistic signalling. What is dangerous about this spot? The only time I recall an incident there was George Formby in "No Limit" in 1935........
And my main gripe, the exit of Signpost. Yes, it is common sense to have the first 30 m or so out of bounds on the left bank, but why close off the whole length of the road right down to past Bedstead? I watched most practices and races from this area since 1969, before the bulldozers moved in and it was all built on. I have seen several top men come a cropper at Signpost, Alex George (1970 Junior TT), Mick Grant scooping up Keith Heckles in the 1971 F750 TT, Tom Herron in early morning practice around 1977, George Fogarty, Ken Inwood whilst 2nd in the Senior MGP, Cap Davies, Michael Rutter, and lots more I cant just recall. Never in all those years did I ever witness anything that would warrant closing off the full length of this road for safety reasons. It's totally unnecessary in my opinion, and many Onchan people who have always watched from there can no longer do so, or for that matter, anywhere else between The Grandstand and Hillberry. Like I say, many of the closures are understandable, but a few are not so whatsoever.
In closing, I would urge anybody to have a similar sighting lap around the course, especially visitors. I'm not trying to depress anybody, just a warning to be aware of the situation here now and keep a step ahead of things.

Spot on there Bloodaxe. There are two things that are going to see the end of the TT. The first is lack of competitors, the second is lack of spectators. Judging by the grids this year and the way the fans have been treated, it looks like we are well on the way to the end now. Sad really beacuse I love the TT and so much has been done to improve the event's image. But at the end of the day I'm just an average joe who wants to see a show and when you compare the alteranatives (or the same event 10 years ago) it's hard to see the show now.

Let me give you Ducati as an example. Who really wants to see a parade of old Ducatis wobbling around? If Ducati really wanted to support the event they would have entered a team. In fact, one of the best road racers in the world rides a factory Ducati AND wanted to race. But alas he is not going to be there.

I arrived on the IOM this morning.

Erik you are quite right, Adrian Earnshaw and Paul Phillips both stating that the prohibited areas have only a couple of additions, deary me, the actual result is a real contrast. Bullshit.

Like you, I agree there are a number of additions that are reasonable. In fact, I think they always were prohibited areas, they just never had the signs there! But many of the additions are uncomprehendable. Too many to list. Complete over reaction.

I think this, together with so many recent liablility issues i've been hearing about and the event becoming over commercialised, has taken away all the buzz of the event. Nobody appears excited about the TT this year, really strange.

Alan as for the entry, I picked up my programme and I can only agree. What on earth has happened? There are going to be less than 70 practicing for the Senior and I would estimate less than 60 starting. There are less than 60 entered for the sidecars, less than 50 starting? Rubbish.

It's about time Paul Phillips looked at the roots of the TT. Prancing around the grandstand bending over to the "big boys" for 2 weeks is not doing the event any favours. It might boost his ego but it will leave him jobless in the next couple of years if he's not careful.

Fingers crossed for sunshine and safe racing, the TT needs it!

I think the that people are not looking at the events of the last couple of weeks.

JMF are not here as we sadly lost Martin. Lilly and william dunlop have not come. Rob frost pulled out so CD racing have not came and Macadoo have decided not to come.

Ducati have not got the engines to come here. If your talking about one of the best road racers in the world being M Rutter, I dont think he has a ride because, There is not the competitive Bikes available to him and the teams with bikes wouldnt or could'nt afford to pay him.

Alan i would love to see you try and do the job paul has done.

i have signalled for many years at windey corner, this is a vital point as you get all 3 comentry points, i noticed chANGES for last years manx gp, i couldent signal from my usuall place but found a convient spot, further down from what i call the gun club lane, had no hasel at all from the marshalls at windy, on reading a post it states that a 250 meter probited area on the exit of windy is probited,
in all my years there i had on only one occasion to help put a rider into the helicopter, i wasnt marshalling that day but seeing the lads under pressure i downed my board,put on my bib and gladly helped out.
as far as im aware the area from the gun club lane, towards the 33rd, is not probited unless changed from last years manx.
i stand to be corrected on this.
if this is the case,i can only say the TT is on its last legs, as this is a popular spot for boarding.and i must add totally safe, i have seen many teams up here and all completly organised to board from this point.
a great place on a good day, a brave man stands here 3 days a year, year in year out wind rain sleet or snow, been here for 12 years now.felt the rain felt the wind, and even got sunburned one year.

Dear me moffy. That is a bit like taking a shot and not even hitting the corner flag! I am out today but will show you just how far off the mark you are tomorrow. As far as paul is concerned this line of my post might help you out a bit:

QUOTE:
and so much has been done to improve the event's image.

.

Not sure how somone who doesn't know me can comment on my ability to do a job that isn't mine. Nevermind.