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Something to Really Think About
Chuck-
I am so glad that you published the Daly letter - and that there are others concerned with the safety of our sport. I am going to try to get others to read this - and help do something about this serious problem. I am not saying that we can completely remove the risks involved, but motocross injuries have become more frequent, excessive, and serious than they have to be.
I personally have accidentally landed on another rider on a double jump - who I had thought was going to double the jump, but decided not to double at the last minute. I separated my shoulder, and the other rider had a serious abrasion on his back. I also know many riders who have shattered their ankles and damaged their knees on double jumps. Some of them still ride, others careers are over and their lives changed forever.
At the Pontiac Silverdome amateur race, the track was left basically unchanged from the track that the pros rode on the night before. The pros had a whole day to practice on the track, but the amateurs had two laps with 60 riders on the track to practice on a track that was designed for expert pro riders. There were 4 ambulances there, and at least one was gone all of the time. Over 15 riders went to the hospital that day with neck injuries, back injuries, broken arm, broken leg, and broken jaw - among just the injuries that I knew about. When I was going in to get my award, I walked past an EMT who was on her way back to the track, and I said to her - "busy day, huh?". Her reply to me was "YOU PEOPLE ARE CRAAAZY!!"
The potential is there for serious life threatening or life changing injury. Anyone who watches the Pro Supercross races on ESPN2 has seen the ad for the "Crash Video", and has seen the one rider land on the other's head off the double jump. Spectacular stuff, huh? No - it's appalling - we don't know if these riders had life threatening injuries or not. It could be you or your children out there.
We are out racing motocross for the fun, and the risk is great enough without having obstacles that are potentially dangerous enough that are not forgiving enough for amateur riders. Track owners need to take a hard look at their tracks to improve track design on their own because the AMA is not addressing safety. Help the sport out - talk to promoters, parents, riders - and let's make some positive change in this sport so that we can keep doing what we love doing.
Thanks,
Tom Holcher
District 14 Vintage