Rally Hooliganism

[Doon]

It's a bit worrying when violence happens at a rally, its not like it can be policed like a football match because everyone is so spread out. I have seen people messing around with fireworks (which is a little annoying and can get dangerous), and hell i like to get a bit drunk myself sometimes, but this is just dumb!

[Kakuke]

In my opinion, the Finnish Rally was not too bad at all this year. The people I have discussed about that, have said that there was less crowd this year than a year or two ago. There was much less Estonians compared to 2003-2005 (still a bit more than in 2006) and less Finns as well.

The devoted rally fans dominated at the Finnish forests this year. I saw the safety helicopter only once during the SS (in 2005 it had to chasten people several times after the start of the SS). Maybe it was because of the strict safety measures, the rainy weather before the rally in Finland and the F1 race which was held at the same time. I did not meet any annoying spectators there. Or maybe I just visited the wrong places...

[Timole]

It's a bit worrying when violence happens at a rally, its not like it can be policed like a football match because everyone is so spread out. I have seen people messing around with fireworks (which is a little annoying and can get dangerous), and hell i like to get a bit drunk myself sometimes, but this is just dumb!

I agree with you.

[janneppi]

I even heard stories that some spectators threw bottles at marshalls.

[Tomi]

I did see people camping in someones grainfeeld.

[J4MIE]

I even heard stories that some spectators threw bottles at marshalls.

Ah, I think that was deserved ( ) but if this was a person asking for money for them to camp on his property then I think it's disgusting.

I'm sure alcohol played its part in it, I guess it must have been after 9am that this happened

[BDunnell]

In spite of all this, I think that all forms of motorsport — certainly from what I know of motorsport in Europe — get off very lightly when it comes to rowdy crowd behaviour compared with other sports. This is not to condone anything, of course.

[PuddleJumper]

In my opinion, the Finnish Rally was not too bad at all this year. The people I have discussed about that, have said that there was less crowd this year than a year or two ago. There was much less Estonians compared to 2003-2005 (still a bit more than in 2006) and less Finns as well.

It seemed to me that there were a lot more spectators on the stages this year than in 2006. There were a lot more families on the stages (Kids with flags! Grrrr!) as the schools are still closed for the summer holiday this early in August and many people were off work. Last year the schools had re-opened before the rally and it was much quieter.

[PuddleJumper]

I think the problem is mainly alcohol. In Australia if you showed up to a stage even mildy "happy" you'd get turned away here (Still in Finland) it's just how it is.

Even some of the marshalls are drunk in Finland. Pino and I had one marshall push us off the stage and he stunk of alcohol. IMO someone in that state should not have been allowed to marshall a stage.

[Tomi]

It would be good if all rallyfans should understand that the people who lives by the stages has quite much to say when it comes to giving the road for rally use, in some stages they are quite fed up already, it would be a pity to loose some of the best rally stages on the planet just because some people has problem with common sence.