Rally Hooliganism

[Eki]

Looks like hooliganism is not a problem of just football anymore, it seems to have reached Rallying as well. Estonian Rally tourists have battered a camping site attendant who tried to collect a parking fee from them, and also four other Finnish men:

http://www.iltasanomat.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/uutinen.asp?id=1414488


Virolaiset rallituristit pahoinpitelivät suomalaismiehiä
3.8.2007 09:45

Virolaiset rallituristit pahoinpitelivät leirintäalueen pysäköintimaksujen kerääjää ja neljää muuta suomalaismiestä Jyväskylän maalaiskunnassa myöhään torstaina.

Pahoinpitelyt tapahtuivat Jyväskylän MM-rallin reitin varrella olevalla Mökkiperän erikoispikataipaleen leirialueella, jonne virolaiset olivat asettuneet. Jyväskylän poliisi otti kahakassa yhden epäillyn virolaisen kiinni.

Parikymppinen mies oli keräämässä leirialueelle majoittuneelta virolaisseurueelta pysäköintimaksua, mutta seurue ei suostunut maksamaan. Kimpaantuneena tapahtumista yksi virolaismiehistä löi maksun kerääjää nyrkillä kuusi kertaa kasvoihin.

Hetkistä myöhemmin samasta virolaisseurueesta useampi mies kävi toisen suomalaismiehen kimppuun ja löi häntä pesäpallomailalla kasvoihin ja muualle kehoon. Nuori mies sai pahoinpitelyssä vakavia ruhjeita, ja hänet vietiin ambulanssilla Keski-Suomen keskussairaalaan.

Virolaiset ehtivät mäiskiä nyrkein, potkuin ja pesäpallomailalla vielä kolmea muutakin suomalaismiestä. Kaikki pahoinpidellyt olivat parikymppisiä miehiä.

[Livewireshock]

That is a shameful incident. It is a shame that a few bad eggs will spoil the batch. Hopefully those repsonsible are made accountable for their actions.

We have a sport that is reliant on hundreds, if not thousands of volunteers. While we all have stories of bad officials, violence is never called for. Especially when he was only carrying out his assigned duty.

[Eki]

It must have been the Estonian baseball team, since the news says they used a baseball bat. I mean, why else would somebody have a baseball bat in a Rallying event?

[Christina]

Can someone translate the article to english? please? :)

[Miika]

Briefly: A bunch of Estonians refused to pay for spending the night in someone´s privat property so they assaulted towards the young man collecting the money and four other Finns with the help of a baseball bat which I´m sure is included in every true rallyfan´s rucksack. One of the Estonians is arrested at the moment.

And BTW the owner of the property has the right to ask for a payment from someone camping in their property.

[ste898]

Scum of the earth ........why dont the scum go back to Estonia and stay there!!!!!!!!

[feresc13]

Briefly: A bunch of Estonians refused to pay for spending the night in someone´s privat property so they assaulted towards the young man collecting the money and four other Finns with the help of a baseball bat which I´m sure is included in every true rallyfan´s rucksack. One of the Estonians is arrested at the moment.

And BTW the owner of the property has the right to ask for a payment from someone camping in their property.

OMG, if you can't respect the environtment, the rules of that area and the other persons that are trying to have it fun as like you, please stay at home, because this causes bad vibrations.

[HaCo]

LOL, this actually has nothing to do with holiganism... :)

[Camelopard]

It must have been the Estonian baseball team, since the news says they used a baseball bat. I mean, why else would somebody have a baseball bat in a Rallying event?

I personally blame the yanks, seeing that a 'baseball' bat was used.......

Now if it had been a 'cricket' bat, that would have been different!

[WRCfan]

Now it's time for the person owning the property to have some fun with the arrested Estonian. Baseball bat? I prefer electric shock machines..more fun!!!
Watch his chest hair sizzle!!!!! and his nipples turn crispy!!! haha

[janneppi]

It has to be said that I wasn't too pleased with the behaviour of some spectators, rude, loud in a bad way, leaving thrash everywhere, driving like idiots without due care among pedestrians...etc...

[Brother John]

It has to be said that I wasn't too pleased with the behaviour of some spectators, rude, loud in a bad way, leaving thrash everywhere, driving like idiots without due care among pedestrians...etc...

I saw also bad behavior from some East country spectators! :(
Block parking roads, to lazy to walk?
Driving like idiots.
Leaving thrash everywhere.
Don´t lissen to officials!
Now respeckt for other cars.
......................etc....................... :confused:

[Daniel]

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. I'd be happy if they closed the borders from Russia and Eastern Europe and let people like Karmen and Jaanus in and no one else :) Sorry to be a bit racist but anyone who is here knows the problem is not people from Western Europe and even though there were a lot of drunk Finns they were generally OK :)

[cali]

I saw also bad behavior from some East country spectators! :(
Block parking roads, to lazy to walk?
Driving like idiots.
Leaving thrash everywhere.
Don´t lissen to officials!
Now respeckt for other cars.
......................etc....................... :confused:
Welcome to Estonian rallys - this happens in a local rallys a lot! I'm ashamed...

[cali]

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. I'd be happy if they closed the borders from Russia and Eastern Europe and let people like Karmen and Jaanus in and no one else :) Sorry to be a bit racist but anyone who is here knows the problem is not people from Western Europe and even though there were a lot of drunk Finns they were generally OK :)
There's more normal Estonians, but only idiots are getting to the news. I attended Otepää rally last month and i was ashamed how spectators were acting - like animals, arguing with marshals and disobeing rules! I'm very sorry for what happened! Finnish authorities should lock them away for a long time.

[jso1985]

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. I'd be happy if they closed the borders from Russia and Eastern Europe and let people like Karmen and Jaanus in and no one else :) Sorry to be a bit racist but anyone who is here knows the problem is not people from Western Europe and even though there were a lot of drunk Finns they were generally OK :)


but how you know who is a "Karmen or Jaanus" and who isn't?

[Spud]

This kind of behaviour is absolutely shameful!!!! Rallying has enough problems and certainly doesnt need this added to them.I only hope that the authorities will get to the bottom of this mess....

[Daniel]

but how you know who is a "Karmen or Jaanus" and who isn't?
Sadly that´s the rather obvious problem :)

[Kakuke]

but how you know who is a "Karmen or Jaanus" and who isn't?
Well, it's easy.

http://lh3.google.com/karmen.vesselov/RnVcZiSbWYI/AAAAAAAAADs/WDgjH2WSZdI/IMG_0463.jpg

That's me (Karmen).
And Jaanus... he does not look like me at all, so you definitely recognise him.

[Timole]

but how you know who is a "Karmen or Jaanus" and who isn't?

Well unfortunately there are always some people who are drunk at rallies and their actions and behaviour will cause some problems. The true rally enthiusiasts are interested in rallying at events and don´t cause those problems which are related with violence, because they attend at many different rallies and they know what to expect and how to act at stages (at least most of them).

[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 :s

[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.

[Koz]

Alcohol will always be around rallies. You cant fully enjoy without it. But definatly there should be control.
And baseball bats at rallies? I dont think they were playing baseball were they? All of them should have been locked up. Maybe the border-control people should not let people with baseball bats cross it?

If people are seen to be being assholes on stages they should be kicked by some security guards or something. But again on rally stages it isnt possible. :(
I am sure no one wants to fight and beat people up on rally stages right? So whats with the baseball bats?
You come to enjoy the rally, I come to enjoy it... Why do we need to kill each other to have fun?
Crap like this only brings negativity to rallying and WRC. And we have enough of that as it is.

We all know that almost all east europeans are alcoholics. Almost everywhere I see them they are causing ****. I am so happy I am far away from them; but from some reason I just cant seem to get away from myself :p

[J4MIE]

Alcohol will always be around rallies. You cant fully enjoy without it.

Complete and utter rubbish!

[Daniel]

Alcohol will always be around rallies. You cant fully enjoy without it. But definatly there should be control.

What a load of crap

[bennizw]

That is a load of bull. I've never been out in the woods drinking under a rally, and I've always enjoyed it that way. Drunk spectators are dangerous spectators, both for themself and others. And how can they follow the cars and enjoy the experience anyway, when they are so drunk that they can't even stand upright?

[Eki]

Maybe the border-control people should not let people with baseball bats cross it?

The problem is that the Finnish form of baseball, pesäpallo or pesis, is the national sport of Finland. The border-control people would probably be just be pleased if foreigners appeared to be interested in pesäpallo:

http://www.pesis.fi/nuorisopesis/international_site/

[Josti]

In one of our national rallies, this crowd behaviour was a big problem on a certain "special" stage in recent years. This one stage always attracted thousends and thousends of people, and most of them were only to visit this stage to see some "nice cars" coming by. So, not the real rallyfans I'm speaking about.

Lately, they charge money for stage entry, which gladly reduced this problem. They introduced this system on many other stages too. Bit of a shame, since they were all free till some years ago. But luckily, it's mostly the rallyfans your dealing with right now :)

[klm-607]

Hmmm... sounds like a NASCAR event! Even Europe has Red-Necks w/attitudes!! LOL!!!!

[klm-607]

I personally blame the yanks, seeing that a 'baseball' bat was used.......

Now if it had been a 'cricket' bat, that would have been different!

No... we'd solve it w/guns!! Didn't ya' hear?? We're all gun toting right wing lunatics!!! Buwahahaha!! Look out, here we come to get you! LOL!!!

[cali]

This is a little bit offtopic but here we go. Couple days ago father with his daughter and wife walked on pedestrians road when one Audi came towards them (on a pedestrians road). This person said to the guys in this Audi that what they were doing was abnormal. So this father got beaten up very badly - jaw was broken from several places, he lost few teeth, ha had already one surgery and few is coming up as well.
I think there's something very seriously wrong in our country. I can see everyday this kind of behaviour where people do not care about any kind on rules or humanity itself. It's really frustrating to live in such kind of community. I'm starting to think of moving out from Tallinn or maybe even from the whole country.

[fastboy]

What made us laugh was, we had travelled from another country to watch the rally ,and we saw drunk finns fast a sleep while all the top cars passed on some stages.What is the point of going to the rally?

[A.F.F.]

What made us laugh was, we had travelled from another country to watch the rally ,and we saw drunk finns fast a sleep while all the top cars passed on some stages.What is the point of going to the rally?

Are you sure they were Finns?

My incident with our eastern neighbors had nothing to do with alcohol. That quattro of guys were acting pretty stupid without a drop.

[jso1985]

What made us laugh was, we had travelled from another country to watch the rally ,and we saw drunk finns fast a sleep while all the top cars passed on some stages.What is the point of going to the rally?

for some saddos the reason to go to any event is to get drunk, if they don't like the sport doesn't even matter I bet they even didn't know any other drivers besides Grönholm(if they were Finnish)

[BDunnell]

What made us laugh was, we had travelled from another country to watch the rally ,and we saw drunk finns fast a sleep while all the top cars passed on some stages.What is the point of going to the rally?

Rather like the people that presumably exist who spend an entire F1 race inside a hospitality suite without taking in a moment of the race, but less well-off.

[Eki]

Rather like the people that presumably exist who spend an entire F1 race inside a hospitality suite without taking in a moment of the race, but less well-off.
I recently wondered if people can become bored with a luxury lifestyle. I came to the conclusion that yes they can. For someone who's been sipping champagne on a yacht in Monaco for his whole life, drinking cheap beer from a plastic bag in a park or a forest could be a refreshing experience.