Rally Spectator Safety

[bluuford]

I have one note regarding fences, please, no fences they are much more dangerous to the crews if they are lighter, then they can be dangerous to spectators (when flying around) and also reducing visibility and therefore forcing spectators to spread more around stages.

This picture with Kruuda. I know his driving style, he likes to cut the corners a lot. In this corner, if I would be this photographer I would be happy to still own my head.

[MartijnS]

Just found this shots of the photographer next to Kruuda. WTF!

WRC Wales Rally GB 2011 | Flickr*: partage de photos*!

WRC Wales Rally GB 2011 | Flickr*: partage de photos*!

[Mirek]

I have one note regarding fences, please, no fences they are much more dangerous to the crews if they are lighter, then they can be dangerous to spectators (when flying around) and also reducing visibility and therefore forcing spectators to spread more around stages.

very good point. Often the too strict spectator regulation works exactly opposite than it should. If people are gathered into boring/distant/overcrowded places they tend to move elsewhere and therefore out of direct control. Always there are people like me who walk through stages somewhere far from crowds but definitely it is possible to keep most of common spectators in well-controlled areas. These places just need to worth visiting.

[MrJan]

Just found this shots of the photographer next to Kruuda. WTF!

WRC Wales Rally GB 2011 | Flickr*: partage de photos*!

WRC Wales Rally GB 2011 | Flickr*: partage de photos*!

Even though I was stood next to the guy taking this photo I'm still amazed by that!! Flodin (the car before Kruuda, iirc) also ran wide after turning in and then correcting.

Here's another photo I took of the same chap and his mate before they got really ballsy and moved to where that Kruuda pic was taken. Bear in mind that the next driver through was Tanak, the kind of driver that you want to stand well back to enjoy!

IMG_3104 by Jan Yeo, on Flickr

See also some other idiots with a flag (even worse when you realise that the driver is Matt Wilson ):

Wilson by Jan Yeo, on Flickr

[Doon]

Awesome pictures in the last couple of posts! I like to get close to the cars to get a real buzz, but the positions of some people is just crazy. Bet he had a great day out though.

Anyway, if there were no spectators I don't think many sponsors would be interested in the sport and why would car manufacturers spend millions to field cars when no one can see them? I pay for my own Rallying (because I have a cheap car and no one would sponsor me anyway!), but many need sponsors to support their habbit in all forms of the sport.

[tfp]

Just found this shots of the photographer next to Kruuda. WTF!

WRC Wales Rally GB 2011 | Flickr : partage de photos !

WRC Wales Rally GB 2011 | Flickr : partage de photos !

What a muppet! Reminds me of that joker than Colin Mcrae nearly flattened.

[BDunnell]

Charge them at least £20 per stage.

How would that solve anything? Is there any correlation between amount spent on an activity and level of common sense displayed by the person making that spend? I could go on.

[6789]

Why would you want to stand that close anyway? You're not going to end up with a good photo.

Rally spectating in Australia is very difficult, you are tied off into a small area behind trees so do see alot. That's why people will ignore the spectator points and go find their own places via access roads.

I think barriers is alittle over the top, people need common sense to not stand on the inside o corners like that. I have a similar photo which I can post from Aus

[Hartusvuori]

Brynildsen's crash scared the hell out of me in Rally Finland. I was some 15-20 metres forward from the picture. Luckily the car bounced back on the road. Afterwards I've been thinking how I didn't react at all since I kept standing on the same place - official area - and two more crashes happened soon. Next year if the stage is run, I bet the spectators area won't be were it was.

[BDunnell]

Forgive me for asking what might seem a naive question, but is this sort of thing becoming more common?