Threat to forest rallying in Wales
Discussion
The MSA has had an enormous increase quoted by for the charges for using forest stages fro rallying in Wales, so high that they haven't been able to agree to them, and rallying this year is threatened.
See open letter from MSA Chief Exec: https://www.msauk.or...Chief-Executive
The Welsh Assembly has a petitioning system like Westminster, so please look at it and sign it if you wish: https://www.assembly...?PetitionID=943
John
See open letter from MSA Chief Exec: https://www.msauk.or...Chief-Executive
The Welsh Assembly has a petitioning system like Westminster, so please look at it and sign it if you wish: https://www.assembly...?PetitionID=943
John
Petition link - https://www.assembly.wales/en/gethome/e-petitions/...
Rally4Wales link - https://www.facebook.com/rallyingmeansbusiness/
"Natural Resources Wales’ proposed pricing structure from June 2016 onwards would double the current cost, and is completely at odds with new contracts in place for the same purposes with Forestry Commission's in England and Scotland.
Whilst NRW are seeking to double the current cost – England and Scotland are raising the cost (from the previous contract) by just 0.7%."
Rally4Wales link - https://www.facebook.com/rallyingmeansbusiness/
"Natural Resources Wales’ proposed pricing structure from June 2016 onwards would double the current cost, and is completely at odds with new contracts in place for the same purposes with Forestry Commission's in England and Scotland.
Whilst NRW are seeking to double the current cost – England and Scotland are raising the cost (from the previous contract) by just 0.7%."
But you miss the point, if the MSA had not reacted to the Scottish review into spectator safety then there would have been no motorsport in the UK. You could not have the position where the MSA in England allowed something to happen (regarding safety) that didn't happen in Scotland. Lawyers would have a field day.
I am surprised that someone who used to marshal on rallies would not agree that something needed to be done about spectators on stage rallies
I am surprised that someone who used to marshal on rallies would not agree that something needed to be done about spectators on stage rallies
I think the MSA have made quite a few questionable decisions over the past few years in respect of Rallying, but they were in something of a Cleft Stick regarding the 'safety Review' and are now facing another really tough challenge with the Welsh Forestry thing.
I'm sure they are not entirely blameless, but ultimately its not their fault.
I'm sure they are not entirely blameless, but ultimately its not their fault.
My concern is the apparent policy of risk avoidance and not risk management. I had a similar thing where MSA simply decreed that spectating would be prohibited at the corner on my local circuit where most overtaking happens.I wrote to MSA and received a less than helpful reply - the risk could have been effectively managed but far simpler just to say no. And we wonder why we get no spectators at motor sport ...
Sorry - you may have missed my point ; to clarify , I acknowledged there was risk and I felt it was reasonable to manage the risk by taking some basic steps to reduce it . (eg extension of some debris fencing , reduction in access area). MSA' approach was a binary one - no access at all. No accident to spectators had ever occurred there and whilst one was foreseeable the steps taken threw out the baby with the bathwater.
In this country we lose about ten people a year in equestrian events, twice that in both fishing and climbing - and they carry on much as ever I suspect. But with our sport we seem sometimes to be hell bent on destroying its essence in response to every incident or perceived risk of one.
Why is this important? Rallying relies on support from public and competitors alike. Remove the public and why on earth should the wider public put up with the inconvenience if it can't even benefit from the event? An example of this was where I used to live- right next to a forest rally stage. Not too popular with neighbours but I flew the flag for rallying and argued strongly that we shouldn't oppose it- forests are for more than horses and walkers . My patience was severely stretched when, whilst walking to watch on a public foot path a marshal tried to stop me doing something both lawful and safe.He didn't succeed....
In this country we lose about ten people a year in equestrian events, twice that in both fishing and climbing - and they carry on much as ever I suspect. But with our sport we seem sometimes to be hell bent on destroying its essence in response to every incident or perceived risk of one.
Why is this important? Rallying relies on support from public and competitors alike. Remove the public and why on earth should the wider public put up with the inconvenience if it can't even benefit from the event? An example of this was where I used to live- right next to a forest rally stage. Not too popular with neighbours but I flew the flag for rallying and argued strongly that we shouldn't oppose it- forests are for more than horses and walkers . My patience was severely stretched when, whilst walking to watch on a public foot path a marshal tried to stop me doing something both lawful and safe.He didn't succeed....
Maybe so - but I am not sure it is that different actually.A guy going pike fishing doesn't expect not to come home , nor did my late friend whose gentle morning ride ended with her dying after being thrown because of a pheasant spooking her horse.
But often it is the mode of death which gets the reaction and not the bare numbers- 9/11 was undoubtedly hideous and killed 3000 people. Since then over 150 ,000 US citizens have been killed. But not by Al Qa'eda or the like but by gun toting fellow Americans ....
But often it is the mode of death which gets the reaction and not the bare numbers- 9/11 was undoubtedly hideous and killed 3000 people. Since then over 150 ,000 US citizens have been killed. But not by Al Qa'eda or the like but by gun toting fellow Americans ....
I'm sorry but a spectator dying IS totally different from a competitor.
Several years ago I was cautioned and had to give a statement after a co-driver was killed on a rally I was attending. That was nothing compared to the 2+ hours I was cautioned and interviewed after the serious accident and then the fatal(s) I attended on the JCR in 2014 (and compared to a lot who attended those incidents 2+ hours was next to nothing) I still don't know if I have to attend the coroners court and several of the organisers still don't know if they will face criminal prosecutions. So don't tell me that spectators dying is no different to competitors or someone just doing the sport they enjoy. It is not.
Several years ago I was cautioned and had to give a statement after a co-driver was killed on a rally I was attending. That was nothing compared to the 2+ hours I was cautioned and interviewed after the serious accident and then the fatal(s) I attended on the JCR in 2014 (and compared to a lot who attended those incidents 2+ hours was next to nothing) I still don't know if I have to attend the coroners court and several of the organisers still don't know if they will face criminal prosecutions. So don't tell me that spectators dying is no different to competitors or someone just doing the sport they enjoy. It is not.
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