Silverstone Protestors in court
Discussion
Northants news are covering the proceedings.
https://www.northantslive.news/all-about/silversto...
"was as safe as possible" yeah, right. I hope they are jailed.
The bigger issue here is how on earth they managed to get on to the track in the first place, the FIA will probably be interested to know how easy that was and Silverstone might have to do things to make this not happen, so more fences etc more security, higher ticket prices above the staggering fee they already are.
Numpty said:
The part of the track that we went on had a much lower proportion of crashes than other parts of the track
I think the red flag would have been shown in time anyway even if Zhou didn't go flying but sitting in the middle of the track because there's a lower proportion of crashes on that stretch is f
king mental!LukeBrown66 said:
The bigger issue here is how on earth they managed to get on to the track in the first place, the FIA will probably be interested to know how easy that was and Silverstone might have to do things to make this not happen, so more fences etc more security, higher ticket prices above the staggering fee they already are.
Looked a bit like marshals so weren't challenged quickly enough?
vaud said:
LukeBrown66 said:
The bigger issue here is how on earth they managed to get on to the track in the first place, the FIA will probably be interested to know how easy that was and Silverstone might have to do things to make this not happen, so more fences etc more security, higher ticket prices above the staggering fee they already are.
Looked a bit like marshals so weren't challenged quickly enough?
To be fair Tome Pryce was a long time ago, things have moved on a bit.
I am not sure why this is being taken to court really, it must be to do with trespass or something, are they having a pop due to the times being all over the place as a result?
Either way the fact that they were able tog et on the track is down to Silverstone security etc, I know it is not expected, but now, you have to consider stuff like this and going forward, I would think this thing might be happening more and more, the GP is a very easy target for oil protestors.
Might be easier to just give them a platform in the overpriced apparel selling area, they can shout at their hearts content there and if you want to ignore it you can.
But that does not suit their agenda which is solely based on disruption, not getting their message across
I am not sure why this is being taken to court really, it must be to do with trespass or something, are they having a pop due to the times being all over the place as a result?
Either way the fact that they were able tog et on the track is down to Silverstone security etc, I know it is not expected, but now, you have to consider stuff like this and going forward, I would think this thing might be happening more and more, the GP is a very easy target for oil protestors.
Might be easier to just give them a platform in the overpriced apparel selling area, they can shout at their hearts content there and if you want to ignore it you can.
But that does not suit their agenda which is solely based on disruption, not getting their message across
LukeBrown66 said:
To be fair Tome Pryce was a long time ago, things have moved on a bit.
I am not sure why this is being taken to court really, it must be to do with trespass or something, are they having a pop due to the times being all over the place as a result?
Either way the fact that they were able tog et on the track is down to Silverstone security etc, I know it is not expected, but now, you have to consider stuff like this and going forward, I would think this thing might be happening more and more, the GP is a very easy target for oil protestors.
Might be easier to just give them a platform in the overpriced apparel selling area, they can shout at their hearts content there and if you want to ignore it you can.
But that does not suit their agenda which is solely based on disruption, not getting their message across
My point was what happens to someone when they get hit by a Formula one carI am not sure why this is being taken to court really, it must be to do with trespass or something, are they having a pop due to the times being all over the place as a result?
Either way the fact that they were able tog et on the track is down to Silverstone security etc, I know it is not expected, but now, you have to consider stuff like this and going forward, I would think this thing might be happening more and more, the GP is a very easy target for oil protestors.
Might be easier to just give them a platform in the overpriced apparel selling area, they can shout at their hearts content there and if you want to ignore it you can.
But that does not suit their agenda which is solely based on disruption, not getting their message across
The itemised list of thought process points that the defendant has used to try and justify their reckless actions will hopefully have zero gravitas in the final verdict.
Without the immediate red flag being thrown due to the start line incident, their behaviour created a genuine risk to all involved.
Risking exposing the sport to becoming a target for those wishing to "bait" a red flag, and provide attention to their activities is also a precedence that we all hope can be avoided for all host nations ...... where could it stop, if not controlled.
Without the immediate red flag being thrown due to the start line incident, their behaviour created a genuine risk to all involved.
Risking exposing the sport to becoming a target for those wishing to "bait" a red flag, and provide attention to their activities is also a precedence that we all hope can be avoided for all host nations ...... where could it stop, if not controlled.
MCBrowncoat said:
LukeBrown66 said:
To be fair Tome Pryce was a long time ago, things have moved on a bit.
I am not sure why this is being taken to court really, it must be to do with trespass or something, are they having a pop due to the times being all over the place as a result?
Either way the fact that they were able tog et on the track is down to Silverstone security etc, I know it is not expected, but now, you have to consider stuff like this and going forward, I would think this thing might be happening more and more, the GP is a very easy target for oil protestors.
Might be easier to just give them a platform in the overpriced apparel selling area, they can shout at their hearts content there and if you want to ignore it you can.
But that does not suit their agenda which is solely based on disruption, not getting their message across
My point was what happens to someone when they get hit by a Formula one carI am not sure why this is being taken to court really, it must be to do with trespass or something, are they having a pop due to the times being all over the place as a result?
Either way the fact that they were able tog et on the track is down to Silverstone security etc, I know it is not expected, but now, you have to consider stuff like this and going forward, I would think this thing might be happening more and more, the GP is a very easy target for oil protestors.
Might be easier to just give them a platform in the overpriced apparel selling area, they can shout at their hearts content there and if you want to ignore it you can.
But that does not suit their agenda which is solely based on disruption, not getting their message across
LukeBrown66 said:
The bigger issue here is how on earth they managed to get on to the track in the first place, the FIA will probably be interested to know how easy that was and Silverstone might have to do things to make this not happen, so more fences etc more security, higher ticket prices above the staggering fee they already are.
Dont forget safety fences are there to stop vehicles leaving the track,not to stop people getting onto the track. I think there is a difference. FIA will obviously want to know the circumstances but unless things are made 100% foolproof people will find a way to get round themTheir argument does seem to be that it wasn’t actually dangerous for them to be on the track, because there’s loads of people watching the track for problems, with red and yellow flags available to warn the competitors.
They got very ‘lucky’ that there was a serious incident at the start, so the cars weren’t racing as they passed the protestors. IIRC that was the first time a red flag was shown on the opening lap since Grosjean’s fireball in 2020. I’m not sure they really understand how much danger they were in, nor how close they came to someone being killed.
Good to see they got sent to the Crown Court for trial, where there’s a wider range of sentencing options available to the judge. Fingers crossed they end up in the clink, so that the next lot of idiots can see it’s not worth it.
They got very ‘lucky’ that there was a serious incident at the start, so the cars weren’t racing as they passed the protestors. IIRC that was the first time a red flag was shown on the opening lap since Grosjean’s fireball in 2020. I’m not sure they really understand how much danger they were in, nor how close they came to someone being killed.
Good to see they got sent to the Crown Court for trial, where there’s a wider range of sentencing options available to the judge. Fingers crossed they end up in the clink, so that the next lot of idiots can see it’s not worth it.
Numpty said:
The part of the track that we went on had a much lower proportion of crashes than other parts of the track
"....lower proportion of crashes...."Yeah, do ya think that might be something to do with the fact that normally people are not sitting in the middle of it!
They really have no idea how dangerous what they did was. They've probably never watched a motor race in their lives and are utterly clueless. They have no idea how fast an F1 car is and how quickly it would cover what appears to be a long clear straight with a clear line of sight ahead of them. They have no idea that a driver lifting off the throttle on the racing line, on a straight, on the opening lap is likely to cause a massive accident. They have no idea that any driver 2nd or further back in line will be completely blind and unable to see them. They have no idea that all the safety features of the circuit whilst designed to deal with unexpected are still predicated on proper procedures ensuring debris/people are not in the middle of it.
Of course they have no idea of any of this, they are only interested in disruption, not pushing their cause, they believe publicity is the only thing they need.
The staggering things is that they are obviously well funded, those tickets would not be cheap, hundreds of pounds to potentially end up with a criminal record not one person backing the cause in any way, actually probably quite the opposite.
AS I said before if I were Silver stone I would let them have stall free of charge, let them shout from the rooftops, they would get more engagement and actually, probably more interest.
But as I also say, their ONLY goal is disruption, over above even their protest.
The staggering things is that they are obviously well funded, those tickets would not be cheap, hundreds of pounds to potentially end up with a criminal record not one person backing the cause in any way, actually probably quite the opposite.
AS I said before if I were Silver stone I would let them have stall free of charge, let them shout from the rooftops, they would get more engagement and actually, probably more interest.
But as I also say, their ONLY goal is disruption, over above even their protest.
I think, from reading the comments, that the comments - which are a defence against the charge of ‘causing an immediate risk of serious harm’ - are pretty reasonable.
Obviously the action was frustrating and illegal, but do i think what they did - now that i’ve heard them describe how they planned it, where the chose to do it, and when (just after cars passed), and the fact that they checked to see a red flag was there - posed a (significant) risk of serious harm to the drivers? Nope.
Obviously the action was frustrating and illegal, but do i think what they did - now that i’ve heard them describe how they planned it, where the chose to do it, and when (just after cars passed), and the fact that they checked to see a red flag was there - posed a (significant) risk of serious harm to the drivers? Nope.
][i said:
The Wellington Straight also had cameras, said McKechnie, who told the court: “We picked a part of the track which would give the cars plenty of time to pass where we were, before we went on. On the Wellington Straight the racing line was on the far side of the track.
“Basically we used that understanding to plan it (the protest) to be as safe as possible. As soon as there is an obstruction on the track, within about a second or two a red flag will come up.”
McKechnie said of his decision to leave the grass verge and sit down on the Wellington Straight: “The red flag was out. You could see it under the bridge. I knew I was safe and secure where I was on the track. I understood that where I was would be perfectly fine.”
Asked about the allegation that he had created a risk of serious harm, McKechnie said: “I think it’s completely false. Those drivers are the best drivers in the world. They would not even have flinched at something like this.”
“Basically we used that understanding to plan it (the protest) to be as safe as possible. As soon as there is an obstruction on the track, within about a second or two a red flag will come up.”
McKechnie said of his decision to leave the grass verge and sit down on the Wellington Straight: “The red flag was out. You could see it under the bridge. I knew I was safe and secure where I was on the track. I understood that where I was would be perfectly fine.”
Asked about the allegation that he had created a risk of serious harm, McKechnie said: “I think it’s completely false. Those drivers are the best drivers in the world. They would not even have flinched at something like this.”
realjv said:
Numpty said:
The part of the track that we went on had a much lower proportion of crashes than other parts of the track
They really have no idea how dangerous what they did was. They've probably never watched a motor race in their lives and are utterly clueless. They have no idea how fast an F1 car is and how quickly it would cover what appears to be a long clear straight with a clear line of sight ahead of them. They have no idea that a driver lifting off the throttle on the racing line, on a straight, on the opening lap is likely to cause a massive accident. They have no idea that any driver 2nd or further back in line will be completely blind and unable to see them. They have no idea that all the safety features of the circuit whilst designed to deal with unexpected are still predicated on proper procedures ensuring debris/people are not in the middle of it. said:
Describing “research” conducted before the protest, including viewing hundreds of hours of video on the internet and reading the Formula 1 rulebook, McKechnie added: “I watched every single race that’s been held at Silverstone over the last 20 years.
“I scoured the internet for every piece of information I could get about the track, the red flag system and also the drivers. The part of the track that we went on had a much lower proportion of crashes than other parts of the track.”
The Wellington Straight also had cameras, said McKechnie, who told the court: “We picked a part of the track which would give the cars plenty of time to pass where we were, before we went on. On the Wellington Straight the racing line was on the far side of the track.
“Basically we used that understanding to plan it (the protest) to be as safe as possible. As soon as there is an obstruction on the track, within about a second or two a red flag will come up.”
“I scoured the internet for every piece of information I could get about the track, the red flag system and also the drivers. The part of the track that we went on had a much lower proportion of crashes than other parts of the track.”
The Wellington Straight also had cameras, said McKechnie, who told the court: “We picked a part of the track which would give the cars plenty of time to pass where we were, before we went on. On the Wellington Straight the racing line was on the far side of the track.
“Basically we used that understanding to plan it (the protest) to be as safe as possible. As soon as there is an obstruction on the track, within about a second or two a red flag will come up.”
Again, I keep worrying here about risk and risk assessment. This stuff is far more important to councils and governing bodies than people trespassing.
Brands Hatch GP track was half ruined by a risk assessment a few years ago meaning parts of it are now behind huge fences and even totally restricted and inaccessible, all because of an accident years before.
Brands Hatch GP track was half ruined by a risk assessment a few years ago meaning parts of it are now behind huge fences and even totally restricted and inaccessible, all because of an accident years before.
GiantCardboardPlato said:
If you read the full quote, it’s clear they have an idea about all of the things you say they have no idea of. Just because they reached a different conclusion than you about the risk doesn’t mean they don’t understand it…
I think the fact that they went and sat on a racing track shows they didn't understand it... Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff