There's a big thread on Special Stage where some of the old guard related their experiences with Robin-Hood well before anything crazy went down.
There's a big thread on Special Stage where some of the old guard related their experiences with Robin-Hood well before anything crazy went down.
modernbeat wrote:JFX001 wrote: Why don't you try to help them? You're doing the full court press on getting them shut down, why not suggest ways to make it better. If you have the experience, offer it. Fostering contempt instead of extending a helping hand is neither productive nor admirable.Because assistance HAD been offered, and refused. Now, it looks like they want some professional assistance so they can pick and choose and not take the advice in whole. At this point, no respectable organization wants to be associated with them.
This thread keeps getting worse and deserves just to die. So what I'm now seeing is an organization did not accept help when previously offered (one side of the story) and now they want help but their request for help is viewed with suspicion?
In reply to plance1:
But do they want actual help to make it safer, or a professoinal name to attach to itself to get its name out there?
well, if you care about safety shouldn't you just stop wasting time questioning motives and do what you can to improve things????????
Because if a respectable group puts their name with that and RHR doesn't actually take their suggestions (which seems likely), that group could be in major E36 M3 if things go wrong.
Disclaimer: I know nothing about this, other than whats in this thread.
How is it that a bunch of alleged shiny happy people, who know nothing about what they're doing, successfully get public roads shut down, organize and market a large event with $5k entry fees?
Especially since my local SCCA chapter has trouble securing parking lots for autox, even with an excellent safety record and insurance?
Maybe the barriers to entry to our sport are too high and this is the result...
My guess would be because they have the backing of a TV network.
Tyler H wrote: Disclaimer: I know nothing about this, other than whats in this thread.............. Maybe the barriers to entry to our sport are too high and this is the result...
Here's a link to the "Rally's" website:
http://www.robinhoodrally.com/productcart/pc/home.asp
It appears the "reality" of staging a responsibly administered, sanctioned and officiated event was not a prime goal of the organizers. Maybe it makes for "good"" TV, but damn, just damn.
For some reason(s), I hope the lawyers make a bundle of money taking these idiots to the cleaners.
Rant over........
"Authentic street racing action" Heh 
It's good to see that they're comparing their course to Watkins Glen and Virginia International Raceway 
In reply to JFX001:
Hi JFX001,
It is true that assistance was offered and the RHR organizers did not take advantage of it. Furthermore, the first two rounds of RHR were in Berlin NH and Tuxedo, NY. Berlin NH hosts several stages of the New England Forest Rally, and Tuxedo NY is near to Rally New York. It can't be coincidence that RHR chose those locations. Shutting down RHR might be an option, but the libertarian in me also doesn't think that is the best option. The best option is to distance real rallies, rallies that endeavor to be as safe as possible and retain the good will of the community, from gimmick events like RHR. RHR is a made for TV event that is as close to Rally as any "reality TV" program is to actual reality.
96DXCivic wrote: My guess would be because they have the backing of a TV network.
The event is supposed to be on Versus this fall.
A little more information about RHR. The interesting thing is, there are a lot of rally events around the country, if the organizers of RHR were interested in filming a rally reality TV program, why not just have the contestants enter existing events? I'm sure if RHR brought their helicopter to New England Forest Rally, and brought an extra 50 entrants, the NEFR folks would be thrilled. Plus, RHR could have run the EXACT SAME STAGE they ran in Berlin, NH as RHR, but they would have had the benefit of the excellent NEFR organization. And they could have run a dozen other stages, including the Mexico Recreation Stage, with jump, talk about good TV.
I think, just my opinion, that they did not take advantage of NEFR or any other existing organization, because the rules, safety rules, are too stringent. Rank amateurs with zero racing experience can't start in the most powerful cars, which seems to be a major premise of the RHR rally. Just because someone can afford a Ferrari, doesn't mean they know how to drive it. Does PCA, BMWCCA, HPDE etc. allow noobs to show up with a Carrera GT and go balls out passing on corners etc. on their first lap? That is essentially what RHR is doing.
SupraWes wrote: I am torn on this one, the libertarian in me says, its a free country and folks should be able to do whatever they want no matter how unsafe or stupid.
i feel the same way, but that doesn't mean others can't have opinions or try to mitigate the damage that the first person's actions might have on others. libertarianism doesn't mean "consequence-free," or blind acceptance of others' choices.
Lesley wrote: It's hard to tell from the video, what exactly happened? Did two cars crash into each other? In a properly managed rally, there's no way that should happen.
The Bimmer was parked at the end of the stage, the Corvette driver lost control at the finish and creamed the E36 M3 out of him. The two ezup tents were also clipped. From witnesses at the scene, the police chief of Tuxedo, NY as well as a city councilman were nearly hit as well. Imagine that PR nightmare.
Minor point: How is this not rally?
It's not FIA, WRC, SCCA, etc., fine, got it. Run for television, "reality" show, not pure sport, got it. Serious questions about safety, etc. Got it.
Run on roads. Solo competition. Looks like a form of rally to me.
In reply to slantvaliant:
Your point is well made, under a broad definition it could be considered rally, but when any more than generalizations about the sport are used, the comparison falls apart. It kind of ends up like Potter Stewart's description of pornography, "I know it when I see it."
At the other end of the spectrum...when you try to define something too tightly you end up with someone "owning" a word.
The recent debacle around "Organic" foods comes to mind.
If you take it too far and have to pay a license fee to some organization/bureaucracy to hold a "Rally" competition...that's bad in my opinion.
I don't really have a dog in this fight...just saw that piont and thought I'd make it.
Clem
This looks like a rally to me. I don't see how it hurts the name of Rallying when someone crashes. It is a high speed motorsports event, crashes happen. The thing that bothered me is that spectators got to the vehicles first, not safety crew. I dont think I saw any trained safety person there until 45seconds. Put some SCCA corner workers out there and then it's safe by me. At least the entrants, if not spectators have to do the ritual of signing thier life away. After that, it's fair game. THe driviers and spectators are accept the risk they are taking. I say let the people have fun in their cars and let Social Darwinism determine how close spectators get to the course.
Steven
Insurance companies, the bane of our existance will take care of these guys - in an FIA rally the car should be slowed down well before they get to the timekeepers, least that's how it is in Ireland
Say what you will about it, but it still looks like poor cricket to me.
go darwin..........
The problem and fear is that the public perception of this event is the same as it would be of any safe SCCA, FIA, etc. Rally. To the public, closing off streets and racing car's on it is the same no mater who is running it. Accidents and incidents like these will force cities/areas that were maybe willing to allow these events to run to not, when 10 crazy people get a federal ban on road races "for the kids".
this thread is starting to remind me of some past futile discussions , though it hasn't gone on for 6 pages, yet...
Yea, I don't necessarily disagree with the original poster, but there's no real need to get really frothy about it.
nocones wrote: The problem and fear is that the public perception of this event is the same as it would be of any safe SCCA, FIA, etc. Rally. To the public, closing off streets and racing car's on it is the same no mater who is running it. Accidents and incidents like these will force cities/areas that were maybe willing to allow these events to run to not, when 10 crazy people get a federal ban on road races "for the kids".
Exactly.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/read-this-nonsensesomeone-wants-to-tax-sanctioned-/21576/page1/
The crazy mother who wanted to tax legitimate racing because her daughter died in a street race. Anybody remember this thread?
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