Who follows motorsport and doesn't follow the Paris-Dakar Rally? This, the most famous (and perhaps the only well-known one)of the rally-raid type events, must be amongst the most gruelling and daft of all sports, let alone motorsports. Every year this rally is held, and a whole bunch of daft men and women drive motorbikes, jeeps, buggies and lorries from Europe (Lisbon this year) to Dakar in Africa.
Now, the fact that they are patently daft does not prevent you from respecting the guts, grit and determination it must take to compete in this event, let alone finish it. I've been watching it on Eurosport (see link above) over the last couple of evenings and the commentator is telling me that one of the motorcyclists is continuing to ride over dunes, getting caught in sand and juddering over rough desert roads despite a dislocated collar bone! 2 drivers were continuing in their jeep having already injured their backs earlier in the rally. You find yourself wondering why do people continue on after sustaining such injuries, and whether or not there's a difference between being brave, and determined - and being plain daft?
I read somewhere that on the 28 events, 23 people have lost their lives, including one this year - Andy Caldecott - and 2 last year. Among any other motorsport series or event that I know of, only the Isle of man TT exacts such a heavy toll (TT is probably more dangerous actually) on its competitors, and you find yourself wondering in the same way about both events, why the people who organise it continue to organise it year after year. No judgement, but I couldn't organise it!
Why does this take place every year? Am I right to say there must be more to it than economics - just making money and just advertising machinery? Is there another reason? Perhaps it's the brute in us that wants to dominate the landscape around us, by force of design and persistence? Perhaps it's a lust to complete something so dangerous and savage, for a sense of heroism at the end of it?
Maybe I just don't see it in the Dakar as clearly as in the other motorsports - the combination of advertising revenue and product improvement. Maybe I like to think it's not as mercenary.
I also wonder, do we contribute in some way to these deaths and injuries by continuing to watch the coverage year in and year out? If economic forces are not the driving forces, then I'd like to think that no, the rally will continue whether people watch it or not....but I can't help but think at the back of my mind that they are.
I wouldn't pretend that I don't enjoy the coverage, watching these vehicles leap over sand dunes is very impressive indeed, but I sometimes feel a little guilty about it. Is that strange?
Edit: Somebody kindly pointed out that I'd forgotten about the TT.
Now, the fact that they are patently daft does not prevent you from respecting the guts, grit and determination it must take to compete in this event, let alone finish it. I've been watching it on Eurosport (see link above) over the last couple of evenings and the commentator is telling me that one of the motorcyclists is continuing to ride over dunes, getting caught in sand and juddering over rough desert roads despite a dislocated collar bone! 2 drivers were continuing in their jeep having already injured their backs earlier in the rally. You find yourself wondering why do people continue on after sustaining such injuries, and whether or not there's a difference between being brave, and determined - and being plain daft?
I read somewhere that on the 28 events, 23 people have lost their lives, including one this year - Andy Caldecott - and 2 last year. Among any other motorsport series or event that I know of, only the Isle of man TT exacts such a heavy toll (TT is probably more dangerous actually) on its competitors, and you find yourself wondering in the same way about both events, why the people who organise it continue to organise it year after year. No judgement, but I couldn't organise it!
Why does this take place every year? Am I right to say there must be more to it than economics - just making money and just advertising machinery? Is there another reason? Perhaps it's the brute in us that wants to dominate the landscape around us, by force of design and persistence? Perhaps it's a lust to complete something so dangerous and savage, for a sense of heroism at the end of it?
Maybe I just don't see it in the Dakar as clearly as in the other motorsports - the combination of advertising revenue and product improvement. Maybe I like to think it's not as mercenary.
I also wonder, do we contribute in some way to these deaths and injuries by continuing to watch the coverage year in and year out? If economic forces are not the driving forces, then I'd like to think that no, the rally will continue whether people watch it or not....but I can't help but think at the back of my mind that they are.
I wouldn't pretend that I don't enjoy the coverage, watching these vehicles leap over sand dunes is very impressive indeed, but I sometimes feel a little guilty about it. Is that strange?
Edit: Somebody kindly pointed out that I'd forgotten about the TT.
I think you under estimate the dangers of the TT....The death toll is more like 5-10 people each year. The Paris Dakar is safe in comparison. Yours in Blog,
ReplyDeleteThey let anybody have a blog nowadays. ha ha
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