van wolfswinkel 635 Posted August 28, 2015 The crash you watched on youtube was not "a pre-war". It happened in 1956 and the rider killed in that crash was Zbigniew RANISZEWSKI from Poland. You can see again it again here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fft_V-zInhY Terrible...a staircase on a track! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triple.H. 1,988 Posted August 28, 2015 Vienna I think from when a much shorter video of the same incident was posted a few years ago. Absolutely horrific accident. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OveFundinFan 4,145 Posted August 28, 2015 There are risks.... and there are riskier risks. Why on earth those riders were actually riding I dont know. We know speedway is dangerous, but riding on a track like that is just senseless. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shale Searcher 1,264 Posted August 28, 2015 (edited) It wasn't even perimeter "flagged" or even a pile of hay bales would have prevented that from being a fatality? Why oh why was staircase not cordened off!! Ridiculous accident, 1 million percent preventable!! It might as well have been a cliff edge, or a minefield......!! Edited August 28, 2015 by Shale Searcher Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Halifaxtiger 5,318 Posted September 2, 2015 From my own perspective, I don't think there is more risk of serious injury or fatality than in the past. Bikes are certainly faster, but safety at tracks and medical and surgical procedures have improved significantly. Â To my knowledge, 5 riders lost their lives riding in Britain alone during the 5 year period 1979-1983. That doesn't take into account serious or paralysing injuries here or fatalities or such injuries everywhere else in the world. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldace 1,678 Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) From my own perspective, I don't think there is more risk of serious injury or fatality than in the past. Bikes are certainly faster, but safety at tracks and medical and surgical procedures have improved significantly.  To my knowledge, 5 riders lost their lives riding in Britain alone during the 5 year period 1979-1983. That doesn't take into account serious or paralysing injuries here or fatalities or such injuries everywhere else in the world. 1979 Vic Harding 1979 Nigel Wasley 1981 Tony Sanford 1982 Denny Pyeatt 1982 Brett Alderton 1983 Mick Spiers 1983 Craig Featherby 1983 Mike Walsh   8 at least, dont think I missed anyone off Edited September 2, 2015 by Oldace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teddy2706 166 Posted September 2, 2015 Having read all of the interesting posts on this topic, may I make a few observations, hopefully not too controversial? Â I stopped spectating at the Isle of Man a few years ago because I was not convinced that riders were in 100% control, 100% of the time and I did not wish to witness a fatal accident resulting from this loss of control. The more often I visited increased that possibility, or so I reasoned? Â Someone mentioned Zdenek Kudrna's fatal accident, but I believe he was tragically killed at a grass track in the Netherlands, not at a speedway meeting? Â Speedway has, in my opinion a poor reputation for constructive change, some things are altered on knee jerk reaction, some things take years to alter. Â Doug Jones campaigned long and hard to make ball ended levers compulsory in motorcycle sport, yet blade ended levers were plainly lethal and a solution was simple. Â Exposed primary drives were evident for years in motorcycle racing, yet a moron can see the danger that they present, but nothing was done for decades although, again, the solution was simple. Â Ice racing uses massive rear wheel enclosure to prevent rider/bike/spike contact, now whilst I recognise that dirt has to go somewhere, I believe that getting rid of Briggo deflectors and making rear guards longer with a rubber flap would make contact with the rear wheel less likely and cause less "launching" accidents from running into the back of another bike. Â Dean Felton unfortunately suffered a start line loop at his last meeting in the sport, he hurt himself too, which was particularly poignant at his last meeting, perhaps Dean might explain to us why this sort of mishap occurs? Â Air fence construction and the "lifting" phenomenon in particular is certainly not beyond the wit of man to overcome, yet not much seems to be happening about it? Â Rev limiters are I believe, subject to investigation by Jim McMillan, but I haven't heard any development about this for well over a year (please correct me if you know better). Â Anything that improves rider safety has to be considered carefully, researched properly and implimented promptly if proven useful, but not every idea is a good idea. It might be better if the riders themselves were, as a body/lobby, initiating investigation into safety issues, it is they who will benefit, not us onlookers? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bream 29 Posted September 2, 2015 "Ice racing uses massive rear wheel enclosure to prevent rider/bike/spike contact, now whilst I recognise that dirt has to go somewhere, I believe that getting rid of Briggo deflectors and making rear guards longer with a rubber flap would make contact with the rear wheel less likely and cause less "launching" accidents from running into the back of another bike." Â Big or small, you launch from those fenders too. It is even a move of the legend Posa Serenius to trick guy behind him to go for a gap inside him. Then ease off the thorttle a bit and close the gap. Guy behind has to go inside track or lift up and launch towards straw bales after clipping the rear fender. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shale Searcher 1,264 Posted September 2, 2015 "Ice racing uses massive rear wheel enclosure to prevent rider/bike/spike contact, now whilst I recognise that dirt has to go somewhere, I believe that getting rid of Briggo deflectors and making rear guards longer with a rubber flap would make contact with the rear wheel less likely and cause less "launching" accidents from running into the back of another bike." Â Big or small, you launch from those fenders too. It is even a move of the legend Posa Serenius to trick guy behind him to go for a gap inside him. Then ease off the thorttle a bit and close the gap. Guy behind has to go inside track or lift up and launch towards straw bales after clipping the rear fender. Per Olef Seranius, watched him live and in the flesh at the 1985 world ice racing final at Assen, Holland... A real frightening sight to see in full flight!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pawel115 251 Posted September 2, 2015 (edited) Below is the list of riders who died in speedway crashes in Poland from 1970 until now. Marian Rose at Rzeszow in 1970 Benedykt Blaszkiewicz at Torun in 1970 Jerzy Bildziukiewicz at Bydgoszcz in 1971 Wieslaw Kuzniar at Rzeszow in 1972 Marek Czerny at Rzeszow in 1972 Janusz Lipertowicz in 1973 at Torun Zbigniew Malinowski in 1974 at Chorzow Janusz Lament in 1974 at Bydgoszcz Jerzy Bialek in 1974 at Rzeszow Gerard Stach in 1974 at Opole Kazimierz Araszewicz in 1976 at Czestochowa Marcin Rozak in 1977 at Tarnow Kazimierz Fornal in 1978 at Rzeszow Jerzy Kowalski in 1978 at Leszno Henryk Drozdek in 1978 at Rzeszow Ryszard Chrupek in 1979 at Tarnow Jerzy Suffner in 1979 at Ostrow Wielkopolski Bogdan Splawski in 1981 at Zielona Gora Grzegorz Smolinski in 1987 at Poznan Wieslaw Pawlak in 1987 at Zielona Gora Grzegorz Kowszewicz in 1992 at Torun Andrzej Zarzecki in 1993 at Zielona Gora Artur Pawlak in 1993 at Zielona Gora Rif Saitgariejew in 1996 at Ostrow Wielkopolski Jacek Maraszek in 1998 at Gdansk Wojciech Kielbasa in 2001 at Krosno Michal Matula in 2007 at Krosno Arkadiusz Malinger in 2011 at Gniezno Lee Richardson in 2012 at Wroclaw  Boguslaw Nowak,Eugeniusz Blaszak,Dariusz Michalak,Andrzej Szymanski,Krzysztof Cegielski and Rafal Wilk were some of the riders paralized in the same time. Edited September 2, 2015 by pawel115 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Appleby 13,973 Posted September 3, 2015 Anything that improves rider safety has to be considered carefully, researched properly and implimented promptly if proven useful, but not every idea is a good idea. Quite so. I simply don't accept the line that 'riders have to accept the risks of the sport'. There are always things that can be done to improve safety, although whether it's economic is another matter. Â It might be better if the riders themselves were, as a body/lobby, initiating investigation into safety issues, it is they who will benefit, not us onlookers? Unfortunately, motor sport competitors are their own worst enemies. I see it time-and-time again, even with things like competitors complaining they can't put a Go-Pro on their helmets - failing to understand that it's potentially weakening the helmet and creating an impact point. Â It comes to down to the fact that if they felt they were going to have a serious accident, they wouldn't do it in the first place. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DutchGrasstrack 804 Posted September 3, 2015 Someone mentioned Zdenek Kudrna's fatal accident, but I believe he was tragically killed at a grass track in the Netherlands, not at a speedway meeting? Â Yes in Stadskanaal. Freak accident. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
teddy2706 166 Posted September 3, 2015 "Ice racing uses massive rear wheel enclosure to prevent rider/bike/spike contact, now whilst I recognise that dirt has to go somewhere, I believe that getting rid of Briggo deflectors and making rear guards longer with a rubber flap would make contact with the rear wheel less likely and cause less "launching" accidents from running into the back of another bike."  Big or small, you launch from those fenders too. It is even a move of the legend Posa Serenius to trick guy behind him to go for a gap inside him. Then ease off the thorttle a bit and close the gap. Guy behind has to go inside track or lift up and launch towards straw bales after clipping the rear fender. I don't understand the physics of this argument. Yes, if you are travelling much faster than the bike in front, you might be "launched", but in my opinion, you are more likely to be launched by the spinning rear wheel of the bike in front. I too have seen Per Olaf in action and I don't think I have ever seen him ease the throttle ever, the loony is always flat out! I have seen Krasnikov cross the line on the back of someone elses bike though, at Assen in 2011? Below is the list of riders who died in speedway crashes in Poland from 1970 until now. Marian Rose at Rzeszow in 1970 Benedykt Blaszkiewicz at Torun in 1970 Jerzy Bildziukiewicz at Bydgoszcz in 1971 Wieslaw Kuzniar at Rzeszow in 1972 Marek Czerny at Rzeszow in 1972 Janusz Lipertowicz in 1973 at Torun Zbigniew Malinowski in 1974 at Chorzow Janusz Lament in 1974 at Bydgoszcz Jerzy Bialek in 1974 at Rzeszow Gerard Stach in 1974 at Opole Kazimierz Araszewicz in 1976 at Czestochowa Marcin Rozak in 1977 at Tarnow Kazimierz Fornal in 1978 at Rzeszow Jerzy Kowalski in 1978 at Leszno Henryk Drozdek in 1978 at Rzeszow Ryszard Chrupek in 1979 at Tarnow Jerzy Suffner in 1979 at Ostrow Wielkopolski Bogdan Splawski in 1981 at Zielona Gora Grzegorz Smolinski in 1987 at Poznan Wieslaw Pawlak in 1987 at Zielona Gora Grzegorz Kowszewicz in 1992 at Torun Andrzej Zarzecki in 1993 at Zielona Gora Artur Pawlak in 1993 at Zielona Gora Rif Saitgariejew in 1996 at Ostrow Wielkopolski Jacek Maraszek in 1998 at Gdansk Wojciech Kielbasa in 2001 at Krosno Michal Matula in 2007 at Krosno Arkadiusz Malinger in 2011 at Gniezno Lee Richardson in 2012 at Wroclaw  Boguslaw Nowak,Eugeniusz Blaszak,Dariusz Michalak,Andrzej Szymanski,Krzysztof Cegielski and Rafal Wilk were some of the riders paralized in the same time. Rzeszow 6!, Zielona Gora 4!,Torun 3!, statistics to be frightened by if you are a rider surely? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCB 0 Posted September 3, 2015 I don't understand the physics of this argument. Yes, if you are travelling much faster than the bike in front, you might be "launched", but in my opinion, you are more likely to be launched by the spinning rear wheel of the bike in front. I too have seen Per Olaf in action and I don't think I have ever seen him ease the throttle ever, the loony is always flat out! I have seen Krasnikov cross the line on the back of someone elses bike though, at Assen in 2011? Rzeszow 6!, Zielona Gora 4!,Torun 3!, statistics to be frightened by if you are a rider surely? Torun is different now for a start. And the stat I'd be looking at is 17 deaths in the 1970s, 3 in the 80s, 5 in the 90, 2 in the 00s and so far only 2 in the 10s. Things are a lot safer these days. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
New Science 1,059 Posted September 3, 2015 (edited) Torun is different now for a start. And the stat I'd be looking at is 17 deaths in the 1970s, 3 in the 80s, 5 in the 90, 2 in the 00s and so far only 2 in the 10s. Things are a lot safer these days.Deaths are thankfully less nowadays but the volume of injuries is now greater, Which for me doesn't make the sport any safer Edited September 3, 2015 by New Science 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
