RobMcCaffery

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/51777154

I take your point entirely. It's like the difference between an instantaneous match report and a 'considered', once you've had time to think through all aspects. It's worth the fiver online, if only as an insight into his priorities. As a biography it's lacking perspective, despite Peter Oakes' best efforts.

Yes Tai's achievements on track are impressive. It would be rather more impressive if the performances for England had been for the country, not just his wallet. Anyway, riding well is no excuse for his attitude in the book.

Full story here. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-51736380 Funny, I thought I'd heard rumours (silly obviously) that someone was helping him out to avoid the sale. Still, some people believe rumours....... I do hope his health's not as bad as suggested. Ironically he's just turned up on BBC Points West's lunchtime news as I type this. Spooky!

I had BBC Points West on in the background last night, looked up and thought, "Doesn't he look like Ron?" Then I saw the medal. What hurt was to see him talking about using the money to pay for his funeral, talking about illness and suggesting he hasn't got long to go. Working for Ron, despite the stresses of keeping Rye House going, was one of the highlights of my time in speedway. Maybe I didn't see the full story but he was always a decent, warm guy to work for. I remember him telling me that money I was owed for running the phone line was lost in the collapse of the business. He was genuinely apologetic but all I could think was "Ron, just how much have YOU lost?" I do hope someone can help. It was distressing to watch last night. He's arguably the biggest sponsor that Rye House ever had, with all due respect to the Atkinsons' Infradex business. "Rob, you see this money? It's today's takings. When I take them to the bank tomorrow I've got to add a grand of my own money" Speedway can be a cruel sport.

You just disqualified from being considered worth reading. Disgusting and stupid behaviour, and not the first. Keep taking the tabloids. I am not advocating ignoring the problem, just approaching it with a grain of intelligence, clearly too much to ask from you. Good luck finding someone else to argue with. In a properly moderated forum you'd be well on your way by now.

Ian B. I might have watched that again except for your typically offensive comment at the end. Funny, there's a vaccine for common flu but it still causes 17,000 deaths on average yet it is a lesser problem than Coronavirus. Very odd.

While complacency is unwise a little caution needs to be taken before going overboard. The current death rate from Coronavirus is 2% of victims globally, 3,000 in total but 90% in China. With a world population of 7.8 billion you have a i in 2.6 million risk of dying from it. This could of course change. Just 300 people have died from the virus outside China. The last flu pandemic was SARS which had a five times higher death rate of 10%. I don't recall public events being cancelled then. A death rate of 1 in 2.6 million would produce about 25 deaths in the UK. Even if it hit the same rate as SARS you would be looking at just over 100. That's not a pleassant number. One death is to be mourned. The UK average annual deaths from the common flu viruses is 17,000, based on recent figures. On that basis and current 'logic' all public events in Britain should be permanantly banned and everyone should work from home. Of course the infection/death rate of Coronavirus may well increase but right now I think there's a lot of media-fed hysteria going on. Me, I'd rather go on the advice of medics rather than journalists but then I'm old-fashioned....

I do worry about Google Translate's programmers at times.......

That's okay George. I'm sure I could have expressed it better.

I'm seriously worried you thought I might not be.......................

Scun, you reading this incognito? (NUDGE).

Feeding time at the zoo, I see - the reptiles coming out from under their stones. Have your twisted fun.

I am charlie17, but with the right people. They give it out, they get it straight back at them. Prefer it if they had the brains to behave themselves.

I remember going to a meeting with Shawn and Maurice Ducker about promoting the record. It must have been about making a video for it which didn't happen . A long time ago. I had a few copies knocking about for a while.

I am pretty sure you didn't. No I don't have an attitude problem, just a problem with those who keep niggling away at people which I have noticed with you for a while now. You begin to see a pattern of behaviour in people. As for whether my approach here is different to my approach in life? Of course it is, I wouldn't let someone like you and several other forum members anywhere near me in real life. Ironically Swindon's my nearest track but it isn't the kind of place I'd want to spend to much time or money at. Not the nicest or best-informed of supporters, rather like Poole.

I answered him fairly but since he didn't like the answer he's been like a dog with a bone. My comments about perception of disability are not aimed specifically at members of this forum, but if the cap fits.... I hate conflict but given the attitude of too many people on this forum if they don't like what they read they turn nasty on the messenger, often because they either can't understand what they are being told or who just want to give someone a good verbal kicking.That's not me, but if attacked I will defend myself. All I am trying to do is explain some matters based o my experience of "the other side of the fence". It's an attempt to help people, like everything else I've done or tried to do for the sport. What gets incredibly frustrating is to run up against the "Oo duz he fink ee iz" mentality which causes many to hide behind false names. That is not my style. . Once I've said my piece I block them and walk away. Life is too short to waste time with the ignorant and/or malicious. Now despite your typical efforts to stir matters up this thread is about rather more important matters. And before you say it's my fault for mentioning pitstop84, I was telling him he's wasting his time. So are you. I've had enough problems with your attitude in the past. I'm wondering now why I took you off block. That's easily resolved, eh?

Disability is someone else's problem....... ...... until it's theirs. (I note pitstop84 is active in this thread. If any of his comments are aimed at me, in view of his comments elsewhere, he's wasting his time - firmly on block. Life's difficult enough without people like him.)

And the rest of the Men In Black. Terry rides on!

I did hear there was consideration to rename the Rockets after their move out of Rayleigh "Herts County Rockets" on the basis that nobody had heard of Rye House. Must be the same logic that forced Stoke to race as Chesterton the previous season. Anyway, Arlington is nowhere nea\r Eastbourne, Armadale nowhere near Edinburgh, High Edge nowhere near Buxton (already dealt with).Brandon is not in Coventry, West Row is not in Mildenhall. Reverting to your point about the Hammers, how about similarly Kent? Where on earth was Trelawney? ;-) What IS in a name as long as riders get to ride and supporters get to watch. I know I've still got the Rockets racing at Rye House, or will have soon but it would warm my cooling heart to spend one night, even for just half a dozen heats cheering on a team called Rayleigh, no matter who was riding for them, at whatever level. You never forget your first love, eh? Yes it would be meaningless but in a world with famine, war and a rising tide of intolerance and ignorance, isn't all sport, just a bit of fun, or should be? One of legendary football manager Bill Shankly's few mistakes was to say of his sport "It's not a matter of life or death, it's more important than that". No.

Money, money, money isn't just an Abba song ;-)

Thank you for an excellent summary. I've just had my reassessment at the hands of a paramedic. The whole thing, beyond the 20m rule is so very subjective. You get points allocated for example on how easily you can prepare and cook a meal. The assessor asks you questions then gives you a score out of 8. It was worrying that I might lose my benefit (the first and only I've claimed in 40 years) and/or my Motability car which would leave me pretty well housebound. Struggling to get the 20 feet from the interview room to the front door of the office block I think contributed to 12/12 on that point. Reverting to the Showground, I know how far it used to be from car park to stand at Alwalton and know the pain I would suffer in covering such a distance now so the chances of me going there were poor even before this latest staggering decision on blue badges. Yes, some people abuse them, yes it is questionable whether some should have them but for many of us they are a lifesaver. There's plenty of other speedway tracks. There's plenty of other sports........ There are plenty of other interests run by people who have heard of the Disability Discrimination Act..... What's pathetic is that a sport that needs every supporter it can find is allowing one track to effectively turn many away. All I want to do is watch some live speedway. I've put a lot of effort into trying to help the sport over the years. A bit of consideration now would be a pleasant but not expected surprise. Having said that, there's the guy who stands near the turnstiles at one track, looking out for people like me who might need a little help and steps in if they're struggling. I'm ashamed to say I've forgotten his name :-( Ironically he's a Scunthorpe supporter......

I expect to see live coverage on Eurosport and possibly some highhlights on Quest. Time will tell. You never can be sure of what Eurosport will do. It has a 30 yeear tradition of making schedules up as they go along, due to the high level of live sport, especially events which take long periods to run, such as tennis, cycling and winter sports, all of which can cause substantial timing overruns.

I'm glad you have so much spare time. Did you not find it laughable? Might have been an idea to share this gem here. Better late than never and it's never too late to savour deep irony. To get back to the point, whether the track was built on the original footprint or the revised one of a few yards away, anyone thinking there won't be serious noise problems is living in dreamland. And at that point I shall leave you all there. This is becoming a circular argument and being abused by those more interested in scoring points off others. Sweet dreams!

At least we know where the mute button is. ;-)