Quote:
Originally Posted by Por_sha911
I think it is really sad when a driver is injured or killed but let's get a dose of reality here.
Technology has made these cars safer than ever before. Back in the 60's someone was getting killed at almost every week. You aren't going to go fast and be totally safe. That is just physics.
If you want totally safe then play badminton or chess. All the drivers know the risks going in. They accept that auto racing is dangerous. The public loves the drama and the danger and then condemns the sport when something bad happens. Hypocritical morbid curiosity. Look at all the views on Youtube.
In interviews with drivers that have been seriously injured in crashes they all say they want to get back in the car ASAP. If you want to be sad for someone, feel sad for the families of the drivers that have to live with the risk.
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There's a lot of truth here, I think, although I'm ashamed to admit some of it. After the Wickens crash, my son and I, both avid fans, questioned ourselves why we love the sport, and what effect having it be totally safe would have on how much we love it.
The answer for me is that it would lose almost all of its appeal. The element of danger is central to the sport, and removing it would diminish the triumphs of those who win. It's one thing to have the brain, motor skills, and stamina to drive an Indycar quickly. It's quite another to apply those skills when the slightest mistake can cost you your life. Now, add to that the challenge of a bunch of other guys doing the exact same knife-edge dance, and you have a unique group of individuals indeed. And it makes for a great show.
Although small beans in comparison, I was an SCCA racer and DE driver/instructor for many years, and I lived for the adrenaline rush. It was the old cliche of feeling "more alive" having faced the danger. Between events, I couldn't wait to get back in the car. So I get why the Indy car drivers who have been pretty horribly hurt--Bourdais, Hinchcliffe, and probably Wickens, if he can--are always so eager to get going again.
And then suddenly going really fast and facing danger isn't that much fun any more. I experienced that phenomenon last year for the first time. Rather than exhilaration when things got exciting on track, I started to feel fear. Fast forward to this year, and I've been on track once. Don't know whether I'll go back or not--I can certainly still drive. But I think I'm just like a lot of the pros who finally decide they've had enough and retire. No shame in that.
But this sport will always be like nothing else for me. Off to Portland this weekend.