[Jeff Higgins]

I think the biggest problem is the selfish nature of the typical American. Any sporting event that closes public roads, no matter how remote or lightly travelled, raises a furor. Even bicycle stage races are a very, very tough sell.

Add to that the danger inherent in motor races, and the American public's pious, puritan perspective of what they consider to be motoring safety, and a tarmac rally becomes an almost impossible sell. This outlook on motoring is fed and enforced by our public officials, who seem to have well and truly snowed the average disinterested citizen into believing their nonsense. I believe we have the most draconian driving laws in the industrialized world, aimed at removing any semblance of enjoyment from the endeavor. Anything remotely resembling "spirited" driving is strongly discouraged by these ninnies and the laws they use in their quest to reduce the rest of us to their misserable existance. Anyone having any sort of fun with a car, God forbid on a public road (even if it's closed) is unthinkable to this lot. And they are very much winning...