Letters to the Editor
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Response to Mike_in_NM
I don't know where you're getting your facts, but riding on the street is _much_ more dangerous than riding on a track. As others have said, your statistics about the Isle of Mann TT are an attempt to twist the truth, because the Isle of Mann TT is raced on city streets. The deaths occur because they hit hard objects like curbs, buildings, and railings. In these conditions, your protective gear is much less likely to help you.
As has been repeated before, on a track there is enough runoff in every turn to ensure that you won't hit any hard objects. Any hard objects are covered with 4 feet of AirFence to safely absorb the impact. And any other concerns are taken care of by your gear. Racers are required to wear form-fitting leather suits with approved armor and back protectors, as well as approved helmets. It really takes a complete lapse in concentration or a freak accident to get seriously injured on a track. Additionally, there are ambulances and EMTs literally one minute or less away on a track, with corner workers watching the entire track for downed riders. Compare this to the street, where if you happen to crash alone, it could be a long time before someone calls 911 for you.
While I'm not a racer, I take part in organized "track days", which let me ride my motorcycle on the track in a controlled environment. I recently crashed at roughly 50mph, and walked away with a sore rib. I didn't have a scratch on me otherwise. Had I crashed on the street, I would have likely hit a curb, and of course run a good chance of hitting a lightpole, car, or having a car hit me.
And comparing motorcycling to hangliding doesn't bring anything to the debate - if you have a mechanical failure while hangliding, there's a 95% chance that you'll be dead. If you have a mechanical failure while motorcycle racing, there's a 95% chance you'll be fine.