Opinion: ‘Idiots could spell the end of the Isle of Man TT’
Journo, racer, survivor of nasty track incidents – Fagan at 44Teeth knows a thing or two about the dangers of the Isle of Man TT course
I remember the first time I went down Bray Hill at the TT as a solo newcomer and thinking to myself: ‘How the bloody hell is this still legal?’ There’s an inherent element of freedom exclusively reserved for TT fortnight; from racing on closed roads, to being able to spectate in the most obscure, ball-tingling environments, right through to the privilege of riding the Mountain section as if you were being chased by Susan Boyle clasping a greasy cucumber.
I don’t need to harp on about the TT being dangerous enough as it is, even without this year’s assortment of supplementary hazards. And Gary Thompson’s job, as Clerk of the Course, is hard enough without numbskulls abusing their relative freedoms. We saw numerous idiots crossing the track when the roads were closed and ‘live’ ready for racing (more so than in any previous year), and parents were warned not to place their kids on Recticel fencing. Chuffing Nora. Since when did inferior breeding affect our beloved sport? 1964 first saw the Mountain section made one-way for visitors to enjoy one of the most thrilling pieces of tarmac on this planet, which is an entitlement like no other in society. Without becoming too blasé, every year there’s a sweepstake in the paddock (and the local cop shop), guessing how many (not when or if) ‘road traffic accidents’ will occur each day. It’s almost as if a supernatural being descends on the Gooseneck and injects a ride-like-a-dick serum into a percentage of passing riders. Yes, you may have an S1000RR. Yes, you might be able to lean off like a gibbon and get your knee down. But you’re not Peter Hickman.
This year’s catastrophic incident involving Steve Mercer and a course car is a reminder that anything can happen, and that the TT isn’t a well-oiled, faultless cog. Despite its impervious exterior, not even the IoM is immune to health and safety suits potentially blunting its seemingly renegade status.
I don’t need to tell you that there’s nowhere like it in the world, so let’s keep it that way. And I know it’s a minority, but it’s always the loudest, or most visible, few that screw it up for everyone else. This beautiful event and that inherent freedom are ours to lose – so you if you know someone who’s been swimming in the gene pool when the lifegurard wasn’t looking, try to inspire them to stay at home next year.