Chairman of the Manx Motor Cycle Club Harvey Garton has restated his call for more practice time for Manx Grand Prix competitors.

He says not enough riders got a flying lap in practice in 2013, hence the request which led to an extra session on the fortnight's middle Saturday this year.

The evening sessions are causing concern, as Mr Garton explained to John Moss on Mandate today:

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I think the lack of Practice is a huge problem for the TT and Manx alike I feel that with the ever increasing speeds that more and more practice is needed for riders to learn and familiarize themselves with what they are doing , and in my book there is no prizes for fastest newcomer , as fastest newcomer is stacking the odds up for making a big mistake that they may not survive , one Mr Brooks up on the kerb three times , very lucky man , but lady luck has a habit of turning her back when you need her ,, women for you

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Eddy,
You rightly say that more time is needed for the newcomers to practice and familiarise themselves with the course, yet you say qualifying times should be used for starting order. I don't see the compatabilty between these statements.

All that is needed is the practice to start on time!

The organisers need to organise - roads close and then some time later they sort out the marshalls, then they start practice with light failing.

If we are not careful we will have reduced grids to accomadate the lack of practice time when all we need is the organisers to do their job.

(28-12-2014, 07:51 PM)Nev14 Wrote: Eddy,
You rightly say that more time is needed for the newcomers to practice and familiarise themselves with the course, yet you say qualifying times should be used for starting order. I don't see the compatabilty between these statements.

Why ever not ! there are some riders with good bikes will achieve quite good times  and there will be ones that will never be up to the standard required to take part safely in the event as long as they have a ??? in the rear end , so on that basis in what order would you set them off in the only fair safe way , then as they become more capable they get up the start order , WTF is complicated or un compatible   about that , we are running a TIME TRIAL it is every rider's responsibility to ride to the best of their ability in their own comfort zone to achieve their own personal goals , and the officials and everyone connected with the running of the event must do their best to make that as fair and safe as it can be , in my opinion if we do it in any other way we end up giving an advantage to some and make life harder for others , sorry once more I say I may be the only one on here that defends the system or is prepared to stand up for it in public , but I did not start it I just see why it was done and agree with it , and as an added bonus it makes my program factually correct for the full two weeks instead of just race week , as a rider passes me I can look up his number and know who he or she is , with out trying to get rider changes as I am setting up or getting to where I am going , unpopular as it may be in my book the new way is fairer safer , the one person I think it makes life harder for are the togs that are out there on comision to get shots of a particular rider , and as they are trying to make money out of it then they are just going to have to work a bit harder , sorry Sticks but no one said work had to be easy , you have a big enough memory card in the box brownie just take more pictures of the riders in front or behind where you think he should be and you should with a bit of luck have what you want you can always delete the ones you did not want 

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As long as the weather continues to affect practice time like they have in recent years, short of giving a blanket road closure order, I dont see how it is going to be addressed.
I agree with Eddy ref Josh Brookes, but for possibly different reasons.
I am uncomfortable with the the way some of the newcomers are either expected, or are under there own desisions laping so fast, so quickly.
It is another reason that I dont agree with the recruiting of riders they way that the DED is doing it.
I think we have been very lucky in recent years that thge likes of Steve Plater, Kieth Amour, Josh Brookes and Peter Hickman ( to name a few) have had safe rides, but it could easily have gone the other way.
The Mountain Course is something you should want to do of your own accord, and when you do, build up to it in a safe way over a few years, not be attracted to just to ultimately be paid for appearances in VIP areas/dinner/ etc.

I just think that as the bikes get faster, practices become more and more necessary to allow riders to build up to their potential safely, I don't pretend to have the answers as to how we do it but, I do feel the need is there to say we should give it some serious thought, I feel that the Island has to endure a higher level of inconvenience , let's face it they are being well payed for it, then the organiser's need to make more use of track time, there is a lot of wasted time I am sure as things stand, being laid back is one thing but it is no good falling over backwards

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(29-12-2014, 12:28 AM)Steady the Edward Wrote:

(28-12-2014, 07:51 PM)Nev14 Wrote: Eddy,
You rightly say that more time is needed for the newcomers to practice and familiarise themselves with the course, yet you say qualifying times should be used for starting order. I don't see the compatabilty between these statements.

Why ever not ! there are some riders with good bikes will achieve quite good times  and there will be ones that will never be up to the standard required to take part safely in the event as long as they have a ??? in the rear end , so on that basis in what order would you set them off in the only fair safe way , then as they become more capable they get up the start order , WTF is complicated or un compatible   about that , we are running a TIME TRIAL it is every rider's responsibility to ride to the best of their ability in their own comfort zone to achieve their own personal goals , and the officials and everyone connected with the running of the event must do their best to make that as fair and safe as it can be , in my opinion if we do it in any other way we end up giving an advantage to some and make life harder for others , sorry once more I say I may be the only one on here that defends the system or is prepared to stand up for it in public , but I did not start it I just see why it was done and agree with it , and as an added bonus it makes my program factually correct for the full two weeks instead of just race week , as a rider passes me I can look up his number and know who he or she is , with out trying to get rider changes as I am setting up or getting to where I am going , unpopular as it may be in my book the new way is fairer safer , the one person I think it makes life harder for are the togs that are out there on comision to get shots of a particular rider , and as they are trying to make money out of it then they are just going to have to work a bit harder , sorry Sticks but no one said work had to be easy , you have a big enough memory card in the box brownie just take more pictures of the riders in front or behind where you think he should be and you should with a bit of luck have what you want you can always delete the ones you did not want 

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Looks clear enough to me

GETTING OLD IS MANDATORY FEELING OLD IS OPTIONAL dont know about that SerowBoy ??

I would say " Getting Old is an ambition , that is achieved only by the wise , Feeling Old is something many achieve long before they have fulfilled their ambitions "


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Dont get old, its a trap!

but for the lucky it is inevitable C IoM TT

But I do admit to staying 22 and a little bit lol

For some of you guys you have made it I haven't got that far yet

(29-12-2014, 01:05 PM)c iom tt Wrote: As long as the weather continues to affect practice time like they have in recent years, short of giving a blanket road closure order, I dont see how it is going to be addressed.
I agree with Eddy ref Josh Brookes, but for possibly different reasons.
I am uncomfortable with the the way some of the newcomers are either expected, or are under there own desisions laping so fast, so quickly.
It is another reason that I dont agree with the recruiting of riders they way that the DED is doing it.
I think we have been very lucky in recent years that thge likes of Steve Plater, Kieth Amour, Josh Brookes and Peter Hickman ( to name a few) have had safe rides, but it could easily have gone the other way.
The Mountain Course is something you should want to do of your own accord, and when you do, build up to it in a safe way over a few years, not be attracted to just to ultimately be paid for appearances in VIP areas/dinner/ etc.

Totally agree.

Kilbil