This is a copy of a message I left on the ACU 'board following a posting from the Administrator which linked the new licences to this years death toll

To the administrator.

In reply to your last posting, Only one of those deaths in TT 2005, that of Joakim Karlsson, was attributable to inexperience. The tragedy involving Ian "Gus" Scott was in no way the fault of the rider, inexperienced or not, as next week's inquest will find.

The fatalities at the MGP were mostly highly experienced riders. I believe Geoff Sawyer's bike had a mechanical failure which resulted in him being thrown off the machine and then his own bike hit him. John Loder was a regular racer throughout the season and was one of the fastest and most experienced Classic MGP competitiors bar non. Eddie Byers was an previous MGP winner and again highly experienced. As far as I am aware there was only one accident that may have been attributable to lack of circuit knowledge.

For the ACU to use these deaths as a justification for TT course licences is dillusionary. They are not living in the real world. No amount of paper would have prevented these accidents. And what is more, to use the deaths of the individuals who lost their lives, as justification for the new qualifying criteria and an extra 25 pounds on top of the fee they receive from the Manx Government, is as insulting to the memories and families of the riders who died, as it is to the the rest of the TT/MGP competitors who wish to race in the IOM each year.

No-one wants to have a single fatality during the TT or MGP and yes there are safety issues with the Mountain circuit, something about which I care passionately, and am trying to do some thing about , but fatuous statements and nonsensical qualification rules, from out of touch ACU officials do NOTHING to address them.
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