Don.
As I have come to expect of you, a great use of words to make valid points.
You have also said what many people have no doubt thought, but NOT voiced!
Its a real dilemma for many of us.
Being involved if "only" as a specator means we ARE "condoning" the event which IS so dangerous.
Am I unusual in thinking this way?

The other thing that I have thought long and hard about is the vexed subject of risk assessment.
As a safety officer in industry, I was sort of criticised (a little tongue in cheek I think) by fellow
managers BECAUSE I chose to go to the TT every year!
It did make it difficult for me to persuade some people to adopt safe practices when they knew
about my "strange hobby!"
This may seem a bit bizarre at first but not when you think about it more.
The fact is that if risk assessments on the TT races were carried out to the letter, then the event
would probably be stopped. As somebody here has already said. If the TT was proposed as a new
event, it almost certainly not get off the ground!
However, I feel that Don has put his finger on the most important point here.
Lets make every effort to reduce the risk of accident or of the consequences therof but not
lose sight of the fact that the inherent danger is a real part of the challenge.
Well said Don