This was part of a longer thread which I felt might be getting a bit tired, so here's a fresh discussion... go to it! Some very good points here...

"So many changes have been put in place without using common sense. Take the wearing of fire retardant overalls. This has now been reduced to the pit lane during race periods only. Yet there was a fire in parc ferme on Monday night. People can wander around there, wearing whatever they like, fuelling up bikes, talking on mobile phones. If we are genuinely looking at areas which pose a risk, then in my humble opinion, this is an area of great risk, unlike many of the now prohibited areas.

If health and safety originally brought in fire retardant overalls x years ago, then how come these areas have miraculously become safe this year? Or is it because the focus is elsewhere, seeing how negative an impact the organisers can make on the fans?

To me, it looks like an attempt is being made to turn the TT into a superbike meeting, with the emphasis being on how much profit ACU Events can generate. Did anyone think to ask the fans if they want to see a superbike meeting, with the riders kept well away from the public, fees for viewing areas and sitting half a mile back from the circuit? These are exactly the reasons why I am interested in road racing and NOT superbike racing!

I also agree with everything Alan has said, in particular about being unable to reverse changes. Even my mum (who isn't remotely interested in bike racing) genuinely misses early morning practices because they were unique and had a very special atmosphere of their own. She blames it on us Manx being an ethnic minority in our own country."
Hermoine Grainger