Kato Investigation At Last
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What to investigate
The title of the investigation announcement, provided by Road Racing World was "Memo To Commission Investigating Cause Of Kato's Crash: It Isn't Why He Crashed That Counts, It's What He Hit After He Crashed ".
Isn't it strange that what he actually hit is still unreported? No marks on walls? No bulges in those chain link fences? No skid marks?
The title of the investigation announcement, provided by Road Racing World was "Memo To Commission Investigating Cause Of Kato's Crash: It Isn't Why He Crashed That Counts, It's What He Hit After He Crashed ".
Isn't it strange that what he actually hit is still unreported? No marks on walls? No bulges in those chain link fences? No skid marks?
Throw the RED flag!
Never mind what he hit but how about the fact they didn't stop the race to move him. The corner-workers just picked him up and moved him to keep the race going. They need to stop the race when a person isn't moving and have proper medical staff move him out of the way. No need to keep a race going and risk any riders health by getting them out of the way quickly.
He was a great rider and will be missed. Let's hope they adopt standard corner worker practices and build better saftey into the tracks. This is a sport that is high risk but no need to add more risk by having bozo's drag you out of the way to keep the show going.
Never mind what he hit but how about the fact they didn't stop the race to move him. The corner-workers just picked him up and moved him to keep the race going. They need to stop the race when a person isn't moving and have proper medical staff move him out of the way. No need to keep a race going and risk any riders health by getting them out of the way quickly.
He was a great rider and will be missed. Let's hope they adopt standard corner worker practices and build better saftey into the tracks. This is a sport that is high risk but no need to add more risk by having bozo's drag you out of the way to keep the show going.
Re: What to investigate
In the big scheme of things, the RRW headline is correct, but issues of what he hit, how he was handled, decision to red flag and all that are someone else's responsibility -- Honda Motors concern is properly with determining if something with the bike caused, or contributed to the crash. I am sure the decision to go with an independent group as opposed to doing it themselves is partly to provide accurance to the other Honda GP pilots, as well as the general public, that there is no cover-up.
Issues of location of barriers, as well as procedures for care of downed riders etc are withing the scope of the new riders' committee named at Phakisa this past weekend. (of course, the fact that Honda own the Suzuka track gives them some responsibility for that part as well).
I personally am disinclined to believe that Honda would cover up a design or fabrication error if it were found to have been a factor in Kato's crash, but the traditional Japanese corporate reticence does serve to reinforce the "conspiracy theorists" out there, and it probably was a very prudent step on their part to name the independent commission.
Regards
Bob
In the big scheme of things, the RRW headline is correct, but issues of what he hit, how he was handled, decision to red flag and all that are someone else's responsibility -- Honda Motors concern is properly with determining if something with the bike caused, or contributed to the crash. I am sure the decision to go with an independent group as opposed to doing it themselves is partly to provide accurance to the other Honda GP pilots, as well as the general public, that there is no cover-up.
Issues of location of barriers, as well as procedures for care of downed riders etc are withing the scope of the new riders' committee named at Phakisa this past weekend. (of course, the fact that Honda own the Suzuka track gives them some responsibility for that part as well).
I personally am disinclined to believe that Honda would cover up a design or fabrication error if it were found to have been a factor in Kato's crash, but the traditional Japanese corporate reticence does serve to reinforce the "conspiracy theorists" out there, and it probably was a very prudent step on their part to name the independent commission.
Regards
Bob
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911 Posts
He hit something hard, like a wall on the outside of the chicane, and there are many of those at Suzuka. They need to ban that piece of crap track from the racing calendar, regardless of what Honda says.
There are many other tracks in the world that are safer and would be happy to host a GP race.
There are many other tracks in the world that are safer and would be happy to host a GP race.
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780 Posts
It's not clear from reports so far that Kato hit anything. His bike may have crushed him. If anyone saw what happened, they're mute.
As for the track, Rossi, Capirossi and others have committed to personal boycotts of Suzuka. There is no reason the track can't be sanitized to a certain extent, with air-fence, engineered run-off routes and so on. Before that can be done, the whole track must be reviewed. An objective investigation of Kato's death can be an important part of that review.
As for the corner workers, think about the reports of his injuries. His shoulders and spine were smashed. They thought he was dead, and for all practical purposes he was. The next priority was the safety of the living. Don't criticise them from behind your TV screen.
As for the track, Rossi, Capirossi and others have committed to personal boycotts of Suzuka. There is no reason the track can't be sanitized to a certain extent, with air-fence, engineered run-off routes and so on. Before that can be done, the whole track must be reviewed. An objective investigation of Kato's death can be an important part of that review.
As for the corner workers, think about the reports of his injuries. His shoulders and spine were smashed. They thought he was dead, and for all practical purposes he was. The next priority was the safety of the living. Don't criticise them from behind your TV screen.
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780 Posts
Re: What to investigate
In the big scheme of things, the RRW headline is correct, but issues of what he hit, how he was handled, decision to red flag and all that are someone else's responsibility
Exactly. The reason I'm personally all over this is the ongoing silence about what... actually... happened! I take this move by Honda as an indication that someone (never credit motives to a corporation) else feels that there's a lot more to know and it's important to know it.
Why no data from Ukawa and Checa? They were right there!
In the big scheme of things, the RRW headline is correct, but issues of what he hit, how he was handled, decision to red flag and all that are someone else's responsibility
Exactly. The reason I'm personally all over this is the ongoing silence about what... actually... happened! I take this move by Honda as an indication that someone (never credit motives to a corporation) else feels that there's a lot more to know and it's important to know it.
Why no data from Ukawa and Checa? They were right there!
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this is completely wrongheaded I must say.
red flags can get things slowed down in a hurry, and safety for other riders assured much faster than bodily moving a person. doubt you've ever been a corner worker or an EMT but you NEVER assume the person is dead, you ALWAYS treat them as if they are alive and do not make any stupid moves to jeopardize that.
it's silly to think they looked at kato as he lay there and presumed him dead and behaved thusly. you ask us not to judge them harshly yet at the same time your hindsight excuses their behavior when there is no cause to.
red flags can get things slowed down in a hurry, and safety for other riders assured much faster than bodily moving a person. doubt you've ever been a corner worker or an EMT but you NEVER assume the person is dead, you ALWAYS treat them as if they are alive and do not make any stupid moves to jeopardize that.
it's silly to think they looked at kato as he lay there and presumed him dead and behaved thusly. you ask us not to judge them harshly yet at the same time your hindsight excuses their behavior when there is no cause to.
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