Dying to do the Dakar

This thread is for discussion of the article Dying to do the Dakar

Posted: 11/01/2007 at 17:09

And there speaks the voice of the armchair spectator who knows nothing

Posted: 11/01/2007 at 21:32

uneasyrider wrote

And there speaks the voice of the armchair spectator who knows nothing

Considering you don't know anything about me, or how long I've been riding, or what sort of riding and races I may (or may not) have competed in that's a pretty broad statement to make sunshine.

But I'm waiting with baited breath to hear why you think people compete in the world's most dangerous race?

Posted: 12/01/2007 at 17:43

Can't for the life of me think why you'd be surprised at people being "Shocked and upset" at the death of a fellow rider.
Sure racings dangerous,but what do you say?
"Oh well he knew the risks"
Cold comfort to the blokes family and friends I think

Posted: 14/01/2007 at 05:29

daz max wrote

Can't for the life of me think why you'd be surprised at people being "Shocked and upset" at the death of a fellow rider.
Sure racings dangerous,but what do you say?
"Oh well he knew the risks"
Cold comfort to the blokes family and friends I think

Sure loosing someone is never a good thing; but i cant think of any better way to live and die if you have to go at all. All racers know the risks and that is precisely what drives them to do it.

I see no reason why people would be "shocked" at people beng killed in the worlds most dangerous race and why should we be upet? Sure I feel sorry for their family but they died doing what they love, thats a rare thing and should be celebrated. They didnt die at home in front of the tv or in the office where they have spent 80% of their life but with their heart pounding, arenaline rushing and probably one of the biggest smiles (albeit through gritted teeth) around.

Posted: 01/02/2007 at 09:04

Maybe its different for different people. I was trained as a fighter pilot in the US and now live in the South of France. This year one of my mates was killed doing the Dakar. Sure he died doing what he enjoyed doing. He'd done the Dakar on numerous occasions....number 26 Eric Aubijoux and was also very well known in France for his other desert racing adventures, his Moto Cross, Enduro, Hill Climbing, Le Touquet races. It's the same as with anything involving death; it's not him, he's gone. His wife and two wonderful little kids are without a father, his parents have lost a wonderful son and his sister a fantastic brother. He was a true competitor and a true sportsman. Anyone who had just met Eric would never guess that this quiet unassuming gentle man was an out and out racer. We'll miss him and the good times we shared with his family. I was talking with Eric only the year before and he was saying that he thought the motorcycles in the Dakar were getting too big and too fast and should be restricted to 500 or 600cc machines as they used to be. I agree and agreed totally. Fall off in the desert on a 500 or 650cc machine at 60-80kph and you've got a spitting chance. Do the same thing on a 1000cc beast at 160kph (100mph) and quite franckly you ain't got a chance in hell. Sure all racing is dangerous, but the Dakar has got to look in on itself and question the amount of top quality riders that are now getting killed every year...Fabrice Meoni, Richard Sainct.....you and I know the list is endless. For what? A bit of sport? I love sport as much as the next guy (or girl) but I'm not too fond of blood sports especially when it involves so many deaths in such a short amount of time. If there were the same amount of deaths on the GP circuit all hell would be let loose....so why not on the Dakar? and what would happen if football players were to start dropping dead on the pitch in these numbers? Sure accidents happen but is it necessary that they happen with this frequency?

Ride safe and keep it upright and rest in peace Eric (www.eric.aubijoux.vip7.com), we're sure going to miss you.
de Cayless, Martin,
Narbonne, Aude, France:smoke:

Posted: 01/02/2007 at 15:21

Tomcat wrote

The Dakar, the Isle of Man. Riding bikes at all. They are all dangerous. We accept that risk with our eyes open and in so doing so become greater than the grey, safety-obsessed nobodies that spend their lives doing NOTHING.

Long live the risk takers.

Tomcat my dear chap...

I am going to borrow your statement and sometimes use it as my signature if you don't mind.
I will quote it as being from you at VD.

Brilliant mate.


Cheers: Jaq.

Posted: 12/02/2007 at 04:35

De Cayless...condolences to Eric's friends and family mate.

I agree about the size of the bikes and the speed of them.
Had it not been for the now introduced 650 limit I am sure guys would have been racing Busa powered bikes in the Dakar eventually.

Posted: 12/02/2007 at 04:39

Death in the Dakar gets the headlines but how many riders are seriously injured? In "Race to Dakar" Charlie Borman comments that three plane loads a day of seriously injured participants are air-lifted out. Check this ADVrider forum for one competitor's first hand experience www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202153.

On another note, I enjoy watching the Dakar but I'd enjoy it more if the bikes weren't mixed up with the other competing vehicles.

Posted: 02/03/2007 at 09:11