8 Dead, 12 Injured in California Off-Road Race Accident

[rockreligious]

thoughts and prayers to the victims and the families of the victims.. this is tragic.

 

[SAMI]

**Important**

Fast-Aid is grieving with the rest of the off-road community in light of last night’s horrific accident at the MDR California 200 in Lucerne. Fast-Aid was born out of the need for rapid assistance for the families of racers, crews, photographers and spectators after tragedies such as this. Fast-Aid is partnering with several off-road news and media outlets to coordinate donations to assist the families and more information can be found by visiting our website at www.fast-aid.org

If you are donating specifically to help the California 200 casualties, please note “California 200” on your donation and 100% of the funds received will be applied to assisting their families in this difficult time. Donations are tax-deductible.

 

[jdub]

Super sad! I can't stomach how bad the driver and all involved must feel about the accident. Sorrow, remorse and a broken rig should be the only real consequence for the driver. He was doing his thing, people may have been too close, taking a risk, I don't know. I couldn't argue this with someone involved- too sensitive of a situation. It sounds like it was an honest accident that is expected with high speed motor sports.

People are pissed when Shamu get's them wet at sea world. Shamu can be enjoyed at a lesser/safer intensity in the nosebleed seats.

When people are killed-someone usually goes to jail.

Sometimes it is a spectator that injures the racer. Lance Armstrong in the tour a couple of years ago got his bars hung up in a ladies bag. The crowd is all in their faces the whole time, one was even sliced open on a piece of cardboard someone was holding. Or this bike race in Mexico, American driver, drunk and asleep.

Prayers for the individuals, families and lawyers involved. -lawyers to ensure the guilt is placed where deserved.

 

[Grim]

I remember during the Mojave 24 hour race and Baja 1000 and 500 mile races that crowd control is virtually impossible. Just look at the Pikes Peak race posted yesterday and the close calls that happened. When people get that close to a race they are taking their lives into their own hands and they should be the ones responsible. Even when you can control the crowd we used to make spectators sign a release form absolving the organizers of all responsibility. Then insurance got so expensive a lot of the races just shut down. The writing is on the wall. If people don't start taking responsibility for their actions you will sit at home and watch professional stuff on TV. In fact that seems to be this countries biggest problem - personal responsibility for our actions

X2! i have no remorse for peoples stupidity

 

[benjy]

X2! i have no remorse for peoples stupidity

Wow, really? You've never been caught up in the action and done something stupid? What if this was your kid, would you be remorseful then?

 

[cannoncrawler]

Wow, really? You've never been caught up in the action and done something stupid? What if this was your kid, would you be remorseful then?

I have remorse for them, but I still hold the blame on them for what happened.

Same as loving the person, and hating the action.

Having been to one of these races and being stupid myself, I can understand how it happened, but it is still on the heads of the spectators that made the CHOICE to be there.

 

[snccoulter]

The people should have know better the driver was doing his thing. A person can be smart but people a DUMB don't blame the driver because the spectators were too close. you see it time and time again people know it is not smart but do it anyways then want to blame some one else. shoot at the Cheyenne Mountain zoo a lady climbed over the first fence that had a DANGER do not cross sign A LIVE ANIMAL sign then climbed over another on with the same sign then stuck her hand through the last fence that had a TIGER behind it when asked why she did it she said she wanted to pet it and figured it would be OK but she lost a hand. Then she tried to sue the zoo because the last fence was to dangerous because she was able to get her hand through it..It is a simple case of IT IS NOT MY FAULT I DID SOMETHING STUPID I MUST BLAME SOME ONE ELSE.

 

[4x4_Welder]

CHP has identified the driver and no charges are planned:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/artic.../national/a232830D43.DTL&feed=rss.news_nation

 

[Spidey]

The total prick side of me wants to say this... These idiot's deserve the same fate as the toyota owners that aren't smart enough to shift to neutral when it unexpectedly goes WOT. Nature at it's finest, filtering the gene pool.
The mostly prick side of me says this...It could have been a lot worse. People need to take responsibility for their own actions as said in previous posts. This could qualify for a darwin award. Yes, when I've gone to tater salad hill during EJS, and I stay the hell out of the way. I don't try and push rigs up hills, or roll them back on all four by hand. And if I did get hurt I'd would take accountability for my stupidity. I have made errors in my years out wheeling, and I never blame anyone else for my own mistakes. The fact that the crowd turned on the driver goes to show how stupid and low class many in that crowd was. He is the only victim without blame.
For some it's like a mom telling a 4 year old they can look, but don't touch.
The entire country is thinking the off-roading community is a bunch of dumbass redneck morons right now. And ya know what? For the most part, they're right.
Walks like ducks? Talks like ducks? Gotta be ducks.
I often don't let common folk know what my hobby is for fear of being associated with tact-less, knuckle dragging, drunken stupor, white trash.
Yeah it sucks when something like this is what it takes to remind people that a 5000 pound truck doing 50 on loose dirt is not the safest thing to be standing close to when it passes.
The liberal side of me, (which only exists in an attempt to see things objectively) says the promotors are responsible for lack of crowd control and these people are victims of poor organizing and the race promotors should be sued.
The nice side of me says this is too bad. A lot of victims including the driver. hope this doesn't hurt the sport in the long term.

 

[Spidey]

One more thing, (from rant prick mode if you can stomach it)not only are these jerks taking their lives in their own hands, they are in fact endangering the lives of the racers and forcing them to make one of two bad choices.
1, hit the spectator and save the multi hundred thousand dollar rig and get blaimed/live with memory of killing a spectator.
2, make a quick move and face possible wreckage and self endangerment.
There is no good option in these choices. It is lose, lose. It is ridiculous that the racers put up with it.
I think this should be the discussion, that in fact these people were perpetrators and ended up with the short end of the stick. If anyone should be pissed it's the driver's that have to race under these conditions who are forced to make the choice of driving at full speed and pleasing their employers/sponsors and that of taking caution while sacrificing speed through crowd areas. It seems those who are reckless in crowd areas and dont scrub speed are rewarded. So in essence the organizers, sponsors, and all involved are part of the blame.

 

[benjy]

Thought this was worth sharing:

http://4130clothing.bigcartel.com/product/california-200-memorial-t-shirt

$10 of a $12 purchase to a charitable cause is pretty impressive

Ordered 2

 

[Tacoma]

Hmm. Not sure I'm down with that unless they're donating that $20 to the DRIVERS' LEGAL FUND.

 

[anderson750]

From the BLM website:

BLM Releases Internal Report on Johnson Valley OHV Race Permit
　
An internal review by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released today found its policies and procedures for permitting off-highway vehicle
(OHV) events are sound, but the agency did not adhere to these procedures in permitting Mojave Desert Racing (MDR) Production’s California 200, the race that resulted in eight spectator fatalities in a tragic accident in San Bernardino County on August 14, 2010.
In response to the report, BLM National Director Bob Abbey issued instructions to all BLM field offices nationwide that "reinforce the importance of following our procedures aimed at ensuring safety at all these events throughout the West. My clear directive is: if our field offices cannot fulfill or complete all the required steps in authorizing this event, then no permit will be issued." The Director's policy can be viewed at http://www.blm.gov/
"This tragic accident was a call for us to take an unvarnished look at what went wrong and what BLM can do to improve safety and oversight of these types of races," Acting BLM State Director Jim Abbott said. "We are cooperating fully with the California Highway Patrol's ongoing investigation into the accident, but our own internal review found we did not follow
agency procedures in permitting and overseeing the event. We have swiftly
taken corrective action by implementing the recommendations of the review team, raising the bar for oversight and safety at all such events, and moving forward with a sense of shared responsibility and accountability."
Abbott said the internal BLM inquiry he chartered immediately after the accident was prepared by a team of experts from throughout the West and Washington, D.C. Abbott asked that group to review both the MDR permit issuance and review BLM's handling of all SRPs throughout the California Desert, where OHV recreation has long been a highly popular activity.
The inquiry team found BLM’s procedures were not carried out in the MDR permit. The report also found that this shortcoming was not limited to this event or BLM field office, but that adherence to these procedures was inconsistent throughout the five BLM field offices in the 11-million-acre California Desert.
The report concludes with specific action items to ensure effective special recreation permit administration and safety compliance at events; some are immediate and others long term. These include providing adequate BLM ranger and recreation staffing at all events, requiring companies to compensate the BLM for processing and administering permits that take up more than 50 hours of staff time, and requiring more oversight from the District and State Office of BLM to check for policy compliance and program consistency.
Abbott said BLM-California has already taken steps to ensure all approval procedures are carefully followed in issuing permits to assure "seamless implementation" here in California. Since the accident, four special recreation permit applications have been denied and five applications submitted by the promoter of the California 200 are being held in abeyance, pending completion of the CHP's investigation. More than a dozen authorized SRP events have occurred since August 14, all with appropriate BLM law enforcement and management staff oversight.
Appropriate BLM personnel actions are being taken in accordance with Federal laws and policies, but specifics cannot be disclosed due to the Privacy Act.
The full report is available online at www.blm.gov/ca. Director Abbey's Instruction Memorandum is also available at the same address.
Link to BLM Instruction Memorandum 2011-019, Special Recreation Permit Administration
Link to BLM Report on Johnson Valley OHV Incident and Review of Special Recreation Permit Program
　
　
The BLM manages more land - more than 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
--BLM--
Office of Public Affairs 1849 C Street Mail Stop 406-LS
Washington, DC 20240
Last updated: 11-19-2010
　

 

[cannoncrawler]

BLM National Director Bob Abbey issued instructions to all BLM field offices nationwide that "reinforce the importance of following our procedures aimed at ensuring safety at all these events throughout the West. My clear directive is: if our field offices cannot fulfill or complete all the required steps in authorizing this event, then no permit will be issued." The Director's policy can be viewed at http://www.blm.gov/

Translation: Budget cuts will be a great way for us to limit access!