8 dead, 12 wounded as truck plows into crowd at off-road race in Southern California desert

Foxnews.com ^ | August 15, 2010 | AP Radio correspondent Shirley Smith

[Yogafist]

The crash came shortly after the start of the California 200, a Saturday evening race in the Mojave Desert, said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Bachman.

Bachman said eight people died and 12 were injured, several of them seriously. Seven ambulances and 10 emergency aircraft responded to the scene. Most of the injured were airlifted from the area to Loma Linda University Medical Center or St. Mary's Medical Center

[Right Brother]

People standing close to racing vehicles are really foolish. Odd title, using the word ‘wounded’ instead of ‘injured’

[gunsequalfreedom]

The terrible heart ache that is taking place this morning in so many that lost loved ones. And the driver of the car, you have to feel for him also. The anquish he must feel even though it was not his fault.

[gunsequalfreedom]

People standing close to racing vehicles are really foolish. Odd title, using the word ‘wounded’ instead of ‘injured’

Yes, that is interesting. Good catch.

[Jack Hydrazine]

They use the word “wounded” instead of “injured” because those off-road trucks are at war with the spectators.

[ecomcon]

There is a movie called Dust To Glory that chronicles the baja 1000 race where you will see crowds 10 thick right up along parts of the race course with race cars speeding by. One car loses control, and it’s disaster. You are an idiot to stand near a race course unprotected.

[ecomcon]

It’s like the evil suv’s that kill people. They think of them as a weapon I guess.

[Yogafist]

I couldn’t remember the name of that movie, thanks. One of the trucks even hits a motorhome on the side of the track. And there is another point where they show the organizers trying to get medical help to someone hit by a vehicle, later they say he died. I have never quite understood why they let people stand in the path momentum will carry the vehicle if there is a problem.

[Jack Hydrazine]

It’s men who are driving those trucks. That automatically renders those types of vehicles as evil. Same with guns, but now more and more women are using and carrying them.

Since a man was driving this pickup truck this accident was really intentional from the writer’s perspective. If it had been a woman behind the wheel you would have never seen that word “wounded” brought up.

[Jack Hydrazine]

"The crowd was standing within 10 feet of the track with no guard rails separating them from the speeding vehicles.

"There were no barriers at all," Jeff Talbott, inland division chief for the California Highway Patrol, told the Riverside Press-Enterprise."

This was written to gin up more support for more regulations on the sport.

"He said that the driver, who wasn't named, was forced to run from the scene when the crowd grew unruly and some began throwing rocks at him. It was not clear why he lost control of the truck."

Here are Leftists blaming the driver for them standing too close to the track like a bunch dumba$$e$.

The CHP does not normally investigate crashes at organized races, but took the lead on this probe because of its scope and had set up a command center at the starting line of the race.

They don't have any jurisdiction but they decided to get involved anyway.

[SJSAMPLE]

Why?
This race has been going on for some time and the people in the crowd knew the risks. If they didn’t, they were ignorant of the event.

You can’t put guardrails across the desert.

[ThunderSleeps]

"There were no barriers at all," Jeff Talbott, inland division chief for the California Highway Patrol, told the Riverside Press-Enterprise."

Hey chief - it's an off road race. Of course there are no barriers, no real prepared track, grandstands, etc. I work a similar annual off-road rally type race. Yes, it is dangerous, that is part of the entertainment/thrill value for the spectators. We keep the spectators out of the most dangerous parts - outside of corners (think understeer), inside "late" in the corners (think oversteer). We also have to remind them to stay off the course at all times (ie. not cross it) - yes, some are that stupid. Did I mention they allow alcohol at this event? (I'm not sure that's a good idea) Remind them to stay hydrated, no fires, etc. We keep it as fun and safe as possible, but watching someone roar by relatively close and fast is a big part of the appeal. It cannot be made absolutely safe, period. You can only manage risk. If spectators want to be safe - watch it on TV or from 50 yds back...

[Ronald_Magnus]

I’d be willing to bet that the closer people were standing next to the track, would be in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol they consumed.

[ßuddaßudd]

Mama told me not to play near the road for a reason.

[bullcricker]

Those people over in Europe that go to road races are the same way, lining both sides of the roads on turns. I don’t know if people like this are fearless or just plain stupid.

[Secret Agent Man]

If a woman was driving it would have been written “the vehicle drove into the crowd” or “lost control of the vehicle as it went into the crowd”...like it has a mind of it’s own...

[dalereed]

“You are an idiot to stand near a race course unprotected.”

If you’re into that safety shit don’t do it but don’t inflict your live safe crap on anyone else!

[whence911]

I ushered at Daytone, 1969 My biggest job was keeping people off the fence between the seats and the track. And they’d put their hands in the fence to boot.