Man dies in the olympics!!!

[GMfan454]

wow, just watched the video. I am not familiar with the sport but man was he going fast. Really sad.

[OUR72GTO]

It has come to light that many ( like over 400) practice runs were made by the Canadian teams over the last few months before that accident.

The speeds were faster during the Finals than he was clocked at.

So when there is an accident at the Indy 500 is it the track or the driver?

[OUR72GTO]

It was reported the very 1st time this event was held in 1964 ( in USA) a luger was killed.

Padded posts will not stop a body that is moving 141 KPH any slower than a steel one.

Could the wall be higher???? ......yes.

Did Challenger provide lessons on how to reduce risk....yes.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by OUR72GTO

It has come to light that many ( like over 400) practice runs were made by the Canadian teams over the last few months before that accident.

The speeds were faster during the Finals than he was clocked at.

So when there is an accident at the Indy 500 is it the track or the driver?

In the end, it doesn't matter. A track should be made to be 'fail safe', if possible. So even if there is a driver error, it shouldn't cost him his life.

[PQ]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

In the end, it doesn't matter. A track should be made to be 'fail safe', if possible. So even if there is a driver error, it shouldn't cost him his life.

And everyone gets a trophy.

No way. Part of the lure of some of these sports for the competitor and the fans is the danger involved. Barbaric to some, but just the way it is.

Unless I misinterperet what you mean by 'fail safe'. I don't want to see 'Death Race' or anything, but a standard track should be all that is necessary. Luge included. Just my opinion.

Admitedly, I know nothing about the luge as far as how they go about their skillset.

[OUR72GTO]

Skiers have hit trees in past Olympics and died... Does that mean all trees on the mountain have to be removed?

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by PQ

And everyone gets a trophy.

No way. Part of the lure of some of these sports for the competitor and the fans is the danger involved. Barbaric to some, but just the way it is.

Unless I misinterperet what you mean by 'fail safe'. I don't want to see 'Death Race' or anything, but a standard track should be all that is necessary. Luge included. Just my opinion.

Admitedly, I know nothing about the luge as far as how they go about their skillset.

I think you did misinterpret me.

Fail safe: allowing failure to be non-catastropic, things fail in a safe manner (hence, fail safe). This is much different from fail proof. In this particular case, it would mean preventing the athlete from leaving the track if they lose control. Bouncing off the icy walls will hurt and probably cause some bruising, maybe a broken bone or two, but is unlikely to be fatal. If you fly off the track at 90 mph, the best you could hope for would be multiple broken bones. More likely is exactly what happened on Friday.

Originally Posted by OUR72GTO

Skiers have hit trees in past Olympics and died... Does that mean all trees on the mountain have to be removed?

No, but when I was watching the alpine skiing today I believe I saw a plastic fence several feet back from the track. I'm guessing it serves the dual purpose of keeping spectators away from the track, and athletes away from the trees.

[bballr4567]

It wasnt the TRACK that was unsafe it was all the poles 2ft from the track that was unsafe. No amount of metal should ever be there on a track where someone can be ejected out like that. You cant predict everything but the track officials should of assumed that those poles were FAR too close from a safety standpoint.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by bballr4567

It wasnt the TRACK that was unsafe it was all the poles 2ft from the track that was unsafe. No amount of metal should ever be there on a track where someone can be ejected out like that. You cant predict everything but the track officials should of assumed that those poles were FAR too close from a safety standpoint.

Although it was the collision with the column that did kill him, I would expect that if you are flying in the air at 90 mph and hit the ground the result would be the same.

[PQ]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

I think you did misinterpret me.

Fail safe: allowing failure to be non-catastropic, things fail in a safe manner (hence, fail safe). This is much different from fail proof. In this particular case, it would mean preventing the athlete from leaving the track if they lose control. Bouncing off the icy walls will hurt and probably cause some bruising, maybe a broken bone or two, but is unlikely to be fatal. If you fly off the track at 90 mph, the best you could hope for would be multiple broken bones. More likely is exactly what happened on Friday.

Oh, ok. Ya, I agree. There is a responsibility by the organizations to do what they possibly can do to protect the athletes and competitors. ie. instead of having a concrete wall in a hard turn on a track, have a large flat area for them to slide. Or your example for the luge. I'm not familiar with the track in question, or the luge in general.

I do get tired of the idea that no matter what happens, someone has to be at fault and liable. Sometimes accidents just happen. I would be an underground dweller instead of doing it the Cocto Industries way. lol

(referencing the movie Demolishion Man, with Stallone)


Another thing to think about though is that every time they come up with more safety ideals in the various sports, inevitably the athletes come up with a new way to push harder.

[2001ragtop]

You could conceivably have huge flexible nets along both sides of the track. like those used to hold back airplanes that cruise off runways. Or sporadic placements of impact cushions/something inflatable. automatic deployment of parachute by limit switch activated if rider separates from luge. remove all head-on collision barriers.

Or make most the track in the form of a tube. They could greatly increase safety, but as someone else said, then it won't seem like such a feat, and perhaps find ways to make the track even faster.

[jcamaro]

But all in all, it was human error that collided with an unforeseen danger in the track construction. Yes, it could easily have been prevented if a wall had been there or even plexiglass. But would he have just bounced off and hit the other side? He was going 90 MPH... chaos would have ensued no matter what.

[RocketCutlass]

Originally Posted by jcamaro

But all in all, it was human error that collided with an unforeseen danger in the track construction. Yes, it could easily have been prevented if a wall had been there or even plexiglass. But would he have just bounced off and hit the other side? He was going 90 MPH... chaos would have ensued no matter what.

I couldn't believe how fast it was put up.

[Zeus]

Originally Posted by PQ

And everyone gets a trophy.

No way. Part of the lure of some of these sports for the competitor and the fans is the danger involved. Barbaric to some, but just the way it is.

Unless I misinterperet what you mean by 'fail safe'. I don't want to see 'Death Race' or anything, but a standard track should be all that is necessary. Luge included. Just my opinion.

Admitedly, I know nothing about the luge as far as how they go about their skillset.

This is the first Luge Olympic death in over 50 years... somehow I don't believe the ever present threat of death is a draw for the sport.