NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT at Drift Fury

[Whisky]

I'm sorry this happened. I hope the photographer recovers well. Sometimes it is easy to forget that on the other end of all the drama people stir-up on the internet, real people's lives are changed in very real ways.

Photographers are part of the deal. Spectator drifting events arent races, they are shows, and the only way to capture the show is through media. Unfortunately, the media sometimes has to be closer to the danger than you can safely guarantee. It is a fine line. It is ironic that the people who are most intently looking at the track are the ones who see the least.

We've done events both very big and very small, and I can tell you that keeping photographers safe is difficult no matter how much you prepare or how fast the cars are going. At D1, for example, we always had k-rail islands in low-speed areas for media, and yet they still managed to constantly endanger themselves. Their interests (getting the best shots from the best angles) were not always in accord with ours (running the course safely). Thankfully, none of them were hit on our watch, but oh, did they try.

What scares me most is that it could happen to anyone. Motorsports are a lot safer now than they used to be, but just like every waiver says, they are inherently dangerous. But like my partner Terry said already, we'll take safety over media every time. The good publicity we might gain from a few good pictures is dwarfed by the negative publicity and risk to human life that comes from an accident.

Hopefully we can all learn from this and run events more safely. That is not directed toward Drift Fury, but to everyone. You can always be a little safer, whether you are a driver, a spectator, media, or an organizer. It requires constant vigilance.

[kidynomite]

you weren't there. you aren't involved in this in any way / shape / form, and you have no 1st hand information. You have no room to speak. at all. about anything related to this.

That is very untrue statement. I didnt have to be there for it to affect me. Think back to how laws are created, they are made because someone did something that wants to be prevented in any future cases. The laws are not made for only those who were physically involved, but for anyone and everyone.

As I said before I am an event organizer myself, and with NOPI doing some new things this upcoming season they will be coming to my area. I do not want NOPI to come here with thier current safety standards. They are coming to a new lot, the first lot we have ever used, and have yet to use it. They only come here once and I will be trying to use this place more than once. For them they could care less if they upset some people because they have the rest of the country to use, unlike me.

I do not want them coming here and hitting someone and then the venue not allowing any forms of drifting because it is bad publicity. If you were a venue and someone got hit on your facility would you want that company or any company coming back. I think not. Now tell me that I have nothing to do with this.

If NOPI/Drift Fury, or whoever is responsible, stays away from any venues I choose to use then I will shut my mouth until they screw up big enough to affect my insurance rates.


And to Andy, I never said someone was hit, I said as you can see in your post, that they are drifting towards announcers. Please tell me I am incorrect about that statement, because if so then I am going to the eye doctor. Do you really have to push your luck until someone does get hit. Please next time you stand there and announce and let me test my luck on if I can hit you and see if its a smart idea.

Oh and BTW Tracy did hit someone while doing a donut...

"No photographers = no publicity = no interest from sponsors. Say what you will, but photographers are a VITAL part of grassroots drifting."

Screw that, they can buy a big *Censored**Censored**Censored* lens and take pics. Or you guys can protect them. FD has some fantastic pictures, and they protect their photographers. If you cant afford the barriers (I know NOPI can), then don't put them in danger. There are plenty of spots on a track that people can stand and get great pictures.

I think the publicity of someone getting hit is worse than a picture of someones car that most people could care less to see.

[eric240]

Andy, how can you say that nobody has even been hit at one of battlegrounds demos. I heard from Ernie's(demo announcer) mouth that Tracy (Drift Fury event organizer) hit him while she was trying to do donuts around him at the St. Louis NOPI event. Unless he just decided to jump on her windshield and smash it . The Drift Fury round 3 accident, no matter what anyone says, is completely on the shoulders of the event organizers. I've seen pictures from this event with spectators and staff sitting all over the course. I agree with drifting the amount of variables increases the amount of potential impact zones, but this is the organizers job to identify those zones and keep them free from EVERYTHING, including humans.

[andysapp]

Cars drifting into announcers, and now photographers.

I never said someone was hit, I said as you can see in your post, that they are drifting towards announcers. Please tell me I am incorrect about that statement, because if so then I am going to the eye doctor. Do you really have to push your luck until someone does get hit.

"Into" announcers, and "towards" announcers are two very different statements. I don't want to steer this thread off topic, because I feel you're comparing apples to oranges. I really just wanted to make things clear that nobody was hit during the demonstrations we did for Nopi. I've seen this posted in several different places (not just in this thread), and it is not true. Let's save whatever safety concerns there are in regard to those demos for another thread, because those have nothing to do with what happened this past weekend.

Andy, how can you say that nobody has even been hit at one of battlegrounds demos. I heard from Ernie's(demo announcer) mouth that Tracy (Drift Fury event organizer) hit him while she was trying to do donuts around him at the St. Louis NOPI event. Unless he just decided to jump on her windshield and smash it .

I can say it as a driver who was performing the demonstrations. Tracy was doing donuts around Ernie, and he tried to hop and sit on the hood of her car, while she did so, landing partially on the windsheild... at which time, he cracked (not smashed) it.

Again... let's keep this thread on topic, and focus on implementing preventative measures in the future to prevent a repeat occurrence.

[kidynomite]

Demos or not it is the nature of thier events. If they can't keep a demo under control how do they plan on keeping a bunch of people they don't know under control.

Let it be toward, into, on top, in b/w, whatever there is bound to be a mistake, one that could cause someones life.

From the way you describe it, do you honestly think that is a good way to be safe, or must all demos include people jumping on top of cars, standing in the middle of a bunch of cars flying by you, or waiting for cars to come inches even milimeters from you.

I can see that a lot of you guys are working with NOPI and are more or less trying to cover stuff up. Eric240 happened to be at that event, and it didnt go as smoothly as you make it seem, well for the fact that he cracked the windshield should be a big clue that a mistake happened.

Are you guys just going to let mistake after mistake happen until there are big consquences. This thread has been quite interesting because I am seeing a lot more bad things about these so called "super safe" events you guys put on.

[andysapp]

Perhaps you are mis-informed to the fact that I do not have anything to do with putting on any events. I'm a driver, that is all. I do not work for Nopi. I am not covering anything up. I am telling it like it is, and will leave it at that.

You are comparing a demonstration with experienced drivers & a willingly participating announcer (which I reiterate nobody has been hit at) to a practice day where entry-level drivers losing control of their cars is a regular occurence throughout the day.

Like I was saying... perhaps instead of pointing fingers, we should discuss preventative measures for future events. It seems to me that would be one ray of positivity to come from such a tragic accident.

[Slapshotnerd]

"No photographers = no publicity = no interest from sponsors. Say what you will, but photographers are a VITAL part of grassroots drifting."

Screw that, they can buy a big *Censored**Censored**Censored* lens and take pics. Or you guys can protect them. FD has some fantastic pictures, and they protect their photographers. If you cant afford the barriers (I know NOPI can), then don't put them in danger. There are plenty of spots on a track that people can stand and get great pictures.

Chicago 05? chicago 06? either of those ring a bell? my buddy almost got hit by rhys millen's wing in '05, there was more than 1 photographer in the same area, luckily nobody was injured and we could all laugh about it. Then this year, a photographer who was standing too close to a k rail had the krail knocked onto his foot in '06 when a car crashed into it in '06 and broke it. Luckily, it was a minor injury, but it was definately used as an 'example' for the rest of the season at all of the safety meetings about what not to do.

And I do have a pretty big lens. Granted, it's not a $3k lens, but if I'm shooting grassroots drifting for little to no money, I'm not starting out with a $3k lens. I started out with a $150 lens, just like Mark did, just like Joey did, and both of those guys are posting in this thread. The 3 of us all started out at grassroots events, and now are working for some high profile clients. In fact, I think every photographer that I know who is working for Formula D teams / media / magazines started out with a cheap lens / camera shooting at a local event. You're definately missing the picture here. You don't start with $5k in equipment and show up to a grassroots event 'hoping to learn how to take pics'. You start with $3-400 in equipment and go to the grass roots stuff because it's lower speed and there aren't 10k people that an organizer has to worry about, then as you get better, you slowly get better and better equipment.

But again, you're missing the point.

Anyways, the latest update for those who actually care about the wellbeing of the photographer:

posted at 10:50am EST:

No surgery last night but it is still being considered. He's coherant and coming into terms with the whole ordeal...realizing and talking about how serious the incident was. He is still wiggling his toes and actually moving his feet like he's pushing a gas pedal...just can't pull them back towards him yet. Main concern right now is he's not really feeling any pain and he's only had 2 morphine shots since the beginning. Overall things seem to be improving but still don't know the severity of his compressed lower back or what is going to be done to fix it.

posted at 5pm EST

Just recieved good news, Matt was just given water and a little juice a few minutess ago and said water had never tasted so good. An orthopedic surgeon was called in to look over him and a spinal specialist will be meeting with them tomorrow to decide what to do for his back. He's still moving his toes and pushing down on his feet and they are planning to have him out of ICU sometime soon.

[kidynomite]

Like I was saying... perhaps instead of pointing fingers, we should discuss preventative measures for future events. It seems to me that would be one ray of positivity to come from such a tragic accident.

According to most of those fighting on NOPI's side, it was not their fault and it doesn't seem like they believed anythign should be changed.

I point the finger at who needs to make the changes, I only do all this so they do see that there is a problem and they need to fix it. It does not only affect them but affects the rest of us.

The obvious prevenative measure was to simply think about safety first. It is realy simple to prevent an incident like this. I keep hearing they are safe but they really are not.

And this seems more like into
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...oid=1018747054

[andysapp]

Sounds good. You stay contructive, and continue pointing your finger... the rest of us can work on creative solutions and moving forward with preventative measures.

It looks like Ernie jumped out of the way in that video, but you're not listening to anything I say regardless. I have voiced what I needed to, and it is time to move this thread back on topic.

Thanks for your help.

[Mike Peters]

I have seen those events too, I can't do much about them. .

then why the hell are you posting so much? get the hell out of this thread if you cant do anything to improve safety at events. im glad you can talk on the internet, but the fact that you start off your long post of horse manure with a statment of declaring you have zero incentive to do anything yourself, cleary states the case that you have nothing to contribute to this thread, other than bashing of others, and as already also established, based no real facts other than what you read 80th perspective on a forum in zimbabwe.

so please, stop posting, as you have stated yourself you have nothing to to truly contribute. thanks.

[Al]

I bought a 20D today just for the hell of it and all of a sudden, my nuts are bigger.

[Mike Peters]

1st i just wanted to say i love how everyone is nitpicking the blatantly obvious simplicity of what happened in order to convince themselves that what the people that were there are telling them is not what they are telling them.

this sentence is typed in blue. by the end of this thread, someone will be trying to convince that sentence was in red. thats how stupid this thread is getting.

Hmm, lets see. Car on track. That = hot track in it's purest form, here you even said it was a hot track.

the track was hot, but he was not standing onthe physical course as some speculations accuse

Thats common sense there superstar, and you said it so I dare say that it is not hearsay. As for the vest, I have it on sources but I wan't there so i'll concede that to you.

superstars have money, i dont.
i thought i could state the photographer was on a hot track and it would be automatically understood that he was off of the track, but still inside of what at events is considered a hot track, which in fact is not actually the track, it is the area near/around the track.. hot track is a term meaning you are near an area where cars are on the physical track.. its pathetic i had to clarify this, and this thread is getting rediculous.

But i'll let you explain what happened.

ive already done that several times?

No it's not extremely unfortunate, it's careless and irresponsible. Everyone else saw what was coming down except the man who was staring through a viewfinder and got hit.

he wasnt staring thru a veiwfinder, he was just fiddling with the camera from my understanding.

[Mike Peters]

That is very untrue statement. I didnt have to be there for it to affect me. Think back to how laws are created, they are made because someone did something that wants to be prevented in any future cases. The laws are not made for only those who were physically involved, but for anyone and everyone.

As I said before I am an event organizer myself, and with NOPI doing some new things this upcoming season they will be coming to my area. I do not want NOPI to come here with thier current safety standards. They are coming to a new lot, the first lot we have ever used, and have yet to use it. They only come here once and I will be trying to use this place more than once. For them they could care less if they upset some people because they have the rest of the country to use, unlike me.

I do not want them coming here and hitting someone and then the venue not allowing any forms of drifting because it is bad publicity. If you were a venue and someone got hit on your facility would you want that company or any company coming back. I think not. Now tell me that I have nothing to do with this.

If NOPI/Drift Fury, or whoever is responsible, stays away from any venues I choose to use then I will shut my mouth until they screw up big enough to affect my insurance rates.


And to Andy, I never said someone was hit, I said as you can see in your post, that they are drifting towards announcers. Please tell me I am incorrect about that statement, because if so then I am going to the eye doctor. Do you really have to push your luck until someone does get hit. Please next time you stand there and announce and let me test my luck on if I can hit you and see if its a smart idea.

Oh and BTW Tracy did hit someone while doing a donut...

"No photographers = no publicity = no interest from sponsors. Say what you will, but photographers are a VITAL part of grassroots drifting."

Screw that, they can buy a big *Censored**Censored**Censored* lens and take pics. Or you guys can protect them. FD has some fantastic pictures, and they protect their photographers. If you cant afford the barriers (I know NOPI can), then don't put them in danger. There are plenty of spots on a track that people can stand and get great pictures.

I think the publicity of someone getting hit is worse than a picture of someones car that most people could care less to see.

this was a NOPI event?

damn guess i missed the memo, i was pretty sure it was a DRIFT FURY event?

also,mr organizer, does your insurance require k rails for photographers? where were they at? oh wait, it probably doesnt require them..actualy it doesnt for that type of event.

if you post again, ill happily nitpick more.

[Mike Peters]

According to most of those fighting on NOPI's side, it was not their fault and it doesn't seem like they believed anythign should be changed.

I point the finger at who needs to make the changes, I only do all this so they do see that there is a problem and they need to fix it. It does not only affect them but affects the rest of us.

The obvious prevenative measure was to simply think about safety first. It is realy simple to prevent an incident like this. I keep hearing they are safe but they really are not.

And this seems more like into
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...oid=1018747054

then what should we do since you seem to know everything?

i got it!!

www.kinder-kare.com

well hire them to BABYSIT EVERYONE AT THE EVENT!!!

[CamelTouge]

mike...
your sentence was originally typed in blue. the moderator was not looking out and changed it to red. hes responsible for that. only when you look over your posts, you see it in blue, we all see it in red.

kidding...

but like so many people have said, why are you guys arguing about this. this has obviously made an impact in the drifting community. other event organizers and coordinators have seen and commented. by the way it looks right now, these same organizers and coordinators will see this as a problem and do what they can to keep everyone safe.

the fact of the matter is that some photographer is lying in the hospital right now and people who werent even there are trying to place blame.

is he at fault for not looking out? is the driver at fault for screwing up? is the event coordinators at fault for not providing spotters or a safe area?
why dont we leave it up to those involved?
would you guys that blame the photographer have the same opinion if he DIED? "he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, tough break."
i think not.

basically what im trying to say is that this was a terrible accident that happened. my heart and prayers go out to the photographer and his family. i hope he is fine. i hope that we all can learn from this and do what we can to protect ALL people from incidents like this in the future.