[Pentaxor]

Ohh, I heard the comment on the news regarding it was the guys fault cause he crashed... It probably was his fault he crashed, but that's no excuse for having an unsafe track. I'm sure many more with crash over the next week or so, hope they aren't all fatalities cause they made a mistake!

And, just to add to the debate, look at the motorbike racers that crash at much higher speeds but don't get seriously hurt because they don't hit anything...

first, it's a luge competition where competitors push the limits inorder to obtain the fastest speed and reach the goal the earliest as much as possible. therefore mistakes and crashes are normal. they are there to win and not to lose. blaming the person for crashing for not slowing down or making a mistake defies the logic of the sport in itself. competitors don't crash on purpose. it's the task of the safety committee to prevent or minimize fatalities in the sport.

when I reviewed the video, Nodar could had lived if he didn't hit the pole. or was thrown out of the outside part of the track. the video showed the impact and the clunk sound when Nodar's head struck violently against the pole. such impact caused massive head trauma and as far as I could tell, he was already unconscious and brain dead right at that moment. I saw blood dripping out of his ears, nose and mouth and the chances of survival was virtually zero. Yes, it wasn't a pretty sight. and anyone who had seen the footage and photos would certainly feel grief and disappointment and would think something could had been done prior to the incident.

[lithos]

no, the impact with the wall destroyed the suspension which hit him in the head. Pretty innocuous accident actual. Bit like massa last year... if the bit of stuff that hit him was 1cm to the right, he would have been dead.

Yeah, we should keep that in mind. That's why they're called accidents.

That just reminds me of F1 racer David Purley. Owns the record for most rapid deceleration - went from 173kmh to 0 in only sixty-six centimetres, surviving 179.8 G's. This was way before Senna's death. So luck probably does indeed play a part.

But, still - padding and higher walls couldn't hurt. I'm sure all sliders know the risks, but I'm also sure they're all for managing those risks as much as possible. Like the design of F1 cars - I'll bet none of those drivers are going around saying, "Man, my sport is just too safe."

[deadwolfbones]

After Senna's death, chassis designers also started looking into tethering wheels to the chassis so they don't bounce around and separate after impact. Though this still hasn't been fixed entirely (cf. Surtees in F2) it has been minimized to a large degree.

Designers also looked at redesigning how the driver sits in the cockpit so that less of their head is exposed.

In a similar way, Dale Earnhardt's death led to SAFER walls and the acceptance of the HANS device.

[little laker]

The latest update.
Kumaritashvili's father, David, said he won't watch the accident.
I don't balame him, I couldn't either

[Pentaxor]

Yeah, I follow most major series.

NASCAR safety has dramatically improved since Dale Sr.'s death, much the way that F1 has since Senna. I imagine the sport of luge (and bobsled by extension) will improve in the same way over the coming years.

I see. well what I generally watch in NASCAR is the Talladega and Daytona. that was a great grace a while ago. nice final 2 laps that almost took forever and had to endure the wait of going to the loo, just to finish watching the race.

great win by McMurray but a highly impressive performance by Dale Jr. he almost had it but still very glad that he finished among the Top 3. from 16th to 2nd in less than 4 laps to go.

and still that traitor Montoya failed to win something huge. I hope he's eating his ego right now regarding his comments about F1. He can't even win something major in Nascar.

[res3567]

The latest update.
Kumaritashvili's father, David, said he won't watch the accident.
I don't balame him, I couldn't either

I can relate.....there was a photo of him with his eyes wide open and the CPR tube in his mouth......I wish I had not seen that as I suffered a major tragedy myself last October and that is what I saw at the hospital......

[little laker]

I can relate.....there was a photo of him with his eyes wide open and the CPR tube in his mouth......I wish I had not seen that as I suffered a major tragedy myself last October and that is what I saw at the hospital......

I pretty much had it done to me 6 1/2 years ago

i just wonder why seeing the socialist nature of most of the world along with political correctness why the Olympics are even allowed. "We" spent a generation teaching kids that it doesn't matter who wins or loses. That it's ok not to win. That competition is worthless. And on and on. And now here we go with a worldwide competition where only the first three to gain the most points, come accross a goal first second or third they are winners. So it's ok to be a loser?

[ve2vfd]

I can relate.....there was a photo of him with his eyes wide open and the CPR tube in his mouth......I wish I had not seen that as I suffered a major tragedy myself last October and that is what I saw at the hospital......

I have to admit when I saw the videos and photos I did not even bat an eye at the state of the patient... when you see death and trauma on an almost daily basis you get to a point where you just recognize it for what it is, do your best to help the patient and move on. It didn't even cross my mind that it would upset folks who are not used to those scenes.

Now that I am thinking of it, I do find it unfortunate that such traumatic photos and videos (specially the medics working on the patient) were openly published in newspapers, web and TV. Heck even the local fire-buffs (scanner chasers - freelance photographers) have a self-imposed code of conduct whereas they won't publish any pictures of victims in distress.

Pat

[res3567]

I have to admit when I saw the videos and photos I did not even bat an eye at the state of the patient... when you see death and trauma on an almost daily basis you get to a point where you just recognize it for what it is, do your best to help the patient and move on. It didn't even cross my mind that it would upset folks who are not used to those scenes.

Now that I am thinking of it, I do find it unfortunate that such traumatic photos and videos (specially the medics working on the patient) were openly published in newspapers, web and TV. Heck even the local fire-buffs (scanner chasers - freelance photographers) have a self-imposed code of conduct whereas they won't publish any pictures of victims in distress.

Pat

My brother is a State Trooper for Texas and he has shown me graphic photos of accident victims and has described what he saw over the past 10 years of his service.....My hat is off to you, him and all of you public servants who have to see stuff like that.....I have a lot of relatives and my father is the youngest of nine children and I am 42...so I have lost a lot of aunts, uncles and all of grandparents on both sides......When we see our relatives in the casket...they are usually made to look like they are asleep and sometimes smilling.....that aint what I saw on the night of Oct. 23rd, 2009 in a hospital in Dallas and that image will haunt me forever.....

[seacapt]

OK what say we move this thread along? A man died in a sport where accidents do happen. It was unfortunate .
The temeratures are dropping so the snow is getting better, the moguls events were superb , Canada has won it's first home gold medal and the alpine skiing events are getting ready to start. Lets get past the tragic and enjoy the best winter sports athletes in the world competing.
Things from past Olympics that I'll miss this year: figure skaters in thongs and the Jamaican bobsled team.

[Pentaxor]

OK what say we move this thread along? A man died in a sport where accidents do happen. It was unfortunate .
The temeratures are dropping so the snow is getting better, the moguls events were superb , Canada has won it's first home gold medal and the alpine skiing events are getting ready to start. Lets get past the tragic and enjoy the best winter sports athletes in the world competing.
Things from past Olympics that I'll miss this year: figure skaters in thongs and the Jamaican bobsled team.

a commemoration during the closing ceremony would be a good idea. I think Nodar deserves it, after all, Vanoc still has to show it's class. if the Vanoc gave importance to the minority Native Indians for hours during the opening ceremony, why not give it also to someone who lost his life for the games.

[res3567]

Checking out the Skeleton tonite.....pretty cool......everybody having a good time and fast paced action. Another thing I haven't noticed in the past.....the ski jump....back in the day....the skiis were straight and parallel to the jumpers body....now they angle them into a V shape to get more lift....even more mesmorising as it was in the past.......

[Rupert]

i just wonder why seeing the socialist nature of most of the world along with political correctness why the Olympics are even allowed. "We" spent a generation teaching kids that it doesn't matter who wins or loses. That it's ok not to win. That competition is worthless. And on and on. And now here we go with a worldwide competition where only the first three to gain the most points, come accross a goal first second or third they are winners. So it's ok to be a loser?

George, I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, but all those years of saying it didn't matter if you won or lost was done on your behalf. Now that you are grown, we can go back to winners and losers......just as soon as you stop crying over Obama's win. So if your tears are drying, just relax and enjoy the Games, they are fantastic! And yes George...it is OK if you pretend you are the winner...even if you are not.
Regards!

[SteveM]

i just wonder why seeing the socialist nature of most of the world along with political correctness why the Olympics are even allowed. "We" spent a generation teaching kids that it doesn't matter who wins or loses. That it's ok not to win. That competition is worthless. And on and on. And now here we go with a worldwide competition where only the first three to gain the most points, come accross a goal first second or third they are winners. So it's ok to be a loser?

George, I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, but all those years of saying it didn't matter if you won or lost was done on your behalf. Now that you are grown, we can go back to winners and losers......just as soon as you stop crying over Obama's win. So if your tears are drying, just relax and enjoy the Games, they are fantastic! And yes George...it is OK if you pretend you are the winner...even if you are not.
Regards!

You two might be a little squirrely.....but you make a great couple. And you're both right...the games are fantastic!