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Everything posted by teddy2706
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Rained-off Meetings Then And Now
teddy2706 replied to mike1944's topic in Speedway News and Discussions
It would be awful to go back thirty years to a time when you could travel a hundred miles only to find a bit of A4 paper pinned to the gate telling you a meeting was off and a carpark full of fed up fellow supporters. The instant communication world in which we live means that is a thing of the past. Weather prediction appears to have advanced little over thirty years though, but Halifax Tiger advised me some time ago to use XC Weather to test my travel arrangements and it was excellent advice indeed. It is a shame then, that as others have suggested, promotors might be deciding the weather for us depending on the availability of riders! But, the safety of riders is paramount, if they don't want to ride, then that's good enough for me, even if promoters feel blackmailed by that concept. I would rather go home disappointed than see any rider fall off, or worse be injured. -
I am sorry to learn that Josh wasn't in fact alright after that crash Griffo. I know that he isn't everyone's cup of tea, but British speedway needs passionate lads like him, he never gives less than his best and he gets emotional when he doesn't do well. To be truthful, one of the reasons that tempted me to Stoke on saturday was to watch Joe and Josh riding.
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I am a Stoke axe to grind knocker, so put my hand up to that. However, I visited Loomer on saturday and was pleasantly suprised at the race surface. I enjoyed the racing, but was upset at the falls, riders seemingly going straight through or under the airfence and coming to a very abrupt halt on turn one. James McBain's crash was distressing, I was astonished when Josh Bates jumped up and hurried back to the pits unhurt after a similar incident. The incidents at Stoke re-inforce my belief that running NL double headers at Devon in the time allowed will be fraught with difficulties. James McBain was on the track for a long time whilst receiving medical attention, then there was an understandable delay whilst awaiting a county ambulance. Joe Jacobs was an inspiration at this meeting.
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Thank you Jayne. Should have said Devon, not Plymouth in any case, sorry. I had hoped to organise a ride out of local motorcyclists from Burton upon Trent to the next home meeting if you have no objection?
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Is this meeting being rescheduled anytime soon please? It looks to me like the next home meeting is on June 29th? Following Buxton is as difficult as following Plymouth it seems.
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Maybe this has been discussed before, if so perhaps someone can point me in the right direction please? I apologise if I am going over an old topic. I have spoken to a few Scottish supporters about the impact a 'Yes' independance vote will have upon Glasgow and Edinburgh. Some seemed disconcerted at the question, others blase assuming nothing will change. If Scottish voters vote in favour of independance, will both teams be able to remain in British speedway? I would like to think that they can, but we have no German, Swedish or Polish teams riding in our leagues, would Scottish teams then be regarded as foreign? Similarly, can we assume that the ACU will have no jurisdiction over motorcycle sport in Scotland if independance is acheived?
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Vog is available to manage a speedway team. He has all the qualities; good knowledge of the rules, crafty, sly, utterly ruthless and encylopaedic with figures and statistics. But you cannot pay him cash as he works for Revenue and Customs!
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Stoke Speedway Track Work Update
teddy2706 replied to Swift Saint's topic in National League Speedway
Boozer~ I agree with a great many of the things you say on here, but whilst your comments about the gate staff at Loomer rd might once have been correct, it isn't the case now. I cannot speak for the turnstile, for I do not use it now, but when taking a motor vehicle into the stadium, you are treated to a pleasant and sincere welcome from a pleasant lady at the gate. Your remark is a little out of date, that's all. -
In the interests of peace, I would like to withdraw any remarks I might have made that have caused offence and sidetracked this thread onto political debate. However, my father and his two brothers were all regulars in WW2, Irish Guards, Black Watch and East Surrey Regiment. My uncles were killed in action, in Holland and in Italy. My father, who had lied about his age and forged his father's signature was discovered and slung out of Normanton Barracks for being a year too young to be serving in the army. The following year he was back in uniform. Comparing me, or my views, to Hitler, a monster who killed millions, my uncles included, is vile, reprehensible, insulting and utterly unacceptable to me. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I have no political beliefs or allegiances of any description, viewing all politicians as completely untrustworthy and that obviously includes Farage. I do believe however that empoying a million Eastern Europeans in Britain, whilst almost a million young Britons have no employment is economic insanity and a betrayal of those unemployed youngsters.
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My stereotyped attitude and opinions tell me that there are too many non-British speedway riders riding in British speedway. Not that I mentioned anything about British riders. What would you like, Police Officers who speak no English? Judges who speak no English? Politicians who speak no English? Firemen who speak no English? It will certainly not affect their competence, but it will certainly hamper their ability to communicate with others and to discharge their duties without problems.
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Stoke Press And Practice Arrangements
teddy2706 replied to Swift Saint's topic in National League Speedway
Glad to see you back on here Malcolm. -
What is the point in all this agonising? It's happened, we the fans cannot influence it and certainly cannot influence it on this forum or by moaning down the pub. Send snotty letters to the BSPA by all means and complain face to face with whoever you hold to blame if you get the chance, that is a good start for either the ELRC or Storm match debacles. What should concern everyone in the speedway community who is British, is why was it necessary to employ a foreign track curator at all? Why is it in anyone's interests except well paid expert track curators, to keep this black art to themselves, instead of training competent people who are already skilled with tractors and grading machinery i.e. farm and highways workers. The plain, simple answer is money and it is a nasty vicious circle: Rubbish track Poor racing Dwindling spectator base Poor receipts Little money to re-invest Poor track preparation conducted by inappropriate persons Poor promoting Expensive machinery hamstringing ordinary working class riders. Less disposable income for many spectators due to the stupidity and greed of bankers and politicians. What did the much loved and sadly missed Wiggy say when interviewed in Speedway Star many years ago when asked what his ideal track surface was; "Dirt up to the wheel spindles", no doubt spoken with his trademark grin?
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Devon Demons V Kent Kings,nl Ko Cup Sat 15th March
teddy2706 replied to Penny Cross's topic in National League Speedway
Thank you, I don't drink but my friend who is travelling down with me to the Stoke/Somerset double header might want one, much appreciated. -
Devon Demons V Kent Kings,nl Ko Cup Sat 15th March
teddy2706 replied to Penny Cross's topic in National League Speedway
Saturday was my first visit to the SBA. Nice clean stadium, good stands for spectating, good view of the pits (very important for me), decent catering, pleasant people there, clean toilets and decent parking just up the road. Add to that a nice lunch in Sainsburys just down the river, what's not to like? Poor Mr. Freemantle's crash was the only low point and I hope he feels 100% soon, it was terrifying. Is there a pub nearby though please? -
Tape Touching - New Regulation
teddy2706 replied to Mike.Butler's topic in Speedway News and Discussions
Whilst agreeing with Fast Gater and plainly being at least as old as he, old video clips often show rolling gardeners watching the tapes, not the solenoids. Mauger was effectively dictating the start, roll once, pull back, roll again, pull back and the ref would let the tapes go, but Mauger was already letting the clutch go, but from two feet back flying just under the rising tapes whilst already moving. -
Tape Touching - New Regulation
teddy2706 replied to Mike.Butler's topic in Speedway News and Discussions
Quite how it was anything to do with Andrews remains unclear to me, he was left at the line with his head pulled back by the tapes when every one else had gone. To be truthful, the whole thing hinges on a referee's determination not to be made a monkey of by a rider anticipating the start, if the tapes catch his peak he has successfully passed his bike under a rising tape that has already been released by the referee.. What is the problem apart from damage to a referee's ego? What next, riders not to move until the tapes reach the top of the poles? Speedway becomes like Europe, bound by red tape and regulation! -
I understand that stahlpanzerrohrgewinde means steel conduit thread?
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Panzergewinde
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Anyone who enjoys grasstrack is treated to temporary facilities equal to, or better than Stoke's permanent ones. In this day and age there is no excuse for poor toilet facilities, unimaginative catering and poor bar choices at a permanent stadium. But in conjunction with a poorly prepared track, lighting issues that could see someone killed, illegal working practices involving tractors and equipment and a marked reluctance to complete fifteen heats of racing in less than two and a half hours ( I assume to swell the bar takings), what is actually left to enjoy?
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Anyone involved in engineering will have seen apprentices coming into work and using centimetres instead of millimetres, a source of much aggravation because the teaching profession know nothing about the real world where centimetres are never used. Years ago I worked with a bloke who was good at heights. He would shout down trunking or conduit measurements, I would make the piece up and chuck it up to him. The trouble was, Jeff liked accuracy and I am long sighted, so he would want a piece making at 27 17/32" and I struggled to read the 32's scale on a tape measure. Worse, he had lost the first foot of his tape measure in an accident so I had to remember whether I should add a foot to his measurements, or take it off! Chaotic. Electricians went metric in 1971, so used conduit sizes approximately the same as the old imperial 3/4" and 1" i.e. 20mm and 25mm. The trouble was, the imbeciles at the Institute of Electrical Engineers and their cretin relatives at BSI had failed to understand that on the continent they used PG threads (you will never believe what PG stands for) so for years we never had the right thread adaptors for foreign equipment. Add to this the change in the cable colours made only to accomodate foreign electricians working here and you will wonder how anyone turning on a light stays safe! So, speedway bikes should weigh not less than 169lbs unfuelled and if you read American custom or hot rod magazines memorise 16.8. This converts cubic inches to cubic centimetres. Nearly.
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The lady who works the car-park side of the gate, often with her daughter, is Gaynor, an extremely nice lady who is always ready with a friendly smile. To be truthful, she is the only nice thing about entering that stadium.
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From the outset, I wish it to be known that I like and respect Malcolm Vasey, I don't agree with all of his views, or all of his decisions, but I absolutely respect his right to voice his opinion and I know he offers the same courtesy to me. Personally, I think he paid Halifax Tiger a grave disservice with his comments, but, he is entitled to his opinion. Malcolm commanded Stoke fans respect on taking the managers reins. That respect has eroded because he is tarred with the same brush as the promotion but not always fairly so. But, lie down with dogs Malcolm and you risk getting fleas, in this particular case, in your ear! Now, Malcolm is loyal to the club that employs him, that is how it should be, but it does not mean that the promotion are always right. If they were always right, it would be standing room only at Loomer rd. and it plainly is not. Many Stoke fans have helped the club in many ways, yet despite that, they are treated with complete and utter contempt and disdain by the Tattums and Mr. Crabtree. Vog has been a lifelong fan of Stoke speedway, was loyal, faithful and even as an impoverished student travelled everywhere to watch them at every opportunity. He wanted success for the club, but put up with mediocrity because he was a true and loyal fan. What he couldn't accept was to be treated as an object, a chattel, an asset, a cash cow, but worst of all, a whipping boy for all of the clubs ineptitude, meanness and rudeness. To demonstrate what I mean, here is an exchange from the bar counter. Me: "Caroline, could I have a brandy please"? (My friends wife was cold). Caroline Tattum: "No" She then turned her back and walked away. Me: "Caroline, why can't I have a brandy"? Caroline (over her shoulder, still walking away): "Because we don't have any"! Who needs this sort of treatment?
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I will not criticise Malcolm Vasey unless it is to his face. But, both he and the Tattums would be well advised to pay heed to HT's comments here. HT watches more speedway in a season than anyone else I know and travels thousands of miles to do so. His opinion is valid, valuable and should be ignored at a promoters peril.
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Sounds Like Bad News For West Row
teddy2706 replied to Badge's topic in Speedway News and Discussions
How many active speedway supporters are there in the UK? Have we an organisation to make our collective voices heard? Any thoughts on this please? Sadly, this sort of thing happens all of the time in Britains nanny state, where politicians prefer us all to spend our time at home or having sunday lunch at Tesco's instead of letting us discuss things and practice dissent. I know of at least two places close to where I work where houses have been built next to existing factories. In both cases residents then complained about early morning noise, smells, vehicles etc. In one case the factory spent an absolute fortune to placate the residents, the other moved to an industrial estate well away from Nimbies.This judgement endangers every speedway track, MX track, road racing venue and grass track in the country that has any sort of residential development close or planned for the future. It will open the gates for complaints countrywide, something that the Supreme Court are perfectly aware of. -
Sounds Like Bad News For West Row
teddy2706 replied to Badge's topic in Speedway News and Discussions
Will the residents (are they even residents if the house burned down?) then sue the RAF, the USAAF and the motocross track if they are successful against Mildenhall stadium? Because they will have no trouble winning that case too if this is the precedent! This judgement seems to me a clear cut case of judges being completely, utterly out of touch with the real world, something that has worried me for some years.