uk_martin

Consider an alternative - In track and field sprints, the sport's governing body, the IAAF, has a rule that if the athlete moves within 0.1 seconds AFTER the gun has fired the athlete has false-started. ... The race is stopped and the offending athletes are immediately disqualified. Why not adapt the starting blocks that athletes use into something that could be used on a speedway track, and have the Start Marshall or his assistants wedge them behind the back wheels of the bikes, and synchronise them with the tape activation. No doubts then, no arguments and no second chances. Mess around and you are out. As Rob McCaffrey says, the exclusion will hit a rider hard in the pocket, making for a pretty good incentive to behave at the tapes.

They are modern art masterpieces, Mr Main Man. Such a fine collage of images of all those crashes and stuff, that it's almost too much to take in when passing by. Ever heard of "less is more"? Too bad that leaving enough room to fit in the names and dates of the next fixtures was forgotten about in the design. Seeing information written in felt tipped pen on cardboard and pinned onto the end of the board, really doesn't impress, I'm afraid.

There speaks the optimist. In reality, when he's served his sentence, and (according to sociologists) "paid off his debt to society", have a guess how many of the people on this forum will still relish "sticking the (metaphorical) knife in"? Punishment is never the end of it, even after a sentence is served and even after (under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act) the sentence is deemed to be "spent". Prejudice continues. Imagine this for instance, just suppose SCB made a reappearance on this forum...how many people will welcome him with open arms?

In the first phase, (2020) t's going to affect anyone who: Used to park in Wellhead Lane - That road is now closed off. Park in One Stop Shopping Centre - pedestrian route to the stadium will be altered. Parks on-street on Walsall Road - don't be surprised if Walsall Road on-street parking is suspended. Parks in Stadium Car Park - capacity will be reduced when a portion of the car park by the decrepit "next fixture board" is acquired for road widening. STILL, as the probability is that there won't be any speedway this year, it won't matter too much. Next year, with the flyover coming down, Aldridge Road between the stadium and the railway station being closed, and the road widening work right on the stadium carpark doorstep going on, that will be more "fun".

Football and rugby fans are on average a lot younger and therefore hardier than the average speedway fan. A point forgotten too is that a good many speedway fans are over 70 and therefore still in the "clinically vulnerable" category when it comes to COVID-19. At some places the clinically vulnerable make up the majority of the fan base.

There will be "sports" TV stations busting a gut to show some "Live sport", and as has been said online and telephone betting won't be impaired. That said, even in "normal days" there were never more than 20 spectators at afternoon dog meetings. You could space them out 10 metres apart and there would be room to spare. Maybe the punters could tic-tac their bets in to the bookies too?

As at 19/05/2020, tickets are still on sale, via the SGP web site, so by all accounts, everything is just fine and dandy, so what's everyone in a flap about? https://speedwaygp2020.seetickets.com/event/2020-adrian-flux-british-fim-speedway-grand-prix/cardiff/1435110?utm_source=Direct&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=Cardiff_SGP_2020&utm_content=23092019_BRITSIHSGP_BUYTICKETS It's going to be great. Don't miss it. No brakes, no fear and all that. Have a great day out in Cardiff. Always assuming that the Heddlu (Welsh Police) actually allow you to cross the border into their country. And with Ryanair cancelling all flights to and from the continent until August, there won't be any of them pesky Poles, or drunken Danes, or spaced-out Swedes there. The Welsh can have the stadium to themselves. That should make social distancing easier, isn't it?

It's interesting and ironic that the self same people who have spent the last 10 years saying that austerity has cost lives, are the same ones who are now complaining that restarting the economy is going to cost lives.

So motorcyclists should be free to do as they please whenever they see fit. Other people's rules don't apply to them? Whilst there's a killer on the streets, all lesser crimes are still excusable? I'm assuming that the ACU's post relating to Forestry Commission land is aimed more at the trials / MX etc riders? Still, the rules is the rules. The riders can't say they've not been warned. If they can't obey a simple rule like this then what chance do they have of complying with the SCB Speedway Regulations?

There you go. News developing before our very eyes. Fricke isn't contracted to anyone in Britain though, is he? So who's shedding tears for Belle Vue then? No Bewley and no Kurtz?

Only the Polish Extraliga is running this year which I think means that only Doyle, Nicki Pedersen, NKI, Brady Kurtz, Dan Bewley and Robert Lambert could be affected. No-one else in the British leagues is up to that quality. Word is that Nicki Pedersen has doubts about wanting to live in Poland for the remainder of the Summer & Autumn. I would expect that Kurtz will follow Doyle to Poland, NKI will stay in Poland and the two English lads will stay here. But that's just my expectation. Contrary to some of what's written, the "exclusivity" is not a speedway club driven thing, it's really just a reflection of the current need for a 14 day quarantine every time you cross the border into Poland. Until that law is relaxed, hopping back and forth over the border will be a thing of the past. And don't for a minute think that the British Leagues are the worst knock-on victims of that. The Swedish leagues relied far more heavily on Polish riders, and how the SGP series can possibly exist, other than for the 3 rounds in Poland, I can't imagine.

You can have half a SGP. EU nationals can now enter Czech Republic if they are "on business". So that's OK for all except those riders from Russia, UK, & Australia. Still, who needs Woffinden, Doyle, Fricke, Laguta and Sayfutdinov eh? And who needs a crowd? Let "normal service" continue on 13th June, as to BS insist upon. https://news.expats.cz/weekly-czech-news/eu-citizens-may-enter-the-czech-republic-for-business-trips-formal-matters-as-of-monday/

Nice...Drugged in charge / drunk in charge of a potential killing machine...the sort of offences that can have consequences just as lethal as carrying a knife. Lucky nobody actually got hurt in either case. Stevebrum has hit the nail straight between the eyes here. And like stevebrum I too in no way condone what Garrity did...simply examining a different angle to the "hang him high" approach that got another thread closed down.

That relies on the promotion having the finances to survive into next season. Your rolled over season ticket could turn into a red herring if the Brummies go bust over the winter in the economic downturn that's being predicted to follow the virus.

Irrespective of who issues the licenses, firstly we need to wait and see whether Garrity does porridge or not. If he doesn't get sent down and is free to walk the streets, then for his episode of thievery, should he be treated any differently to Darcy Ward, who, as some may remember, was convicted of stealing a motorcycle, riding like a lunatic, evading arrest and riding without insurance? Remember that one? The offences that Neil Middleditch defended as being "what all young people do" (or words to that effect) Whatever the licensing authority calls itself this week or next week, they have set a precedent, so don't be surprised with whatever they decide to do.

And yet despite Czech's closed borders, the Prague SGP hasn't been cancelled or postponed. In fact BSI were quoted in the Polish press that it will go ahead as normal. AS NORMAL!!! Yes, roll up, roll up, buy your tickets off the SGP web site. p.s. NO REFUND if you can't enter the country to watch the event - that'll be your penalty for being stupid enough to fall for this BSI trick. https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/878939/zuzel-promotor-grand-prix-oszalal-praga-zgodnie-z-planem-czesi-mowia-to-niemozli

If your plane even flies to Prague at all, the airport is where your trip will end. Foreigners are not allowed into the country. And as Polish, Danish, Swedish etc etc speedway riders are just as foreign as anyone else, what the hell is going through BSI's heads when they insist that the Prague SGP will be going ahead as normal in June? Some proposals from Czech suggest that the borders may be closed for up to a year. But by all means, go onto the SGP web site and buy yourself a ticket. They are still on sale at a bargain FULL PRICE.

Is this going to be Garrity's first offence? In which case would it surprise anyone if he got a non-custodial sentence, or a suspended sentence at worst? Then what? He'll be free to walk the streets again. Trendy Lefties will be preaching "rehabilitation", some will even preach "compassion" and "forgiveness". As it stands, he's not suspended from the team, and if speedway started again, so would he. And here's a forecast....just like Erik Cantona was forgiven for his crime, Garrity will be given a second chance, will rack up the points and be forgiven by the fans too. Just a guess like...

One of these may be good if you are going to poach 'n' paste ultra-small text https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mercury-700-054UK-Handheld-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B0012I9PYG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=28ATLJHZTT9EZ&dchild=1&keywords=magnifying+glass&qid=1587559952&sprefix=magnif%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1

And in the mean time carry on selling tickets, bag the money and when it comes to issuing the refunds, declare bankruptcy...And why not? It's not like BSI have the 2021 season to look forward to is it? They've lost the SGP contract so what do they care? Mess the fans around and screw things up for the Polish promotion company that take over next year, and one in the eye to the FIM for daring to give the contract to another company.

BSI / FIM are responsible for what comes off their web site, and if they are presenting themselves as the ticketing portal, then they are responsible for that. Just like if you buy milk from Asda, and it's bad, Asda are responsible for the product. The end consumer doesn't care if it came from a cow called Daisy that is part of Farmer Palmer's dairy herd, in a little rural enclave of southern England.

As I said, I was chatting on Facebook to friends in Poland who have the local view of what's going on there. The only relaxation of restrictions is the ability for people to use parks & forests. No sign of any other restrictions being lifted for the foreseeable future. Let's see if and when things change.

https://www.wp.pl/?s=sportowefakty.wp.pl%2Fzuzel%2F878846%2Fzuzel-pge-ekstraliga-pojedzie-bez-kibicow-ewinner-1-liga-szuka-5-milionow-zeby-z&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=sf&utm_campaign=sgf If the ban on public gatherings and enforced quarantine for border crossers is what it sounds like it is, then it won't just be dinglong who'll be after refunds. The entire SGP series will become untenable.

https://www.wp.pl/?s=sportowefakty.wp.pl%2Fzuzel%2F878846%2Fzuzel-pge-ekstraliga-pojedzie-bez-kibicow-ewinner-1-liga-szuka-5-milionow-zeby-z&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=sf&utm_campaign=sgf Make of Google's translation what you can. Chatting to a Polish friend on Facebook it looks like there are consequences to the proposals... Firstly, how can you have league racing in empty stadiums when there will be 3 proposed SGP's to be held in sold-out stadiums? Won't it be interesting to see how long it will be before BSI grasp the reality of what's being proposed? At the moment they are still happily selling tickets for the Torun SGP to anyone who wants one. Secondly, for a foreign rider to ride in Poland, they will first have to spend 14 days in quarantine when they cross into the country. That means that border hopping is out of the question, so any rider who was planning on riding for a Polish and a non-Polish team will have to make a choice on which side his bread is buttered on. It'll be one or the other. Likewise, the SGP series becomes untenable for the same reason. But again, don't expect BSI to work that one out for themselves any time soon. Thirdly, if, as is likely, those riders on decent contracts in Poland decide to stay there for the entire season, it will mean a shortage of quality riders appearing in the British, Danish, and Swedish leagues, again because of the border hopping impracticalities.

Only in the mind-baffling world of speedway can you cancel a qualifier (Abensberg) for 1st June, in the same country where you are still selling tickets for the SGP (in Teterrow) , 2 days earlier.