Attitudes to blame - Louis
IPSWICH Witches promoter John Louis has questioned riders' attitudes as the cause of fears expressed about current speedway safety.Foxhall Stadium paramedic Jason Gillingham has said that he fears a rider may soon be killed in the shale sport, following life-threatening injuries sustained by Kozza Smith at the Suffolk track last month.
IPSWICH Witches promoter John Louis has questioned riders' attitudes as the cause of fears expressed about current speedway safety.
Foxhall Stadium paramedic Jason Gillingham has said that he fears a rider may soon be killed in the shale sport, following life-threatening injuries sustained by Kozza Smith at the Suffolk track last month.
Gillingham suggests that the only way of reducing the risks is to reduce speed.
But Louis sees things differently. He said: “In the last decade at least, I have seen respect that riders have for each other diminish dramatically.
“And that, I feel, is the crux of the matter. “Yes, the characteristics of machines have changed but unfortunately so have the characters.
“Since engines were laid-down in the mid-90s riders have changed their riding styles to suit.
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“They now ride into the corners much harder and drift closer to the fence than before. This is most certainly down to the changed characteristics of the bikes and has very little to do with overall speed.”
