Originally Posted by
Ghost
Meh. This thread is yet another CSC masterpiece...
Do I know those riders? Nope.
Do I actually care about them as much as someone I do know? Nope.
Do I still feel that their loss is unfortunate? Maybe.
Do I know enough about the situation to make a decision about who is to blame? Nope.
So, I don't necessarily feel sympathy for the dead.
Yes, they're riders, and I'm a rider, so we have that in common.
But, I'm not sure that's sufficient to really forge a sense of loss.
I can see their deaths as poignant reminders that this sport is deadly, but don't we already know that? Maybe a few people aren't aware, but if you're the kind of rider who ignores the dangers and deadly nature of riding, then these videos won't move you to be a better/safer rider.
I've had real friends killed riding--and those were people I knew, people I cared about, and people who will never again go ride with me, or bullshit about life, play COD, go skiing, shooting, etc. I can miss and feel loss at their deaths because I knew them. I can't feel much sense of loss for people I didn't know.
I suppose their deaths are a blow to their friends and families, but that doesn't affect me anymore than the X-thousand people who will die today of whatever other causes. Maybe someone slipped and died in the shower--I shower, should I feel sympathy? Someone will definitely die in a car accident today--I drive, should I feel sympathy? Why are dead riders supposed to immediately engender sympathy? Is it because in watching them die we see that we can meet the same fate? Is that all it takes?
I don't think they "deserved" to die as Mdub claims, since I don't know them, don't have anything against them, and as far as I can tell they did no "wrong" and (probably) are only guilty of making a mistake and paying the ultimate price for it.
But, maybe some people need to distance themselves from what they saw and what they do and thus they need to blame the victim for doing something "stupid" that they "deserved" in order to separate that event on tape from events/mistakes they've made or make while riding.
But, while I don't think mdub's comments are any kind of heroic championing of Free Speech here on the forums, I also don't agree with (or fully believe) the outpouring of sadness at the loss of people no one knew.
But, those are both side issues to the reason this thread was started (or so I see it)--
Slo posted that vid and this thread in the hopes that maybe a brutal reminder of how deadly our chosen hobby is will make people think twice about doing something stupid, or, at least, maybe it will make people pay more attention while riding--alertness, good gear, and riding within our limits are the only ways to really reduce our chances of getting killed.
So, I appreciate Slo's message, and I applaud him for trying to raise awareness in those who don't recognize how deadly this sport is and/or remind those who may have forgotten.
But the incessant bickering is missing the entire point of this thread...which is typical of any post on CSC...