A car racing buddy explained it best. Picture the scene; a racer an hour before his race, sweat dripping from his dehydrating body. In his hand a three jawed bit omini directional 1/2 inch drive 5/8 NPT 220V 45 Amp 150 PSI FFFF*ing POWER tool that he borrowed from someone (and they want to control guns ?). He begins to beat on his motorcycle with this tool like its a red haided step child while muttering in tongues. With his leathers half around his waist he is flailing on his ill working motorcycle with what was best described in the words of Sgt. Knooce as "FULL POWER STROKES." Innocently his girl friend asks him what he wants for lunch. He turns and screams to her in an other worldly screech "I hate you, I've always hated you, don't talk to me I'm busy." The girl friend wonders what she said, and the racer doesn't remember a thing accept his blind rage at the machine.
The thing that most people forget to keep at the track is a PERSPECTIVE. We are all doing this for recreation, we all have jobs, families and a real life to return to when the race day is done. Part of this perspective is the knowledge that yelling at the pit crew is not going to fix the motorcycle. It rarely even makes you feel better. If you find your self getting this upset about racing often perhaps you should re-evaluate your involvement.
While on the subject of perspectives, and not to tread on the ANGRY EDITOR, I think we all need to remember that we are at the TRACK to have some FUN. We come to the track to share the camaraderie, friendship, and competition of the races. Most of us enjoy the track because we don't have to have any pretenses about who we are or what we like. I know I like to hang out at the races as much as I like to race because I can talk, JOKE and drink with the people who share my vision of life. The only problem arises is when some people decide to infringe on others having a good time. Sometimes this infringement takes the form of gossip, a sort of "he said she said" game. If you think someone has said something about you find out if its true BEFORE making FALSE ACCUSATIONS.
This year so many people have been hurt (or worse) at the races. While there have been many misfortunes, with as many different causes, we all have been reminded of the potential violence of our sport. I've noticed a odd thing about trying to express my dismay at all of the tragedy this year to non-racing friends. I get that same LOOK from all of them. I'm sure you know THE LOOK, its the same LOOK that you get from the nurses when you happen to be in the hospitable visiting a fallen racer. It's that " Well you new this was going to happen someday, didn't you " LOOK.
The LOOK is normally accompanied by a five minute speech about all the people that they have known who have gotten hurt on motorcycles. They genuinely think that if they just explain the potential danger of motorcycles to us that we will want to quit. They think we have know idea how dangerous motorcycles are, and all they need to do is explain it to us, and we will logically decide not to race.
Usually you can dismiss these LOOK(s) because you get them so infrequently from people who hate CONSCIENTIOUS RISK TAKERS about as much at a racist hates a minority.
This year has been quite different. I've been getting THE LOOK a lot lately. People who I know, who I think are intelligent, are giving me THE LOOK. Granted I haven't been racing much this year, but what little I have done I haven't bothered to talk about with to my non-racing friends. This is the first time that I have not been able to think of some funny way to talk about an aspect of racing. I have concluded that there is nothing funny about THE LOOK.