Fatal accident on Mount Panorama, Bathurst

[bathurst-racer]

Originally Posted by xbgt75

Make it one way, change the speed limit, people should be more careful...blah blah blah blah blah... How about staying on your side of the white line?? If that SIMPLE and EXISTING law was followed there would be at least one person not dead and one person not on charges and one less thread on AFF. Id be happy with all that.

If we're talking about Mt Panorama what white line is anyone ignoring ?
I drive the Mount several times a week usually coming home from work and on the weekend. I may be driving anything from an American beastie to a more nimble XU-1 or a ute, even a SUV and I have never had an issue. The large number of vehicles and walkers/runners act with common sense and show respect. Lets try and keep it that way because there is a lot of talk in town about restricting motorised traffic in some way.
In this tragic collision it does seem that the Prado driver is in a world of hurt as the Police have charged him several extremely serious offenses. Some of these are routine while the rest suggest they have evidence to take to a trial in the District Court. I'm going to try and be in Bathurst Court on the day and listen to the what both sides say. Its only going to be a short mention but interesting to see if the Police argue against bail continuing and if so, why?

[XR Martin]

I can only imagine the headlines if it was a Falcon or Commodore involved...

[CQB-241]

Public road.
People live on the mountain and shouldn't be further inconvenienced by direction restrictions.
Users should obey the rules or suffer the consequences.

[blk6t]

Maybe RMS should start line marking in tight areas and around the bends to clearly show drivers where their half of the road ends.

[Bushbasher]

If you put down white lines wouldn't it reduce the grip levels at critical points for the race cars? And wouldn't the race cars basically rub out the lines in short order so the council would be forever re-painting them.

As for the one way idea, I'm with most of you, leave it be and just drive with some common sense.

Having said that, I've driven the track a couple of times and staying to the left all the way round was an odd sensation the first time after years of watching race cam footage of cars following the racing line, especially coming off the top of the mountain all the way to Forest Elbow. I can see how you can be tempted to take the racing line, especially coming out of the dipper, if you're not paying attention to the fact YOU'RE ON A PUBLIC ROAD., more so if you don't check your speed and let the vehicle coast and gather speed.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by blk6t

Maybe RMS should start line marking in tight areas and around the bends to clearly show drivers where their half of the road ends.

Where I live, most of our rural roads have no line marking and we know which side to stay on and also to respect the fact that around the next bend somebody may be coming in or out of their property. I guess the problem with Mt Panorama Rd is that some city people are attracted by the reputation of its occasional event use and want to "try it out".

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by blk6t

Maybe RMS should start line marking in tight areas and around the bends to clearly show drivers where their half of the road ends.

Really?? You need line markings to know what side to stay on, I drive 100km to work most days and there are no line markings on the roads, and some are gravel yet I still know what side to stay on, please stop spoon feeding people, it is not difficult to drive to the conditions and stay on your side of the road, there is no need for line markings on a quiet rural country road.

Line markings are not going to convert idiots to decent drivers.

Another point already mentioned line markings are slippery and would have to be removed before the race.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Interesting that the forbie driver was charged. I just assumed he was the innocent party in this, for no other reason than I assumed the bike was testing the track...

Might have come up to a tight corner, tighter than he expected, and run wide hitting the bike.

I haven't been to Bathurst but people I know who have been there and driven around it (as a normal road, not racing) say that even at 60kph there are some awfully tight sections which give you a whole new respect for the drivers who flog touring cars across there at massive speeds.

[GT450]

It's a public road that people live on, unfortunately some think it's a racetrack all of the time and treat it as such. Just because it's probably our most famous bit of bitumen is no need for knee jerk reactions to make it one way.
People just need to obey the law like they should on any other road. Unfortunately fatal accidents happen on many roads and we don't hear the cry to make them one way, and I'm sure thsoe living on it would agree.
GT450

[Bonn]

Lived there for 7 years, and drove/rode the track many many times, always to the left and always under the speed limit.
However, NOT ONCE did I go clockwise, for the simple reason that idiots like the Prado driver assume it's one way.
Actually saw someone overtaking down Conrod, the morning after the great race (2006, which FORD won), which would have resulted in a head-on.
My feelings are with the Motorcyclist's family, friends and pillion.
Unfortunately, it's niaive to ride/drive it the opposite way, out of curiosity......

[Neale]

Sadly in less than a month since the fatality on the mountain there has been another serious accident on the track near the dipper.

Around 6pm Monday night an 18 year old man lost control of his vehicle on Mount Panorama and collided with a concrete barrier. He was not injured in the collision , however the vehicle caught fire and was completely destroyed. As a result of the fire there was some damage to the road surface.

It looks like an old commodore

[OffRoadFalcon]

Good to see this one has no serious injuries or fatality.

Not sure, but the shape of that car also makes me think R31 Skyline?

[FPV+fteT3]

Atleast he had the decency to burn it off the racing line

[xr8territory]

Originally Posted by OffRoadFalcon

Good to see this one has no serious injuries or fatality.

Not sure, but the shape of that car also makes me think R31 Skyline?

Looks like an old Commodore, maybe VL

[XR Martin]

Atleast if you crash at Bathurst you have a chance insurance will come to the party.

[bathurst-racer]

It was a Skyline. Burning material and spilt fuel has done some serious damage to the track surface too.

[InfernoSR]

Originally Posted by Neale

Sadly in less than a month since the fatality on the mountain there has been another serious accident on the track near the dipper.

Around 6pm Monday night an 18 year old man lost control of his vehicle on Mount Panorama and collided with a concrete barrier. He was not injured in the collision , however the vehicle caught fire and was completely destroyed. As a result of the fire there was some damage to the road surface.

It looks like an old commodore

Never heard of this one till i read your message... i must start getting the local paper :P

[STINKY NINJA]

Originally Posted by GT450

It's a public road that people live on, unfortunately some think it's a racetrack all of the time and treat it as such. Just because it's probably our most famous bit of bitumen is no need for knee jerk reactions to make it one way.
People just need to obey the law like they should on any other road. Unfortunately fatal accidents happen on many roads and we don't hear the cry to make them one way, and I'm sure thsoe living on it would agree.
GT450

Couldnt have said it better myself.

[monzie]

One would think a rider with a 14 year old passenger would be taking a little more care than usual.[/QUOTE]

As usual the innocent motorcycle rider gets the blame.

[Bonn]

Originally Posted by GT450

It's a public road that people live on, unfortunately some think it's a racetrack all of the time and treat it as such. Just because it's probably our most famous bit of bitumen is no need for knee jerk reactions to make it one way.
People just need to obey the law like they should on any other road. Unfortunately fatal accidents happen on many roads and we don't hear the cry to make them one way, and I'm sure thsoe living on it would agree.
GT450

Fact is; it is a world famous racetrack, and the (very) few residences around it know that.
What would work is if only Conrod was two-way, and the rest one way, to allow access to the Conrod properties, without having to do a lap to get there. The prangs are always going to be on the blind sections, from the top of Mountain Straight to Forest Elbow.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

I guess idiots will be idiots

Scary thing is we share the roads with these people…..

[Bonn]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

I guess idiots will be idiots

Scary thing is we share the roads with these people…..

It's worse on a motorcycle, you start off a placid, peace-loving human being and soon have an uncontrollable urge to machete certain 4x4, SUV and car drivers in a frenzied attack where you need to be dragged off by onlookers. These are perfectly normal feelings after riding on the road and in traffic......

[InfernoSR]

Originally Posted by Bonn

It's worse on a motorcycle, you start off a placid, peace-loving human being and soon have an uncontrollable urge to machete certain 4x4, SUV and car drivers in a frenzied attack where you need to be dragged off by onlookers. These are perfectly normal feelings after riding on the road and in traffic......

I can understand that... i'm not a rider but my parents were, and thus i was taught to look out for bikes... i was even waved to in thanks for giving way to a couple of riders, these riders were oncoming traffic and i was turning right, so i had to legally give way anyway...

Back on topic :P As for the mount itself, it has a few really technical sections that warrant all drivers/riders/walkers to take care... its not the fault of the track, its the fault of the user to drive/ride/walk to the conditions, not to their perceived ability.

[Dauphin]

Has the Bathurst track ever been run in reverse during a race? I used to do it in one of the video games years ago.

[Neale]

Not the full circuit, but they do run an esses hillclimb, which is run from forrest elbow to the finish at skyline. It is run about 2 to 3 times a year and is included in the state hillclimb championships

[CoupeKing]

Never been up there but I assume it should be done like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqYIDEoqMvU

@4:23, imagine Moffat decided to take his XY out for a fang, and people forgot to inform the council worker.

[JK47]

Any other old blokes here think like me ,I am sure it was was one way a long time ago ,I think it was a scenic drive, cars were a bit slower up the hill,alot slower than cars of today.