I watched the video of Scott Kalitta’s crash on YouTube, I really didnt understand what happened until I saw it. I heard there was a motor explosion and he hit the wall - that happens somewhat regularly without major consequences. It wasnt until i saw the wreck that i realized that the wall was perpendicular to the damn track. So, it was helpful to see the video to understand the situation.
Anyhow, what happened next got me questioning the ethics of posting those types of videos. YouTube suggests videos to watch based on what you are watching - which had the word “fatal” in it. Being a fan of motorsports for my entire life there are few bad/fatal wrecks I dont remember. I saw a couple I did not recall seeing and clicked on them, Gilles Villeneuve, Gordon Smiley (knew about it, never saw it), numerous F1 disasters, etc. Those were some of the most violent things I have ever seen. Something just doesnt seem right about being able to publish it.
I am the last person that would want to promote censorship of anything, but it definitely got me questioning my own perspective. I don’t intend for this to become a political debate (those are always fun and productive) but i was curious about the perspectives of those of us “in” the racing world. The reality was my morbid curiosity got the better of me and I didnt feel good about it afterwards.
It’s kinda like the old “Faces of Death” series of videos. It takes a morbid curiosity to go out of your way to watch such things. I managed about 10 minutes of “Faces” (some friends rented it… I would NEVER spend a penny on such gruesome garbage), and couldn’t stomach any more.
Although, I must admit to watching the Scott Kalitta crash, but not for the gore of witnessing a fatal crash, only to learn what exactly happened, why it happened, and how it could be prevented in the future.
I also questioned why it was out there for the world to see, over and over again. Maybe there should be a rule in place with the FCC that clips like that can not be played or repeated in public media, but like with You-Tube it must be requested individually from the privacy of your own home and computer. There was a small uproar when National Speed Sport News published “still” photos of a crash that took the life of Ron Hughes Jr, a para-plegic Midget racer from Texas. Now, with YouTube, people can watch the whole horrible picture play out from start to finish.
I also questioned my morals, and like you, didn’t feel good about what I’d just watched.
My name is Bob Culbertson and I am in the video bussiness and have been for 25 years. I have been involved with racing of some sort for 55 years. I have video taped some pretty bad wrecks in that peroid of time. I see what you say for sure. I have always tried to be as sensitive to the racer and his family as I can. That said some of the wrecks I have taped I have shared with other racers to try and convince them that those things can happen to them. As an example I taped a bad fire over 20 years ago and I have made that clip available to safety teams all over to show what a fire can do and Quick. The particular case I’m speaking of had fully enveloped the car in I think we timed it at 13 seconds. So there was no way any rescue people could have gotten there to do any thing. If that video helps 1 racer or safety crew to prevent another tradgety then its all worth it. I don’t know the intent of youtube, I suppoe its sensationalism. On the other hand if a racer, track owner or promoter somewhere sees that clip and it makes their situation safer Thats what its all about. I am sorry to ramble but I hope what I said makes sense. Thanks Bob…
I know exactly what you are talking about, and have often asked myself the same question. Why do people slow down when they’re passing highway accidents? What brings a crowd to their feet just as fast as three-wide, 200 mph racing? (an accident).
Why do we have this attraction to disasters, trauma, violence, boxing and the full assortment of full-contact, beat-the-bloody-hell-out-of-each-other sports? Is it primeval instinct? Morbid curiosity? Marital simulation? Who knows… but it seems to be getting worse (or better, depending on your perspective). With the evolution of the World-Wide Internet, we now have access to some of the most grisly, gruesome violent acts ever carried out.
Thanks to YouTube, our teens are beating the living hell out of people, for no other reason than to post it on the internet.
Look at some of the games made available to our children nowadays. With titles such as GrandTheftAuto, Sniper, Hitman and a whole slew of others, is it any wonder we, as a society, are becoming more DE-sensitive to violence? Look at Prime Time television. Look at commercials.
Moral decay. What is the source of this degradation in standards? I have no idea, but it IS alarming.
I remember when I was a teen. We mostly sat around, smoked pot and listened to the Moody Blues.
I definitely see the safety aspects of examining the video, no doubt.
I also see the global “desensitization” that seems to have occurred in my lifetime. Not that the same or similar stuff hasnt happened since the beginning of time, it just wasnt as readily available. I wanted to try to stay on the racing side of that conversation though otherwise this will probably evolve into me and somebody yelling at each other with no chance of changing either’s opinion.
Bubba, these other 2 old race nuts want to get into a p’ing match about world conditions. Ole FRAZZ and RAZ. hey you two whats up? As soon as Rob gets here I’m leaving for Golden Isles. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning waitingfor Daddy an Mama to get up. Knny said we had 69 late models signed up. I ain’t never seen that many late models in the same place. We’ll probably have to have 10 or 12 heats. LOL! Bob…
Have fun out there! I’ll be headed back to North Florida Speedway tomorrow. I hope to finish up a DVD I’m creating and peddle those out there…of course it’s nothing like yours…more of a slide show set to music.
Be safe…we’ll seeyas again, soon I hope! Have a great weekend!!
when we are drawn to a site like that i think we forget the person and seek the incident. i went to a site once and watched an American have his head cut off. it was sent to me in an email…i dont know why i continued to watch and to this day i have nightmares about it and i feel sick inside that i watched. what was i thinking? its like when you watch a horror movie… if there is no music the movie isnt half as scary…when i heard the mans screams etc…it all of a sudden became real and too late to change what i had already seen. i will never go to a site like that again. curiosity doesnt always kill the cat. it can leave the cat with aweful memories.
i thought if i saw hussein getting hung i would be relieved and glad… I WAS! is that normal? i dont know what draws us to things like that… i do know i dont WANT to do it again… i told you i am not perfect… maybe we are just trying to conquer our fear of dying. im not afraid to die but i am afraid to think of how i will die. im allergic to pain and suffering. lol
no matter how decent we think we are, we are curious by nature and we all sin . the important thing is that we learn from it…
carolwicks aka oz
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