Maltese Charity Car Show (Paqpaqli Ghal-Istrina 2015)

[ShawnAzzopardi]

Well, today I went to the local car show. It was great, saw many cool cars (which included 4 R34 GT-R's and 2 GT-R's which are my favorite) and among all the cars were a single Nova and a couple Corsa B's I didn't manage to snap a picture of, but then came the Creme de la creme, the P1, LaFerrari, 918 Spyder and CCX-R.

Sadly, the show ended in tears as this happened.

http://www.tvm.com.mt/mt/news/esklussiv-l-ewwel-filmat-fil-mument-ezatt-tal-incident-waqt-paqpaqli-ghall-istrina/

Sadly, one of the 20+ injured happens to be a 6 year old girl who is currently in critical condition, with major trauma to her head.

I'll post pictures shortly if people wish. Maybe I'll post my favorites and the ones of the Corsa and Nova.

[bazzap8389]

Oh fuck! I hope there were no fatalities!

[ShawnAzzopardi]

Oh fuck! I hope there were no fatalities!
Some sources say that one person has died. It is very unfortunate.

Porsche don't seem to be doing themselves any good adverts. First a Porsche killed Paul Walker, now injured over 20.

[Andy]

Nothing between spectators and the track other than security fence?!!!

[ShawnAzzopardi]

Nothing between spectators and the track other than security fence?!!!
Just some plastic barriers, and some metal grates right by the people.

Concrete barriers were further up where they were absolutely pointless. Maltese health and safety at its finest.

[wwmnw]

Looking on the website the McLaren P1(best car evAr) Porsche918 and Ferrborei La Ferrborei belong to Paul Bond, I'm sure that's the guy that was on Top Gear or some similar program not long back buying them 3 on the same day, seemed very smug about the 918 but seems to forget its shit...


Compared to the McLaren (they happen to make the best cars in the world!)

[ShawnAzzopardi]

Looking on the website the McLaren P1(best car evAr) Porsche918 and Ferrborei La Ferrborei belong to Paul Bond, I'm sure that's the guy that was on Top Gear or some similar program not long back buying them 3 on the same day, seemed very smug about the 918 but seems to forget its shit...


Compared to the McLaren (they happen to make the best cars in the world!)
The McLaren is the car I went to see. Where my mates and I were standing happened to be the exact spot the car shifted up for the last time. The sound it makes when flying by at well over 200 is just incredible. The rear end of that thing makes me feel much more fuzzy than any rear end on any woman..

[rubachuk]

Some sources say that one person has died. It is very unfortunate.

Porsche don't seem to be doing themselves any good adverts. First a Porsche killed Paul Walker, now injured over 20.

Nothing to do with Porsche. Paul Walker's idiot mate killed Paul Walker. Paul Bond has injured these 20 people, admittedly with a contribution from the organizers with their complete lack of proper safety barriers.

[meritlover]

.... admittedly with a contribution from the organizers with their complete lack of proper safety barriers.

that's a bit harsh.

[Andy]

Thats a bit true id have said.

[ShawnAzzopardi]

Thats a bit true id have said.
Pretty fucking accurate, seeing as they did fuck all in terms of safety. Empty plastic barriers and weak, thin metal ones. Concrete barriers would have been the best choice.

[meritlover]

People have to accept an element of risk and take an element of responsibility for their own safety.

If i go to a rally and theres a single strand of red and white plastic tape on the outside of a fast corner, do i stand behind it assuming the organisers have more faith in its strength than i do? of course i dont. Although some do....and they are the probably going to first people to sue the orgainisers when they get run over, suddenly delegating all responsibility for their safety to the organisers.

People will always try and get as close to they can to the action. If the barrier was 50m away, people would be hard against it.

Not holding the event at all would have been a lot safer.

Iam a big supporter of local motorsport events regardless of size. However, stipulating an Armco barrier and 8ft netting for every autotest in a tesco carpark or classic car parade around a village square is totally rediculous and will be the death of any public events in the future

My only hope is that people no longer wait until after an incident like this one in Malta before thinking about what is acceptable and what isnt. Let every person who judges the adequacy of the barriers at this event bear it in mind at the next one they go to.

Think twice about where you stand, ask yourself 'what could go wrong' and if you think a piece of tape and a barrier designed to keep childeren from falling down the stairs is not suitable to stop a car at 60mph then stand back or watch it from the safety of youtube.

If people do the above, there is no reason why any of the these accidents in the future would end in anything more than a bent fence and a cracked bumper.

[wwmnw]

Surely it is the organizers responsibility at an event like this to make sure safety is paramount. Yes you have to be aware there is a risk (and usually there are 'MOTORSPORT IS DANGEROUS' signs everywhere) but if you look at all the popular racetracks like the ones F1 BTCC and superbikes use the spectators are well protected, even Barford and Cowdenbeath oval racing circuits have solid walls to stop cars hitting spectators! On very rare occasions it may not stop an airborne car going through the mesh but how often does that happen?

[rubachuk]

OK, so would it now be acceptable for the organisers of the event to absolve themselves of any blame and turn around and say "not our responsibility, nowt to do with us, you shouldn't have stood there"? No it wouldn't.

As much as the current "health and safety gone mad" culture irritates me, as does peoples lack of responsibility for their own actions/decisions, it's the reality nowadays. I agree with a lot of your points, but there are a lot of stupid people about incapable of the thought process you describe and organisers DO have a responsibility to protect them.

I'm not suggesting that the people injured in Malta were stupid or stood in a stupid place. Clearly the main factor was a guy driving either beyond his ability or in a way that was inappropriate to a demonstration event.

[ShawnAzzopardi]

Update:

The 3 people who took the worst blow are as follow.

The girl shall more than likely be bound to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Her mother, has to have her foot amputated, and a man that was pinned between two cars has to have both legs amputated.

[phunkynova]

That's bad news indeed