William Dunlop - RIP

[wheresthetorch]

So sad - not many Dunlop racers left now. Michael will be devastated.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/northern-ireland/44754057

 

[Drago]

Tragic, but they all died doing what they loved. Doesn't Joey still hold the TT course record?

 

[wheresthetorch]

Tragic, but they all died doing what they loved. Doesn't Joey still hold the TT course record?

He certainly does. John McGuinness came close, but no cigar.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Very sad, but they are racers.
Road racers love the buzz , RIP to another great Dunlop

 

[Fab Foodie]

:-(

 

[nickyboy]

Very sad, but they are racers.
Road racers love the buzz , RIP to another great Dunlop

Of course condolences. But to have son, father and uncle all killed doing a very dangerous activity makes me question their priorities

 

[Levo-Lon]

Of course condolences. But to have son, father and uncle all killed doing a very dangerous activity makes me question their priorities

There a unique breed for sure.
Michael will be racing asap i'll bet.
Makes me go cold watching road racing these days.

 

[keithmac]

Only 32 year old, very sad news..

 

[Dirk]

Very sad news.
William didn't seem to be in a happy place for a long time. His heart didn't appear to be in road racing for some time - at least that's the impression I've had. Maybe he struggled with inner demons that his brother, Michael, seems to have coped with.
As an ex international road racer, I fully understand the mindset needed to compete in this sport. I never felt comfortable with people saying - 'Well, at least he died doing something he loved'. I wish people would stop saying it.
I've lost a lot of good friends over the years, through racing, and I've never heard another racer come out with that phrase.
I always wanted to stop racing when I felt the right time had come, and then die at a time and place of my own choosing. Preferably shot by a jealous husband on my 100th birthday.
Sad, sad day. Condolences to his family.

 

[nickyboy]

Very sad news.
William didn't seem to be in a happy place for a long time. His heart didn't appear to be in road racing for some time - at least that's the impression I've had. Maybe he struggled with inner demons that his brother, Michael, seems to have coped with.
As an ex international road racer, I fully understand the mindset needed to compete in this sport. I never felt comfortable with people saying - 'Well, at least he died doing something he loved'. I wish people would stop saying it.
I've lost a lot of good friends over the years, through racing, and I've never heard another racer come out with that phrase.
I always wanted to stop racing when I felt the right time had come, and then die at a time and place of my own choosing. Preferably shot by a jealous husband on my 100th birthday.
Sad, sad day. Condolences to his family.

As someone involved in the sport at a high level, did you ever feel the need to stop racing when (presumably) you had a family?
I do struggle to understand the mindset that allows one to continue to do a very dangerous activity when others are dependent on you.
Single person, do what you like. But when you have people relying on you I would think things have to change

 

[Dirk]

As someone involved in the sport at a high level, did you ever feel the need to stop racing when (presumably) you had a family?
I do struggle to understand the mindset that allows one to continue to do a very dangerous activity when others are dependent on you.

Luckily, I've got no kids and a very supportive wife who came from a motorcycling family. She fully understood the risks and never said anything to sway my decisions - apart from saying she didn't want me to do the Southern 100. I respected that wish.
The mindset of a racer is not particularly nice; it's extremely selfish, focused and obsessed. It needs to be that way to be safe, particularly on the roads.
It's very difficult to maintain any sort of normality in everyday life when you have that mindset. Most racers are Jekyll and Hyde characters and it's difficult to tell which one you are dealing with at times.

 

[raleighnut]

Sad news, RIP for the 4th member of the family to be killed racing.

 

[Levo-Lon]

As someone involved in the sport at a high level, did you ever feel the need to stop racing when (presumably) you had a family?
I do struggle to understand the mindset that allows one to continue to do a very dangerous activity when others are dependent on you.
Single person, do what you like. But when you have people relying on you I would think things have to change

There's so many who do the same though..
Front line troops for example.
Oil exploration fire fighters police .
Other sports carry high risk.
People do love to push the boundaries, it's what makes us what we are.

 

[Levo-Lon]

[QUOTE 5305863, member: 45"]With some in your list people are taking risks for the benefit of others.[/QUOTE]

Very true ,and a big Thankyou to them all.
I was more answering the " got kids " part.
I dont have any of my own due to my early life and a selfish view that made me stay away from a life i didn't ever want.

My twenties and thirties were very much a life of self abuse and little thought for anything other than what i was going to do...still am a bit that way

 

[FishFright]

Very true ,and a big Thankyou to them all.
I was more answering the " got kids " part.
I dont have any of my own due to my early life and a selfish view that made me stay away from a life i didn't ever want.

My twenties and thirties were very much a life of self abuse and little thought for anything other than what i was going to do...still am a bit that way

A similar story here too .