Dakar Rally canceled after terror threat.

Dakar Rally

Pussies! The attacks would make it more interesting to watch.

Seems like an over reaction to me and without any specific threat other than the "Infidels" invading the area.

You would think with Bhutto putting herself in the line of fire, they would find that motivating in the fact that they would be telling Terrorists "Whatever you do, Whomever you do it too, we will not be deterred.", life should go on as normal, not this Capitulation.

Isn't the Dakar run by the French....If so, then the capitulation IS rather normal procedure....no?

You're right, I was going to bag on 'em, but didn't want to be too abrasive. Fu**'n Yellers.

Star Wars...Pod Racing...Sand People...Just adds to the race...

Just mount a .50 Cal on each car and watch the fuckers run.

Is a little gay that they canceled the whole thing, just gives strength to the pussy terrorists.

That totaly sucks!!

Terrorists win Dakar.

I've never had security issues in the Sahara.


note: Taken near the section of the course they canceled last year because of terrorists even though we were going to have a significant presence there.

That's almost as nice as your X Grunzen. Welcome back.

Hey Grunzen. Hope things are going well for ya.

Read somewhere today that it was canceled due to the fact that no insurance company would insure them after the terrorist threats.

Hey RedX, Very, very, busy but well. Meant to get in touch with you guys last summer but the school I was in at Bragg didn't leave any time. Working on getting back for a certification class before the spring, if it pans out I'll look you guys up if going on a wheeling trip.

And there's the rub. I've followed the race for years, and there have been lots of times where cancellation has been rumored, mostly due to insurance problems, lack of funding, local permit issues, conflict with African governments, conflict between the organizers, fears of terrorist attack, banditry, or fallout from violent conflicts, and criticism from Europeans who feel that racing in Africa is somehow in poor taste, and negatively affects or endangers the local people and ruins the environment.

There was a couple of times in the late '80s where infrastructural components of the race pulled out (in '87 due to conflict between organizing members of the race, and in 1989, because the '88 race had a shitload of bad stuff happen), and the race teams and privateers literally cooperated or fended for themselves in Mauritania and Mali, actually making several legs of the race "unofficial" in the process. Which is what should be done now. Racers should just show up and do the race anyway, fuck the sponsors, the French and Portuguese governments, and the insurance companies. Do it like the old days.

Hell, give me a truck or a car. I'll run the fuckin' thing. Tally Ho!

Never said it was a good reason

Actually, as far as reasons go, it's not that bad of a reason. But that's the world we live in, I guess. Everyone's gotta be insured for everything. In my business, I can't wipe my ass without having an underwriter draw up the requisite papers and then my cling-ons need to sign a release of liability, a hazardous materials permit, and, in case I fart, a special order from the county to transport flammable material across county lines.

And they wonder why the LPG/LNG ships are so dangerous...

I believe this is a Javelin mounted on a Humvee. Should do the trick!

Javelin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOyt6imlgLo

Have one of these mounted on each truck and all will be well.

The ASO has announced they will run a shortened, Europe only version of the race to take place later this year to try and make up for the original cancellation...The have also announced that the '09 Dakar will take place...but not in Africa...likely to be South America or Australia...

ASO announcement per Darren Skilton...

How can it be Dakar when they won't end up in Dakar?

Best guess is that they will rename the race "The Spirit of Dakar Rally" or something to that effect...

ghey