A whole different set of folks from the 140,000 or so that were here on the last two weekends for the Austin City Limits music festival.
What fresh hell awaits us next?
I have attended the F1 in Austin on two different years in the service of clients. Loud cars go around and around on a track. Some are faster than others. No matter where you sit you only see, at any one time, about 4% of each lap. About 12 seconds of car viewing per circuit.
Insanity is said to be doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This is obviously a text book case.
Did I mention the noise? I cannot imagine what possesses people to come from all over the globe for something like this. But just because I think car races are stupid doesn't mean it has no value for other people. To each their own.
At least, unlike ACL Fest, it's far enough away from my home not to inflict on us burdensome traffic, loud noise and crowds. If anything it has lightened traffic in my neighborhood. And local restaurants are less crowded.
Some silver linings; I guess.
11 comments:
While I'm not a fan of circle track racing, I do appreciate the strategies and inner workings of road racing, be it automobile F1 or motorcycle Moto GP. I participated for many years in road racing and off road enduros. It's not for everyone, including yourself, obviously, but to dismiss it as insanity shows a fundamental lack of understanding of what's taking place. Besides, even if you don't like or understand the sport, it's a blast to photograph. Airplanes, too, albeit they also make noise. I suppose this means you don't appreciate a P51 buzzing overhead. For some, motorsports, particularly F1 and Moto GP, are an intoxicating mix of acquired skill, athleticism, science and art. A big part of that attraction is knowing the effort involved at many levels, and knowing the outcome is never assured. You don't go in expecting easy, or guaranteed outcomes. Insanity? I suppose where you stand depends on where you sit.
I've been a motorsport fan and participant for a long time, a bit less so in recent years. Sports never make sense to people who aren't interested in them. Any large gathering of people is bound to attract some obnoxious humans, it's just inevitable. People in large groups behave bizarrely sometimes, I certainly can't explain why. Just think of various post-championship riots that we've seen over the years. But even if all the assembled people were well-behaved, you can't have that many people in one place and not have it be a nuisance to someone. At least you can take steps to avoid the worst of it.
Almost everything anyone does is going to annoy someone. I can't remember the last time I was in a restaurant with friends when I could hear myself think, let alone make conversation. Yet some can't imagine a social gathering without loud music. Luckily there are still some quiet coffee shops.
I think you guys misunderstand. I have no beef with people wanting to race cars, play pool, engage in cutthroat shuffle board, swim the English Channel or even play (absurd) American Football. I love to DRIVE FAST. I sometimes enjoy PLAYING billiards. I Love to SWIM races. But what perplexes me is reconciling to JUST SITTING ON ONE'S BUTT AND PASSIVELY WATCHING ANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES. When, if you truly "love" the "sport" you should want to actively participate.
If you love to race cars there are plenty of opportunities to do so. You buy or build a fun car and you race for time. There are tracks and courses everywhere. But to sit up in some bleachers, drinking $2 beer that you paid $20 for while you watch someone else have all the fun is....yes...insane.
Can you imagine paying hundreds and hundreds of dollars to stand hundreds of meters away and watch someone else take photographs? Surely not. Or I'm in the wrong part of the business.
I presumed that F1 has always been more or less a European pastime. Far be it from me to want to hijack it and bring it to Texas. Surely we can't appreciate it as well as the more gifted EU audiences. Perhaps next year they can have the 400,000 now-sitting-on-my-butt-cheering fans....all season long.
People don't come for the race, they come for the party.
JC, That makes me feel a lot better about the event. So, after the race and concert I can anticipate some 400K people driving on roads that are unfamiliar to them dead drunk? Comforting.
Pims Cup anyone?
David, since it is my birthday wouldn't it be better if I got myself a camera I really wanted? And already had lenses for?
But I do agree that the Olympus cameras had really, really good color.
As a former motorcycle racer I enjoy watching those who are at the pinnacle of the sport. Whether I'm on my feet, sitting on my ass track side or on the sofa, or holding a beer in one hand and a camera in the other, watching the big boys engaged in a sport I love, and engage in myself, pleases me. So, you've never engaged in watching Olympic swimmers? And why do you visit art museums if you don't sketch or paint? You're a photographer. C'mon Kirk.
Racing and "drinking $2 beer that you paid $20 for"
Kind of like spending $9,000 on a camera instead of a couple hundred.
Everyone has their opinion of insanity. But if that is what you want to do with your money/time then that is your choice. Enjoy !
Who is spending $9000 for a camera? And where can I find a really good "couple hundred" dollar camera?
I love the idea that everything is a personal choice even as cities and states keep using taxpayer dollars to support the "sports" infrastructure and even the events.... Oh Texas! What have you done?
Look at it this way, Kirk: At least those people and loud-ass cars are keeping well-away from your lawn. (Don't expect much sympathy from someone who lives in Philadelphia, whose sports teams are on fire this year.)
Hope you had a nice birthday. Literacy is falling must have gone missing, since more and more people seems to misunderstand what you write.
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