grahamjayzee Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Andy, Knowing that changes things a little! I was offering the benefit of the doubt as it does no-one any good to lose a good rider from the sport. However it does appear to be increasingly indefensible. I guess people will now treat Mr Alderson how they see fit. What a shame Graham Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony283 Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) I have sat and read this thread several times, and for the first few said "let it go" don't get involved, but now for the good of the sport and the SSDT feel compelled to comment. For those that have never ridden the event then perhaps their understanding of the magnitude of this blatant cheating can not be understood, for the rest then lets dissect it for what its worth and how it sours the cream for everybody else. Cheating, or an element of "gamesmanship" or whatever we want to call it has always been present in all major long distance prestigious motorcycle events. I can think back to my 8 rides and finishes in this magnificent event and how minor mishaps could be "handled". On my first ever SSDT I was briefed to somehow get some of that "paint" at the weigh in.......... duly done, the support crew went through ever tin of Humbrol enamel to get a close colour match lest we needed it for a "gamesmanship" marked part change. Of course if this was needed then it had to be suitably disguised in good bog mud and filth before being fitted and would stay in place until the original, suitably rectified, could be swopped back. On a personal side what I damaged in Scotland was NOT rectifiable, a 6" flat in the front wheel and a much shortened frame on the OSSA in 75 when I had the only Ossa with a 49 inch wheelbase, and that was done on Rannoch on the Monday...... but I dragged that thing round to the finish for the Team. You can imagine my dissapointment when my good friend, now deceased, Ted Thompson MBE, crashed on Mamore road on Friday afternoon and broke his left forearm. Yes, we could have put a substitute rider on his machine and let the "unknown" ride back to Edinburgh..... but WE DIDN'T! By all means try and finish the event by whatever means you choose, if YOU get caught, as in this case, then accept it, or if you are a complete DUMB A*** and change to a dissimilar machine then you deserve all the punishment and loathing you deserve. A "Sporting Holiday in the Highlands" is meant to be ridden by "Sportsmen", and clearly this individual, no matter how good his riding talents maybe does not fall into "that" category. I.M.H.O. this individual should be banned from the event for LIFE, and also the Pre 65. Maybe we will soon be seeing other testing for performance enhancing drugs and the cheating involved there? Thank God we didn't have alcohol testing back in the 70's or my Sponsors , Glenfarclas and McEwans Heavy/Export/Special would have been out of business! Tony Edited February 5, 2009 by tony283 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big john Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Well said Tony, ...and with that, I think we can draw a close to this thread! Big John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamjayzee Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Agreed Big John. BTW, I've never ridden the Scottish, can I still keep my finisher's award? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atomant Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 I think ( if this hasn't been done already) , that the official results should show that he has been excluded for cheating so when ever anyone looks back over the historical records, It would show P Alderson - Disqualified for cheating .. Who would want that in the sacred SSDT record book.. for ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoodie2 Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 I think the record book is a big part of the problem. How many riders are competing for the record of most SSDT finishes or most consecutive finishes? I don't know but I suspect Phil could be one of them. This certainly may lead people in Phil's position to make bad judgements and keep the record attempt alive, particularly if theyve been working towards it for twenty years. That's a fair investment. I'm not condoning this. He cheated and failed to admit it repeatedly and he's paying the price, as he deserves to. Although I suspect he won't be too bothered about most of what's been said on here. Not all of the trials community are very concerned about the views expressed here. In my opinion this type of record also raises another problem; The ballot. Is it fair that some riders entries are accepted year after year without question because they have a long run going and may be contenders for this record eventually? Why should some get an entry gauranteed for ten to twenty years, when others never seem to get a chance? Maybe there shoukld be no allowance for this type of attempt in the Ballot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highland lassie Posted February 9, 2009 Report Share Posted February 9, 2009 In my opinion this type of record also raises another problem; The ballot. Is it fair that some riders entries are accepted year after year without question because they have a long run going and may be contenders for this record eventually? Why should some get an entry gauranteed for ten to twenty years, when others never seem to get a chance? See last year's debate on that one - I don't have the energy to explain it all again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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