What I think is that people are very often stupid and make especially stupid decisions during races. However, the races/race-directors are often the ones who are penalized for people's bad decision making when things go wrong. Yes, people *should* be held accountable, but given the general lack of such accountability in society at large, I don't see it coming to races any time soon. If it's hot out, people slow down, or drop out. That's easy to do on the run. So it's relatively low risk. Putting people at risk or, rather, allowing them to put themselves at risk early in the race is something that needs to be taken into consideration, because people have shown that they simply don't account for it on their own.
There was a lot of stuff that went on in the 80s when you were racing that would NEVER be allowed today. Some of that is too bad. Some of it isn't. But regardless, it's the reality of a sport that is starting to grow beyond status as a crazy fringe populated solely by lunatics. Hockey goalies used to play without face masks. Now they can't. Should a hardass who doesn't want to have his vision impaired by a face mask be forced to use one? Yes. I think he should. And that's a sport where it's strictly pros vs. pros.
Regulation happens. Sometimes it sucks. But, unfortunately, it's necessary when people don't make good decisions on their own. That may not be the way things should be, but it's the way things are. And I'd rather see mandatory transition times and fewer cancelled swims than fewer cancelled swims because there are less races because people crash, suffer hypothermia, etc.
Somebody help me, I sound like a politician...
"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp
