At 11:12 11 February 2007, Nick Olson wrote:
Ok a question - how many deaths or serious injuries
have been caused to bystanders by low flying gliders
executing a competition finish? Maybe someone can furnish
the statistics? Is it really that dangerous (risky?)
an activity? i.e. compared to crossing the road? driving
a car? or are we using the old asinine 'one death is
a death too many argument?'.

I'm not saying the pilot wasn't partly to blame - just
not wholly to blame as Don seems to state - Mr Lawson
increased the risk to himself by his actions -as did
the other bystanders standing on the top of vechiles
under the flightpaths of finishing competition gliders.

What really frightens me is that some appear to have
learned nothing from this tragic accident. While there
are those who are so irresponsible to believe that
a person going about their lawful business being hit
by a flying aircraft while they are on the ground is
an acceptable risk and if a person on the ground is
killed in this way then they are in some way responsible.
I am reluctant to get personal Mr Olson but is is exactly
the attitude that you display that got Neil Lawson
killed. While people have the attitude that you appear
to display, it is always someone elses fault, then
people will die and get injured as a consequence, the
sad bit that it is frequently the innocent person who
suffers the most, or in this case his nearest and dearest.

The pilot was committing an illegal, irresponsible
act as the report found. I take great solace that I
am never likely to be anywhere near where you are likely
to be flying, if you truly believe what you have written
here you are a danger to yourself, and more importantly
a danger to those around you. Do gliding a real favour
Mr Olson, never fly again.