Booby traps in Dakar or others

[fashionbiff]

Do they booby trap in these rallys also ? Just curious because of the Baja thread.

http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44473

I have heard of vehicles being shot at, also cancelation because of general safety( see this years Dakar. )

[partybarge_pilot]

Dakar is more of a point to point race, how you get there is more or less up to you. Makes it a little harder to set booby-traps when there is no defined course.

[Will_Higman]

I am no rally veteran but did compete in the 2007 Dakar Rally. We finished all fifteen stages two in Europe and the balance in Africa. I did not see one booby trap or malicious act made toward us throughout the 5000 mile course and two weeks of racing.

Read my race report here: http://www.race-dezert.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26036

The ASO does a great job communicating with each little village along the route prior to the race. They actually acquire teenage kids/adults to be safety monitors for the day the race comes through their village/town. I really don’t know the complete story on that piece but when we arrived at each village you could see them proudly wearing their orange/yellow shirt that was given to them by the ASO along with their safety whistle. You could clearly see them keeping the little kids in line as we passed…

This attention to detail is yet another example of how the ASO is a superior race promoter.

:)

[Mark_Miller]

I can confirm being held at gunpoint for ransom in 2004 Dakar, at the start of stage where you cross inito the western Sahara, but it only cost Dirk and I 50 euros...., Having Rocks thrown at me and breaking my front window in 2002 Dakar.
but no booby traps. Leave that up to the organizers, they try and throw traps at you all thorough the dunes to see if they can get you... which they did get me in 2006 dakar. :-)

[Ryan_Arciero]

I had an issue in the 2005 Dakar with a couple issues in Mauritania. I had rocks thrown at us and they even built up a rock wall to slow us down and guide us down the wrong road down into a canyon. Luckily my navigator Niki was ontop of the notes and we took the right turn but we were going slow enough that when they were throwing rocks at the windshield more people were opening up our back hatch where they stole our tents that were shoved in next to the spare tires. Lucky I saw Dirk at the Bivwac that night and he had a spare tent that I was able to use for the rest of the rally. That stuff happens over there as well guys.

[E&S Racing]

Will, Mark, and Ryan thanks for sharing your experiences. Amazing after all of that you still continue to go back and race. Just shows your love of racing..

P:S Mark and Ryan, Can't wait to see the VW TT...

[fashionbiff]

[QUOTE=E&S Racing;471371]Will, Mark, and Ryan thanks for sharing your experiences. Amazing after all of that you still continue to go back and race. Just shows your love of racing..

QUOTE]
Thanks for the insight !!!

[MikeLeung]

more people were opening up our back hatch where they stole our tents that were shoved in next to the spare tires.


At least in Mexico the wait till you crash before stealing stuff from your race car.

[randy s]

At least in Mexico the wait till you crash before stealing stuff from your race car. yep. then while a couple of them are "helping you" another couple of them are "helping their ownselves" to your toolbag and/or spare tire. seems like the thieves are a little like those of us who make the baja races the highlite of the year. it's that way for them as well i'm sure. some of those guys are tooled up big time.