When using a camera on a race track it's best to be cautious, and in this case really lucky. What looks like a back woods rally circuit, there are a multitude of onlookers and spectators for the day's racing. We see the number 50 car becomes airborne on a ramped corner in the beginning of the video, and while attempting to hold the line over compensates for the turn and careens toward a camera man pitched at the end of the inside of the turn.
Thankfully, the camera operator is seen ducking away as a race car flips through the very spot they were set up just a moment before. With some very quick reflexes, the photographer even had time to pull their equipment back before the front of the vehicle flips into and through the area that they were set up and into the wooded area.
The video looks to come from eastern Europe and reminds me of some of the breathtaking and honestly scary close calls that happen in the Baja 500. Spectators on or next to the track without any barriers where vehicles many times are being pushed to their limit. If you are spectating or maybe even a photographer for one of these events I would say to enjoy the action from a safer position. It can be very dangerous being so close to the action.
Dang! Cautionary tales and wise reminders to always have an exit strategy.
But where is the footage from the red cameraman?
its called a roll-cage and some specialty versions of street legal cars do have them but most eliminate the back seats to do so.
Ahhhh the nuances of sarcastic wit in text. You has it, Bob. LOL.
Here is another close call. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ75IOekC5s
Rally races are NUTS. I would stand as far as I could with a zoom lens if I was covering it, or just spectating.
I myself had a close call in 2011, when a Mistubishi Lancer Evo IX almost killed me. Since then, i've stopped photographing on the non advised areas, specially outside curves. Guess what, my photos got better, because i was way more relaxed, didn't feel like i was in danger all the time.
Other thing, why is that the photographer went with a tripod to a freaking rallysport event? You must be able to move fast and avoid things like that. Was he really a photographer or Rally Uncle Bob?
I'm not a specialist but perhaps he had his favourite spot, lens prefocused and just waiting for the cars to come into the frame.
It was for this very reason that the group B rally cars were banned when a spectator at a rally in Ireland was killed when he was hit by one of them,either a Metro 6R4 or RS 200 tossed him a dozen or more feet into the air as easily as if he was a rag doll.
yes it was a little close. i have shot a bunch of rallies and things like this and i can tell you that being on the inside of a corner is much safer than the outside. having a big tree near by is also handy.
Been there, a few years ago i just got out of a wrist injury and couldn't race, so i decided to go to the race and shoot some of my friends, one of them almost got me! A fellow photographer got this photo where i almost got hit...