Motorsports: Does the Thrill Justify the Inherent Dangers?

People do all kinds of things for fun. Some watch TV, while others go to museums. However, some like to do things that most individuals consider pretty dangerous or reckless, like motorsports.

For instance, some people like to engage in motorsports. You can do so in several different ways. There’s really no denying, though, the inherent dangers that go along with such activities.

You can look at the danger involves with motorsports in a couple of different ways. You might feel that it’s not worth it because of what might happen. However, you could also make the point that there’s danger everywhere. 

For instance, in 2021, drivers who ran red lights caused more than 1,100 fatalities across the United States. Presumably, those individuals didn’t leave the house that morning thinking they’d never get home safely. You might feel that since life has an unavoidable danger element, that taking part in a hobby that can seriously injure you doesn’t seem like such an unreasonable thing to do. 

It’s worth considering this argument in greater detail, so let’s do so right now.

What Does the Term “Motorsports” Mean?

The term “motorsports” has a fairly broad definition. In the most general sense, it means racing with other individuals, usually with cars or motorcycles.

You can become a professional in the motorsports niche if you like. If you become a NASCAR driver, for instance, then you’re doing a type of motorsports. 

You can find all kinds of other options, both legal and illegal, if you like motorsports and want to try them. You can race legally in different vehicles all over the world. 

You can also find underground street racing venues in many different countries and territories. The Fast and Furious movie franchise covers the topic extensively. 

What Kind of Person Likes to Engage in Such Activities?

Not everyone wants to try motorsports. In fact, you could probably say that the majority of individuals will never want to try them. However, there’s always a certain type of person who likes to chase the sorts of thrills and the adrenaline rush that motorsports and similar activities can provide.

Maybe you know such a person. Perhaps they liked jumping out of the second-floor window of their house as a child or testing the limits of how fast their new car could go on the highway as an adult.

You might call such a person a thriller seeker or an adrenaline junkie. They might like to try motorsports, but they may also want to try skydiving or climbing Mount Everest. 

These kinds of people will probably laugh if you talk to them about the danger. However, even if you’re not the sort of individual who would ever do these sorts of activities yourself, you may care about or even love someone who likes to do them.

That can lead to some difficult conversations. For instance, if you have a spouse who likes motorsports or some of the other activities that we’ve described, you might have a hard time talking them out of such hobbies. 

Can You Do Anything to Make These Activities Less Dangerous?

If a person in your life who you care about or love insists on engaging in some of these activities, then you can at least try to convince them to do what they can to lessen the danger a bit. You might ask that they only engage in sanctioned events, and never illegal ones like street racing. 

You can ask them to wear a helmet and pads if they ever try motorsports, whether as a hobby or a career. That’s not an ideal solution, since they can still easily injure themselves, but it’s definitely better than nothing.

It’s All About Personal Risk Tolerance

Each individual must think about what they’re personally interested in doing in this life. They can then make a decision regarding whether they find the risk worth it. 

If you want to get into something like motorsports, then that’s your prerogative. You might try it and find that you love it, and you’ll want to do it again and again. You may find that if you do it and survive, that the experience didn’t quite match what you wanted.

If you try motorsports, though, you should think about not only yourself, but others in your life. If you’re a parent, for instance, then you need to consider what your kids will feel like if you end up in a wheelchair or even a coffin.