Going to Le Mans.....

Wow. You standing next to the tracks really gives a good perspective of the size.eeeek.
Sounds like you spent more time with the Tigers than the race. Fences have their reasons. I saw this crash on the television.......scroll down to the Truck pics.
http://www.ciastockphoto.com/cgi/kw.php?terms=Geoff_Bodine

And this:

 

I remember some Tiger pictures from 1944 around Le Mans and Chateaudun. I'll try to find them back, but no promise here.

 

Yes, the Tiger was a more memorable experience. Agreed, the fence is there for safety - although I'm statistically far more at risk driving on a UK motorway...but in a 'stadium'-type track as in your photo, spectators can view from above the fence line.

At Le Mans, the viewing experience was....well, ****.

 

And now the million £ question, Martin. Tiger or Mosquito?



In front of the Tiger you always feel a bit like Robert de Niro in taxi driver
" Are you talking to me...?"

 

Now Kai, really....that's like asking....'Champagne or smoked salmon?'.....

I'll be greedy and take both !

 

Great answer, Martin! Of course you´d take them both...

Here´s another driver who ended up in several crashes in the 90´s Jos Verstappen...

http://www.searchforvideo.com/sports/formula-1/jos-verstappen/

especially check the Brazil 1994 crash....One mistake and there goes a lot of money....

 

The pilot's legs are standing out in the breeze at the right, I don't want to know what happened to him!

 

That's the difference between that kind of circuit and the new 'Mickey Mouse' European style. Note the concrete walls alongside the cars in that pic - one reason why debris fencing is essential to protect spectators.

At Le Mans, there's now about 75 - 150 yards of deep gravel trap and then there is debris-fencing : which leaves the spectator feeling - to say the least - somewhat remote from the action......