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First printed in the September 1994 WIMA GB newsletter

A Medic's TT 1994
by Dr Delia Cope

So, Shane says to me "You're interested in motorbikes and medicine - fancy going to the TT races as part of the medical team?"  Fine I say, next thing I know I'm doing 70mph on the M6 breezing past Birmingham traffic on my rust bucket Honda 450 Nighthawk (don't buy one!) chasing a growing pack of bikes loaded up with tents, kitbags and people.  Shane has opted out at this stage.  Liverpool arrives and 300+ bikes embark onto the Isle of Man Steam Packet ferry (£111 return, 1 person + bike - a bit pricey).  The Liver building fades into the Sunday night haze - beautiful.  I get talking to lots of lads on the boat and the realisation dawns: bikes, men, leather - the perfect holiday!

Arrive at the Isle of Man, Douglas and eventually find the house I'm staying at.  For the 2 week duration of the TT races people take in paying guests on a B&B basis which is a good way of getting to know the 'real island people'.

Monday morning, and picking up my medical gear I decide to take a tour of the famous road racing TT course.  Call me naive, but I never knew it was so varied, steep hills, mountain conditions, village roads, hairpins.  I pottled clockwise around from Douglas, averaging 40mph - feeling pretty cool - until I got overtaken on the inside by a Kawasaki 750 doing 100+mph.  (There is no speed limit outside the villages, which is one of great attractions of the place).  Over Snaefell mountain I froze and was glad to get back to the seaside of Douglas for a cup of tea and a chat.

The work was good.  I was posted at various positions around the 37 mile course for the duration of the practices (5-7.30am) and races (3-6pm or 6-9pm.)  I got to talk to lots of locals acting as marshalls - regaling me with stories of past TTs.  Only once in my 7 days did I have to deal with a severely head injured rider - at Sarah's Cottage, a notorious hill bend with an unusual camber.  The lad was stable on ITU when I left the island.

I had a fantastic week.  Highlights include 3 hours up on the mountain with an 85 year old Matchless rider who explained Life, the Universe & Everything - biker style, a cruise on a Virago 1100 (yes, I do want one), a zip through town on a Ducati Monster (nice frame, shame about the price), a drunken conversation with a lovely policeman at 4am about the pros and cons of BMWs for police use, and dancing the night away with the Macclesfield lads.

It was my first TT and it won't be my last.  I didn't meet many independent women bikers - the few women that were there were on pillion.  I really would recommend it thoroughly.  I got to use my 450 in conditions quite different from home.  I now feel more confident to move up to a bigger bike.  The races are brilliant fun and the atmosphere electric at times.  It also in some way restored my faith in men bikers - I was there a week as a single woman biker and was treated courteously, never patronised and given every consideration possible.

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