Coming at the most prestigious event in the motorcycling calendar here, and following the death of another racer, Martin Finnegan, at Tandragee just last month, Robert's tragic accident reinforces the opinion of critics that the sport is just too dangerous and that the death toll is just too great.

However, this latest tragedy must be viewed in perspective. While an investigation into the accident is being held, it appears that Robert's death was the result of a combination of events which had nothing to do with the track. Another racer on the track reported that Robert's bike seemed to seize throwing him over the handlebars and into the path of another motorcycle. If that was the true sequence of events, then the tragedy could not have been avoided no matter whether it was on a road circuit or closed track.

It also has to be acknowledged that the organisers of road races like the North West 200 have continually sought — with a large degree of success — to improve the safety of circuits. By their very nature they present dangers, and it is impossible to completely eradicate all risk. In some cases, most notably in the death of Robert's brother, Joey, eight years ago, it was the physical nature of the course that caused the tragedy. He hit a tree when he went off the course at Tallinn in Estonia. In a conventional motorcycling arena he would probably have come to no harm.

Road racers realise, and accept, the dangers of their sport. Those dangers undoubtedly are part of the appeal to spectators who flock in their tens of thousands to events like the North West 200, Northern Ireland's premier sporting attraction in terms of fan numbers. Robert, having lost his brother and many other close friends in the sport, and having almost lost his own life at the Isle of Man TT meeting in 1994 when his back wheel disintegrated at high speed, was totally aware that every race could be his last.

He, like all the other competitors, was prepared to take that gamble. Road racing was literally in his blood and his two sons were also taking part in the North West 200 event. They now have lost their uncle and father in racing tragedies, but may well continue to compete, such is the attraction of this adrenalin-charged sport. Their love of high-speed road racing is incomprehensible to most of us, but they will point out that other sports, such as boxing, rallying, equestrianism, even motorcycle track racing, all carry high risks.

Every motorcycling accident is different and it is right that exhaustive investigations are carried out to find the cause. It is only after such investigations that a considered view can be taken. It would be wrong to regard all road racing deaths as having a common denominator. Robert's death should be the impetus to continue to improve the safety of both circuits and machinery, but not the excuse to ban the sport.