"24 hours before his death, Gus Scott wrote this heartfelt account of a 115mph lap at his first TT. We couldn't think of a finer tribute to our friend than to publish it."
"As I funnel towards the start line in a big group, pushing my bike slowly forward, it's weird but I'm calm. I was so nervous on the ferry over, thinking, 'Is this going to be one of those one-way trips?'
I didn't sleep last night. I was getting annoyed with myself because I wasn't picking up the whole lap - there were certain sections that I still didn't know. I was frightening myself in some blind, flat-out sections. i ended up watching a DVD of the track, rewinding certain sections again and again.
down on the start it's not like a normal race. there's no mass start. It's just you, the bike and the road. That's a nice feeling. They set you off individually. when I get to the front there's a bloke in a white coat who puts his hand on my shoulder and looks up to the box. He counts 10 seconds as the rider in front disappears down Bray Hill. Then he lifts his hand and I think, 'He could be the last person to touch me.'
Bray Hills fast, fast as fuck, but you've got time to think. You aim to go under the bush on the right, then come to the crossroads and you've got to pull on the bars to jump or it'll load the front. You apex at the lights, in top gear flat-stick. The bike compresses so much that you scrub off loads of speed. then over Ago's Leap. The bike naturally lifts. I try not to roll the throttle, just let it come down.
There's a rise before Quarter Bridge. You have to go down a gear and accelerate to wheelie over it. One lap I didn't and it went into a massive slapper. then you've got to slam on the brakes to go through slippery Quarter Bridge.
Second, third, fourth, towards Braddan Bridge. Aim for the junction on the right, brake, back down two gears, follow the white railings that jump out at you. Gingerly through here because this is the first time the tyres have been on their left side. Full tank of fuel, new tyres - these bikes feel awful at low speeds.
Flick it over, into a dip - bah, bah, bah, bah - flat-out through two terrifying blind kinks hurtling at Union Mills. Coming out there's a garage on the left, you've got to have the thing absolutely pinned. There's a kerb on the left you've got to skim with your wheels as the bike bucks and weaves.
On to a long straight toward the campsite. people sit on a green bank. Their feet are so close I'm sure I'm going to hit them. Then you peel away towards one of the fastest corners on the track - Ballagary that's also called Glen Vine. people call it Ballascary because there's been a few fatalities there.
There was a massive crash here in one race - bikes and carnage everywhere. Next lap there's shit all over the road, fuel spills, I slowed right down to 50 and still got a massive slide. then the next lap there are fewer flags, then the third lap it's up to you if you want to keep it lit through there.
I start to relax, I'm glad I got that right, but there's a hump on the way out. The bike's still leant over so you've got to get it right. You pull on the bars to do a crossed-up wheelie.
Up to Crosby and DJ's [David Jeffries] corner which is a hard one for me. I greet him every time I go through, saying 'this one's for you Deej.' At the start of the week I didn't think I'd be able to flat it, but then I though, 'Fuck it, I know it's only a kink.' You've got to commit to these corners early, otherwise you'll just pussyfoot through them all week.
This is a learning year, I've put no pressure on myself and told everyone that right form the start. I've never had any interest in doing the Manx [Manx GP] and because I've got an international race licencee I didn't have to, so this is my first time on the Island's closed roads. the idea is to keep coming back until I start getting podiums.
On to Crosby. The Fireblade hates it. it's done some awful things all week. I was speaking to Michael Rutter last night and he said, 'You've got to roll off', there's no point getting in a silly mess or you'll be off the throttle for too long.
Greeba Castle has a rollercoaster dip, you've got to go slower than you think to get the drive out. There's an off-camber right that would be easy to highside out of. then the left-right-left-right skimming the kerbs, before a nasty left.
Greeba Bridge, flat-out on the 600, back two gears on the Blade, down a rollercoaster hill. I've already been into teh fast right that follows too fast, hit some little potholes, the front tucked, all my weight on my kneeslider, and then it just flicked back. scary. It took me1 0 miles to get my concentration back.
Up to fifth, then another fast right. It would be kneedown but I keep it up because it's so fast it would drag. Look for the 30 sign to brake into Ballacraine. Boot it down to third, nice and easy, through Ballaspur, then just kick it up the box weaving towards Glen Helen. I'm going too fats but I don;lt brake, just drop a gear. This is where you see the flowers.
I've lost a few friends around here. When you're flying round you see bouquets of flowers and purple ribbons stuck in the wall. it's a bit off-putting. Ronnie Smith suggested that people should respect the riders who were still racing by putting the flowers just over the wall. there'd be no harm, but the racers wouldn't have to see them."
I'm on the climb to Sarah's Cottage. Third gear uphill, I ran out of road here before and thought, "I'm in the bales." You don't want to look at what you're going to hit, so I looked up the road. I was lent over at full tilt, I had my knee down, boot on the ground, everything, then I felt the wheels hit the bales, flick me up, and I was still going, so I just kept racing. this place gets you like that.
My heart was trying to pound out of my ribcage, I had eyes like frisbees. That could've been it. Get it out of your head, get it out of your head. You think about pulling over, then just keep building up speed top Cronk-y-Voddy. It's hard at the end of there. I had some nasty slappers, lock-to-lock with loads of people watching. On the video it looks like DJ just rolls it off, but I've found it better to pull on the bars to take the load off the front.
The funny thing about this place is you accelerate in to a lot of the corners before you see them. that lifts the front end and you wont believe how smooth it makes it.
Into top gear, towards the big bottler at the bottom of Barregarrow. what's going to happen this lap? Back a gear, brush the brakes, and accelerate into it. you've got to do your turn beforehand because everything bottoms out and you can't turn it, everything compressed, the bike won't go anywhere.
Then into the 13th milepost. the first time I went into there I thought it was straight. it isn't. It's bumping all over the road, a kerb on the right pops out right under your wheels, brushes your footrest. Then you're onto the nice smooth tarmac towards Kirk Michael.
In the first practice I floated round and thought this is the next best thing I've ever done in my life. Next time I went a bit faster and had some big scares. I got lost, I nearly ran into some walls and then a Swedish lad I was out with on Saturday night was killed. He got lost and ran into a wall going into Kirk Michael, a tight, third-gear right-hander. Spectators said he went on full tilt, he just got caught out. I know how it felt. He was over here for all the right reasons. He was 39 and wanted a bit of a ride. It really fucked my head up.
Into Kirk Michael and I brake just after the 30mph sign. Strangely enough, they put in 300m brake markers after Kim died the other night. Ian Lougher broke down here and said I looked really good through this section. He's been helping me with my suspension all week.
Then accelerate like mad, but this is where something strange happened. In the first few races I was only passed by three riders and I've only caught a few. I went through the Superstock race without seeing anybody. It's quite lonely. It was my fifth lap and my head started playing tricks on me.I went through Kirk Michael and saw a copper and thought, 'What am I doing?' I was flat-out, so I shut off because I'm used to riding on roads. Then it clicked that I was racing. There's nothing to tell you the you should or shouldn't be doing it. It's a really weird situation.
The buildings are tall on both sides. Kerb to kerb to kerb. Apexing yellow line, yellow line, yellow line. You can hear the bikes noise rattling off the buildings. It's bumpy, hairy and scary but an awesome feeling - full-tilt through a 30mph village, throttle pinned, kicking up to sixth.
Hard-ish left, hard over the bumps, back a gear and then accelerate over Rhencullen. Right-left, wheelie so it doesn't go into a tankslapper, then a quick right, down to fourth, down a dip and get the bike absolutely straight over the next rise or it'll tankslap. It's taken me all week to get that right.
Pin it through Alpine Cottage and off towards Ballaugh Bridge. Brake at the 30 signs - bang, bang, bang - down three, then another and accelerate and pull on the bars in the centre of the bridge, but at an angle to get your line right. No one tells you how to do it. I was landing my front wheel at first. I haven't got experience of jumping bridges and I haven't raced motocross like some of the top guys. You hear the front clonk and you've got to get on the gas immediately.
hard up the box to this bit of worn-out road where the surface is like tar. You can feel the wheels moving through the long left-hander, towards Ballacrye - which is scary. You jump about 160 feet, a foot or so off the ground. It's like a little skip and everybody's had a nasty moment here. The bike twists slightly in the air and you get a whip when you land. The other day John McGuinness broke his screen off and his steering damper snapped it was such a nasty slapper.
then there's Gwen's Cottage. Little Gwen is over 80 years old and she comes out shaking her fist at you, to will you on towards the the awesome Quarry Bends. There's a bump on the way in that unsettles you, roll in in top, then back a gear to drive through. get it wrong and you know it.
I came out of Quarry Bends and thought I was on Sulby Straight and could relax, but I wasn't. I was heading straight towards a wall. I was trying to turn the bike at 180mph with the throttle pinned. It was a nightmare. the bike's screaming it's head off down Sulby Straight, but I take the chance to give my fingers a bit of a waggle around. In the 600 race the bike in front hit a bird and it was like a pillow exploding. Then you apex off the houses, before going down into second to wheelie over Sulby Bridge.
Just there my mate, Kenny Munro, was killed a few years ago. I say hello to Kenny every time I go past.
Then all hell breaks loose. I've never ridden a road as bumpy as the one between Ginger Hall and Ramsey. The bike's lock-to-lock through Milntown. Down a hill, through the bumpiest corner, then you start building up to a horrible jump where Rob Frost crashed. Pull on the bars to wheelie. then keep it pinned until I see a little fence. I call it Fast Fence, to remind myself not to roll off through the blind kink. The sunlight coming through the trees distracts you.
I'm not getting used to animals on the track. In the 600 race I came through Milntown to see a massive black cockerel in the middle of the road. It looked at me and I looked at it. I thought 'I'm going to hit this', before it casually walked to the side of the road.
It's really bumpy, but the faster you go, the smoother it gets. Bumpy right, back another gear. there's a tree with a big 'K' carved into it. Aim for that and you miss the kerb.
Ramsey's a nightmare to get round so you may as well just pootle. Up towards the Waterworks there's a lot of nice short circuit scratching stuff. Waterworks is a tight right with loads of people shouting into your ear. It's great. Do a tiny wheelie before the climb up the Mountain.
Three corners taken as one into Guthries, a nasty little bastard that can easily have you off. fast left, keep climbing, over a tiny bridge where you nearly hit your shoulder on a bale, then you start the Mountain Mile. It's not a straight and easy to get wrong.
Everything's a blur, but it's a nice feeling. The bike's labouring, but I feel great in the fresh air and sunlight.
Up the top I get a pitboard as I go over the tramlines telling me if I have to come in for fuel or not. On to Brandywell and Windy Corner, past where Simon Beck died, two apex left-hander that can catch you out and a lovely right...
I'm missing out chunks because it's all constantly left-right up here. You can't compare this place to anywhere else and that's exactly what I wanted. I wanted a completely new challenge. It doesn't even compare to other road circuits because it's such a length. In one race I'm only going through a corner four times. On a short circuit I'm going through 20 times. Even the longest race you're only going through six times. And the conditions could've changed, someone could've fallen off.
Accelerate through Kate's, through the damp patches. I always think I'm going to lose the front here. down to Creg-ny-Baa. Down three, gentle kneedown for the punters, close to their feet to give them a proper buzz. through Brandish in top, right up close to the spectators. I love it.
Into Signpost. My team-mate Nigel 'Cap' Davis crashed here the other night and broke his femur in half. I think the bike landed on him. It's blind in second, then into another nice corner that's off-camber, aim for the gatepost, then turn away, accelerate towards the horrible Nook, then a whiff of throttle to Governor's then bam-bam...
Governor's is awful. It kicks your arse-end all over the place. Through gently, I nearly topple off I'm going so slow. Short-shift into second, there's a nasty little rise so I stand up and accelerate like fuck, skim the kerb and that's it, on to the start/finish for another lap or five.

First off, this thread is NOT about Zachary Ellison. This thread is to layout and analyze a 20 minute rant by William Gude, aka Streets aka Film the Police, a/g ZE, which was apparently triggered by things said/done by ZE. The purpose is critically ask several questions, questions which surround the LA protestors, surround the protest structure, surround the purported vs the actual values of the LA protests a/g Scientology. I'm laying this out b/c the silence by the protestors (in LA and from SPTV) in response to this rant--has been deafening. As far as I know, only 1 protestor spoke out against this rant (DOA) and he quickly retracted his defense in one day. The rest the of the LA protestors have been either too afraid to criticize this rant or they, frankly agree with what was said.
This is a transcription of the audio from the video "Freeing William" which was recorded by Jessica Palmadessa for her stream. It's here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fRbLZN1pQA&t=23492s Reading the rant is important for several reasons. 1) Look for certain words, phrases and talking points which originated from this rant and have ended up being repeated endlessly on various social media sites. 2) look to the multiple areas of potential slander (spoken defamation). 3) look at the instructions for followers to commit certain actions 4) look at the admissions of organization and control. 5) look to promises of certain actions.
The transcript of the rant will be in several parts. There are timestamps.
Warning: this is pretty triggering. Especially if you grew up and experienced bullies.
5:59:20
Jessica and William aka Streets get into Jessica’s car after she has picked him up after his release from jail.(The camera is pointed forward, facing out the window onto the street).
5:59:29
Jessica (talking to her chat) Oh God God, it’s time to give it up there buddy. William: What happened Jessica: Oh you’re going to love this William: Free Dave! (Also talking to Jessica’s chat).
5:59:51
Jessica: no it’s not that. Guys I’m muting for a second. (Sound is muted).(One can assume that while the sound is muted, Jessica is telling Streets what Zachary has said in her chat).
6:03:39 (sound is turned back on and the camera is now facing Jessica and William. William is bursting to speak and Jessica’s face is a mix of sheer delight and gloating )
Jessica: alright guys I’m back, sorry. William (speaking to Jessica’s chat about Zachary and to Zachary as well. )
6:03:43
William: So I mean yeah, listen, I got released because I’m a journalist. I mean I guess I’m not a real journalist like Zach (said sarcastically) or whatever and his Substack. Talk shit Zach, keep on f*cking talking sh*t. You are not respected. No one respects you Zach. No one. You have been mocked, people mock you, people f*cking mock you. I was the only person who said you know what Zach, show him a little respect. Because I knew you were a f*cking nutcase. You’re a f*cking nutcase Zach. If I-- I wish I see you again you bitch.
6:04:12
William: —your real story..nobody reads your (Zach) Substack, no one reads that sh*t. No one. Not even your mother. No one. Who would read that. All they do is look at your tweets. This guy, you know what if you go onto Twitter anytime he posts something as a reply it automatically show up as a spam because all he does is spam. No one f*cking listens to his shit. He’s got a f*cking restraining order for USC because he’s a stalker there. You f*cking weirdo—Get your ass back out on Fig and get the first piece of p*ssy you’ve ever had in your life—you’re going to have to pay for it.
—run you mouth against me. You’re not a journalist. No one gives a f*ck. Francois doesn’t give a f*ck about you, they just know you’re that weirdo who sits there stalking her car.”
6:05:01
William Gude: You’re mad at Eric why? Because Eric was talking to WeinLA and your punk ass got jealous. Jealous cuz you finally you thought you had the first woman in your life that paid you attention …
..and she (Ever) mocked you. She was mocking you. She (Ever) thought it was funny. We all thought it was funny.
You’re a f*cking mark (that’s slang for object of scorn) and you’re a clown.
I wish you would show your face around me again, talk sh*t about me. You going to talk shit about me? Who the f*ck are you? I noticed that you went, you know Zach, Zach outta nowhere started getting the RayBan sunglasses—the exact same ones as mine.
(Jessica goes from happy smirking and bursts into laughter)
—the same ones and all of a sudden Zach went from that f*cking disheveled hobo yellow jacket to wearing black hoodies and he’s riding around acting like he’s a tough guy—you’re a bitch! You’re too f*cking scared. You’re running around scared all the time, ‘oh the UCLA protests aren’t important’ (doing an impression of Zach) Motherf*cker nothing you do is important. This here is a national event. Yeah Figueroa is.
6:06:00
William Gude: You were stalking f*cking women on Figeroua. Stalking them you f*cking creep. You’re a weirdo.And it’s only a matter of time before your bitch ass gets pulled over
(Jessica salutes because she’s agreeing)
William: and you know what you’re going to say, “I’m an investigative journalist out here on Fig.” No one’s going to believe you. No one’s going to believe you, they’re going to look at that $50 you have in your pocket and you know what though?-
you couldn’t even if you went out there with $1000 you probably still couldn’t get f*cked.-they’d be like nah you’re too f*cking weird for me.-nah you’re too f*cking ugly.Run your mouth Zach, you run your mouth against me? (Said incredulously). Against me??? Who the f*ck are you?
I’m going to say this again, literally no one respects you. You have been the laughing stock. We joke about you. EVERYBODY.
You don’t realize it.
What it is when you come into a live and you see 200 people there like oh man 200 people finally want to listen to me for the first time in my life. No, they come there to f*cking LAUGH at you.
—you f*cking clown. Bitch ass.
6:07
William Gude:“How you feel Zach? How do you feel? (Gude taunts him).
Jessica: probably not good.
William: “I’m an investigative journalist” (said like Zach).“Everyone laughs when you say that. No one, no one takes you seriously. No one. If you look at everybody that I know on Twitter and you know I know everybody on Twitter that’s involved in the activist space and the reporting space and you know what they do? They mute Zach because he sits in the comments just blowing it up hashtag hashtag just tweet after tweet—no one reads it. No one reads it Zach.—give it up. Go find something else.
—run your mouth against me.
6:07:40 Jessica leans forward while driving to read one of the comments from her chat. “Who’s the real journalist now buddy?” (The chat is going crazy with glee with the verbal bashing, they’re joining in on the celebration with their own taunts).
6:07:41 William: What have you ever broken? (Referring to news stories) What have you ever broken Zach? Let’s I’ve talked to CNN this week, I was in the Washington Post yesterday talking about streaming, I was on CNN talking about the protest the other day, I was on ABC7 talking about the protest the other day, what the f*ck do you do? Two to three times a week I do an interview, what do you do? Like I said, Washington Post, you can look Taylor Lorenz she just wrote an article that I was in yesterday. What have you been in Zach? Nothing.
—You write you got a Substack with one person that reads it—your Grandmother—maybe. And she’s probably saying, Grandson, that sh*t is boring, I don’t know what the f*ck you’re even talking about.
Jessica: you ain’t calling in now (apparently talking to Zach via chat)
William: Zach, you mark ass motherf*cker. You ain’t nobody. This guy out of nowhere started feeling himself. He’s like “oh yeah you know I’m the most important person with scientology”—nobody cares about you. People stop going to La Poubelle because you’re there.
Jessica: No it’s dangerous (she smirks).
William (shaking his head no):It has nothing to do with danger. They don’t go there because you’re there Zach. You annoy them when you come over to their face they walk away and then you act like “oh I’m somebody’s keeper. Oh I gotta go check on them” and what are you going to do?
6:09:00
William:I’ve seen, every time I’ve seen something jump off, your ass runs you bitch ass p*ssy. “Oh it’s too unsafe, it’s too unsafe. I’m an investigative journalist, it’s too unsafe.” (Said mimicking Zach)Shut up. Go ride around Fig. With your pennies.
Jessica: Oh my God, I love you so much for that (said to William, laughing).
William: run you mouth against me like that (said to Zach) Sh*t, I’ve been nothing but you know what it is like I said, I’ve always knew he’s a mark, like he’s slow, something’s slow about him right but you know what I always tried to be a nice guy, I always try to lift up everybody so like “oh yeah this is Zach, he’s a journalist and stuff” I said that reason why people call him a journalist is cuz I call him a journalist. No one else has ever called him a journalist. No one. Yeah, all of a sudden he ran with that. Should never have said a damn thing I should have just f*cking…he just showed up, he showed up over the Scientology protest why? ….cuz I was there.and he’s like “oh there’s something finally something for me to be a part of, finally.” Now what Zach?
6:10:01
William: Why don’t you go hang out with that guy with the knife guy who took his sh*t in the bushes, you guys go take a sh*t in the bushes together.
Jessica: no it’s dangerous! (She mocks).
William: Oh it’s dangerous, right, that’s dangerous Zach, Zach the p*ssy. No one else talks about things being dangerous but you. You always running your mouth “Oh it’s too dangerous, Oh it’s too dangerous” you b*tch ass —you wimp, stay inside then. Stop coming outside. “Oh it’s too dangerous, it’s too scary” run your mouth. All of a sudden now you notice the last 3 weeks like he’s walking around like he’s a thug or something, get the f*ck out of here. You goofball. You are so goofy. Zach needs to sign up for Scientology. He’d be perfect. He should be working with William and them at being a security guard for the Scientologists.
Jessica: Zach all of a sudden Zach’s gone, he’s been talking for hours (said laughing).
William: Run your mouth. And you’re talking about oh I need to learn something … Zach you are not sh*t. You are nobody.
Now, you would have to block me..cuz I’m gong to come into your chats and clown you. I’ll come in with other names I’m going to troll you.I’m going to be the biggest Zach troll.
6:11:05
Jessica: That’s what he said he said he was just trolling…people are like I think you need to learn what trolling is…
William:Yeah you better learn about trolling against me.
Against you think you are.
Leave LA Zach.Leave LA.Just leave LA.
I know it might hurt your feelings a little bit.
Go get a f*cking restraining order against me. Go try you big f*cking baby.
You’re a bitch. I**’m going to haunt you for the rest of your life.** don’t you think you ever could talk about me. I don’t let anybody talk about me, let alone a mark like you. A goofball like you. A f*cking loser. You’re a loser.
(end part 1)
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