Sunday, June 12, 2005

Horrific

I spent the weekend in Pauanui at my best friend's holiday home with him and another mate. We just hung out, played golf and watched Sky. I don't have Rich Mans TV so it was good to watch the history channel, CNN and some sport.

Anyhow, on the way home we raced round a bend and were flagged down by a woman and screached to a halt. There was a car on its roof just a few metres ahead of us. We were about the 5th car to arrive. I'd say the accident occurred about 1 minute prior.

The three of us jumped out and helped flip the car back over. Two passengers had already managed to scramble out of the smashed windows. They had minor injuries.

The driver was not good. There was blood everywhere and I got some on me trying to flip the car over and tend to the driver. After about 10 minutes the driver came to and started to groan. We asked him to open his eyes and he did so that was good.

By this stage there were plenty of people helping. Ambulance, Fire & Police were on the way so we decided to leave.

Before we did I noted skid/tyre marks on the wrong side of the road. A guy told us how he saw the smash. The car was flying at about 150km/h down a long hill before the corner it rolled on. It lost control; went onto the wrong side of the road; swerved back to the correct side of the road; over corrected and hit a bank and rolled 2-3 times. The car's tyres were bald; a fork was in the ignition; there were beer bottles all over the car and the road; and all three were aged about 18.

It was a horrific sight. What does it take to get through to people?

Comments:
Well done for helping. Yes sounds an inevitable crash with speed and drinking.

Just out of interest, I assume everyone was out of the vehicle, when you flipped it back?
 
Good question David. The driver was trapped upside down and was inside. Just as we were about to 'flip it' I actually asked whether we were better off leaving it as is and trying to get him out another way. Someone said 'no' - flip it so we followed that call. The driver got tossed a little by that but I think it was for the best. He didn't appear to have a seatbelt on either.
 
In the US, that good deed would bankrupt you.
 
Yes, you're probably right. Ironic aye!
 
I shuddered when you said you flipped the car back with an injured person in it. Bad bad blue in the midst of great assistance and considerable stress. If he had back or neck problems the flip might have killed him which would have saved the exchequor the considerable court costs which will ensue but might have blighted your career for the mext five years. Was there a risk of fire? That would get you off the hook, perhaps even in the USA.
 
Sitting way back, it seems Darwinism at work. My two young kids do a seat belt check every time we head off. They are always aghast to hear of people driving without them. Not rocket science, but some basic teaching of physics might wise up a few people.
 
Well Adolf I did ask whether we should do it and yes, the sump was demolished and all sorts of stuff was leaking onto the road. The engine was extremely hot too so fire was in the mind of some. But in the moment you make decisions. I didn't like it but I wasn't about to have an argument in the middle of the road. After we flipped it the driver opened his eyes for the first time and looked at us so that was a positive.
 
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