Six cyclists injured in Newcastle



J

John Pitts

Guest
From the Newcastle edition of the Sun-Herald, in an article about several
road accidents. The Sydney edition has a couple of paragraphs on page 7,
but I haven't found a mention of the incident online anywhere.

Six people were taken to hospital after a crash involving an elderly
female motorist and a group of social cyclists yesterday.

At least four male riders were seriously injured in the accident, which
occurred about 7.10am at Croudace Bay.

One cyclist who narrowly escaped injury was Newcastle dentist Andrew
Nixon, who helped his injured friends while waiting for ambulance
officers to arrive.

"I heard then saw a car, but didn't really have time to get scared
because it all happened so quickly," Dr Nixon said.

"It was such a shock."

The driver, a 76-year-old woman, was trapped by the legs in her small
sedan for an hour after the collision. She was taken to Newcastle's John
Hunter Hospital and is in a stable condition.

A police spokesman said the accident occurred after the woman attempted
to turn left from Tingira Drive into Macquarie Road.

The group of 13 cyclists had been riding in the opposite direction on
Macquarie Road.

An ambulance spokeswoman said four of the riders, aged from 35 to 60, had
fractured arms and legs as well as facial injuries. One had a punctured
lung and a broken pelvis.

The youngest, who had severe knee and suspected neck injuries, was flown
by rescue helicopter to the John Hunter Hospital.

Three others were taken by ambulance to the same hospital and another
went to Belmont Hospital.

The cyclists were only about 300 metres into a regular Saturday morning
ride that followed a 40-kilometre route to West Wallsend and back.

All but one of the injured riders were in a serious condition late
yesterday. The other, who had a crushed foot, was listed as satisfactory.

One of the injured was a doctor from Tamworth who had been on holidays
with his family in Lake Macquarie.

--
John
 
On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:36:49 +1100, John Pitts
<[email protected]> wrote:

>A police spokesman said the accident occurred after the woman attempted
>to turn left from Tingira Drive into Macquarie Road.


Help me out here. What does that mean? She drove down the wrong side of the
street?
 
On Mon, 25 Dec 2006 20:49:47 -0500, HJJ wrote:

> On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:36:49 +1100, John Pitts
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>A police spokesman said the accident occurred after the woman attempted
>>to turn left from Tingira Drive into Macquarie Road.

>
> Help me out here. What does that mean? She drove down the wrong side of
> the street?


You can see the site of the incident at maps.google.com : search on
Tingira Drive, Croudace Bay, NSW, Australia.


My brother lives nearby and saw the aftermath. Here are his comments:

>From the angle she went into the bushes, shes turned at the corner and
>then at about half way round, a 45 degree angle across to the trees on
>the other side of the road!!


> The thing is with Tingira Drive, it's a fast 2 kilometre downhill
>"rollercoaster run" to the intersection, at the top intersection it's
>about 90m above sea level down to near level with Lake Macquarie at the
>bottom intersection at the accident site. People unfamiliar can get
>caught short on braking room as a bit further up the hill its an 80 zone
>...so as you come down the hill from Tingira Heights to the intersection
>you crest a small rise and see the intersection, if you miss the 60 sign
>and are still going 80+ you need to brake hard!!, and if you dont turn
>you are in the park! Did you notice the lack of trees directly in front
>of Tingira Drive....not without reason i suspect, perhaps wiped out by
>cars, (or pulled out by council for safety).


>What gets me is there is a lot of open space on that intersection, vision
>is good both ways!, the cyclists had two lanes on their side of the road,
>the through lane and the turning lane,,,she had a merging lane and a
>through lane on her side!


So it sounds like a combination of driver error and a dangerous
intersection.

--
John
 
On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 15:21:51 +1100, John Pitts
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Mon, 25 Dec 2006 20:49:47 -0500, HJJ wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:36:49 +1100, John Pitts
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>A police spokesman said the accident occurred after the woman attempted
>>>to turn left from Tingira Drive into Macquarie Road.

>>
>> Help me out here. What does that mean? She drove down the wrong side of
>> the street?

>
>You can see the site of the incident at maps.google.com : search on
>Tingira Drive, Croudace Bay, NSW, Australia.
>
>
>My brother lives nearby and saw the aftermath. Here are his comments:
>
>>From the angle she went into the bushes, shes turned at the corner and
>>then at about half way round, a 45 degree angle across to the trees on
>>the other side of the road!!

>
>> The thing is with Tingira Drive, it's a fast 2 kilometre downhill
>>"rollercoaster run" to the intersection, at the top intersection it's
>>about 90m above sea level down to near level with Lake Macquarie at the
>>bottom intersection at the accident site. People unfamiliar can get
>>caught short on braking room as a bit further up the hill its an 80 zone
>>...so as you come down the hill from Tingira Heights to the intersection
>>you crest a small rise and see the intersection, if you miss the 60 sign
>>and are still going 80+ you need to brake hard!!, and if you dont turn
>>you are in the park! Did you notice the lack of trees directly in front
>>of Tingira Drive....not without reason i suspect, perhaps wiped out by
>>cars, (or pulled out by council for safety).

>
>>What gets me is there is a lot of open space on that intersection, vision
>>is good both ways!, the cyclists had two lanes on their side of the road,
>>the through lane and the turning lane,,,she had a merging lane and a
>>through lane on her side!

>
>So it sounds like a combination of driver error and a dangerous
>intersection.


OK. I'm terrible at traffic accident reconstruction, but thanks for the map
instructions. Still not clear to me if she drove into a group ride of
cyclists or they plowed into the side or front of her car. Injuries sound
like a head-on. Prayers for everyone's swift recovery.

If you see a local newspaper article on it with diagrams, and not too much
trouble, maybe post a link?

Thanks!
 
In aus.bicycle on Tue, 26 Dec 2006 04:30:24 -0500
HJJ <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> OK. I'm terrible at traffic accident reconstruction, but thanks for the map
> instructions. Still not clear to me if she drove into a group ride of
> cyclists or they plowed into the side or front of her car. Injuries sound
> like a head-on. Prayers for everyone's swift recovery.


SOunds to me like she went very wide on the corner, realised the
cyclists were there and froze. So ploughed into them, and then into
something solid.

Zebee
 
On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 04:30:24 -0500, HJJ wrote:

> OK. I'm terrible at traffic accident reconstruction, but thanks for the map
> instructions. Still not clear to me if she drove into a group ride of
> cyclists or they plowed into the side or front of her car. Injuries sound
> like a head-on.


Yes, from the injuries, I'd guess that she drove through the group.

> Prayers for everyone's swift recovery.


Indeed.

> If you see a local newspaper article on it with diagrams, and not too much
> trouble, maybe post a link?


I don't live in the area, but I'll ask my brother to keep an eye out.

--
John.
 
On 26 Dec 2006 09:53:25 GMT, Zebee Johnstone <[email protected]> wrote:

>In aus.bicycle on Tue, 26 Dec 2006 04:30:24 -0500
>HJJ <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> OK. I'm terrible at traffic accident reconstruction, but thanks for the map
>> instructions. Still not clear to me if she drove into a group ride of
>> cyclists or they plowed into the side or front of her car. Injuries sound
>> like a head-on. Prayers for everyone's swift recovery.

>
>SOunds to me like she went very wide on the corner, realised the
>cyclists were there and froze. So ploughed into them, and then into
>something solid.
>
>Zebee


OK. She goes over the center line instead of hugging the curb, having a
high rate of speed down that hill, saw a pack of cyclists coming at her and
then panic gripped the steering wheel, stomped the accelerator thinking it
was the brakes, and took out the a car-sized swath and continued on running
into the shrubbery. Yikes.

Sometimes it's like Eric the Photographer. If they'd just stand still,
cyclists could easily avoid them, but they juke and end up plowing into
them.

I've had people jump out in front of me and grab the handlebars in a
freaked out panic at 12km/hr because they had headphones on looking at the
ground and running on the 'wrong side' of the road. Uh, 'cept the road was
a MUP. Eric the Photographer wannabes, lol.

thx zb.
 
On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 21:37:09 +1100, John Pitts
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 04:30:24 -0500, HJJ wrote:
>
>> OK. I'm terrible at traffic accident reconstruction, but thanks for the map
>> instructions. Still not clear to me if she drove into a group ride of
>> cyclists or they plowed into the side or front of her car. Injuries sound
>> like a head-on.

>
>Yes, from the injuries, I'd guess that she drove through the group.
>
>> Prayers for everyone's swift recovery.

>
>Indeed.
>
>> If you see a local newspaper article on it with diagrams, and not too much
>> trouble, maybe post a link?

>
>I don't live in the area, but I'll ask my brother to keep an eye out.


No biggie. I think I'm copacetic.
 
Here's links from Masi Guy and also to Noels blog, with mucho detail regarding the incident, media stuff, YouTube clip and his injuries.

Please send your support and/or write something inspiring in the guestbook as it sounds like all concerned are in for a long haul.

Please give your support;
http://masiguy.blogspot.com/2006/12/please-give-your-support.html

A Car Hits Your Riding Group - What Next?
http://www.noeldavies.com/?p=31

Wednesday, 27 December - 4:00pm Update
http://www.noeldavies.com/?p=34
 
In aus.bicycle on Thu, 28 Dec 2006 12:10:42 +1100
cfsmtb <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Here's links from Masi Guy and also to 'Noels blog'
> (http://www.noeldavies.com/), with mucho detail regarding the incident,
> YouTube clip and his injuries.
>


ONe thing I note is that people there had some idea of what to do.

Noel's punctured lung was helped by the side he was rolled on to, but
the roller didn't realise that's what had to happen.

I have done a St John's course specifically for motorcyclists which
is aimed at dealing with road trauma just like this - broken bones,
possible spinal injury, punctured lungs, arterial bleeding. We were
taught how to recognise a punctured lung and how to deal.

Some of the things we learned such as dealing with leathers and helmets
isn't going to be needed for cyclists but the rest of it is important.

If you go on road rides with friends, then this kind of training is
the difference between life and death.

The BMW club in NSW has these courses regularly, the next one that
comes up I'll post here. I don't know if they are run in other states
but it is worth asking. St Johns in NSW will run one if you can get
enough people so maybe cycling groups can ask and then combine to get
a course happening.

The one I was on was $90 and took a full day. You don't get any
certificate but you do get good focused training.

Zebee
 
"John Pitts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
> On Mon, 25 Dec 2006 20:49:47 -0500, HJJ wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:36:49 +1100, John Pitts
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>A police spokesman said the accident occurred after the woman attempted
>>>to turn left from Tingira Drive into Macquarie Road.

>>
>> Help me out here. What does that mean? She drove down the wrong side of
>> the street?

>
> You can see the site of the incident at maps.google.com : search on
> Tingira Drive, Croudace Bay, NSW, Australia.
>
>
> My brother lives nearby and saw the aftermath. Here are his comments:
>
>>From the angle she went into the bushes, shes turned at the corner and
>>then at about half way round, a 45 degree angle across to the trees on
>>the other side of the road!!

>
>> The thing is with Tingira Drive, it's a fast 2 kilometre downhill
>>"rollercoaster run" to the intersection, at the top intersection it's
>>about 90m above sea level down to near level with Lake Macquarie at the
>>bottom intersection at the accident site. People unfamiliar can get
>>caught short on braking room as a bit further up the hill its an 80 zone
>>...so as you come down the hill from Tingira Heights to the intersection
>>you crest a small rise and see the intersection, if you miss the 60 sign
>>and are still going 80+ you need to brake hard!!, and if you dont turn
>>you are in the park! Did you notice the lack of trees directly in front
>>of Tingira Drive....not without reason i suspect, perhaps wiped out by
>>cars, (or pulled out by council for safety).

>
>>What gets me is there is a lot of open space on that intersection, vision
>>is good both ways!, the cyclists had two lanes on their side of the road,
>>the through lane and the turning lane,,,she had a merging lane and a
>>through lane on her side!

>
> So it sounds like a combination of driver error and a dangerous
> intersection.
>
> --
> John
>


I live about 8 km's away and my nephew who lives about 3 km's away actually
witnessed the accident if he was about 1 min earlier he would have been in
it, he was quite shaken by the event as he was riding towards it when it
happened.

Apparently the woman had a stroke or seizure and just ran into the cyclists
full speed, they had no way to avoid the collision as she was traveling
quite fast due to the steepness of the hill.

I have heard that the rider from Tammworth was killed, but have not
confirmed it as yet.
 
"Boostland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:459332fc$0$11212$61c65585@uv-55king-reader-01.melbourne.pipenetworks.com.au...
>
> "John Pitts" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:p[email protected]...
>> On Mon, 25 Dec 2006 20:49:47 -0500, HJJ wrote:
>>
>>> On Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:36:49 +1100, John Pitts
>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>>A police spokesman said the accident occurred after the woman attempted
>>>>to turn left from Tingira Drive into Macquarie Road.
>>>
>>> Help me out here. What does that mean? She drove down the wrong side of
>>> the street?

>>
>> You can see the site of the incident at maps.google.com : search on
>> Tingira Drive, Croudace Bay, NSW, Australia.
>>
>>
>> My brother lives nearby and saw the aftermath. Here are his comments:
>>
>>>From the angle she went into the bushes, shes turned at the corner and
>>>then at about half way round, a 45 degree angle across to the trees on
>>>the other side of the road!!

>>
>>> The thing is with Tingira Drive, it's a fast 2 kilometre downhill
>>>"rollercoaster run" to the intersection, at the top intersection it's
>>>about 90m above sea level down to near level with Lake Macquarie at the
>>>bottom intersection at the accident site. People unfamiliar can get
>>>caught short on braking room as a bit further up the hill its an 80 zone
>>>...so as you come down the hill from Tingira Heights to the intersection
>>>you crest a small rise and see the intersection, if you miss the 60 sign
>>>and are still going 80+ you need to brake hard!!, and if you dont turn
>>>you are in the park! Did you notice the lack of trees directly in front
>>>of Tingira Drive....not without reason i suspect, perhaps wiped out by
>>>cars, (or pulled out by council for safety).

>>
>>>What gets me is there is a lot of open space on that intersection, vision
>>>is good both ways!, the cyclists had two lanes on their side of the road,
>>>the through lane and the turning lane,,,she had a merging lane and a
>>>through lane on her side!

>>
>> So it sounds like a combination of driver error and a dangerous
>> intersection.
>>
>> --
>> John
>>

>
> I live about 8 km's away and my nephew who lives about 3 km's away
> actually witnessed the accident if he was about 1 min earlier he would
> have been in it, he was quite shaken by the event as he was riding towards
> it when it happened.
>
> Apparently the woman had a stroke or seizure and just ran into the
> cyclists full speed, they had no way to avoid the collision as she was
> traveling quite fast due to the steepness of the hill.
>
> I have heard that the rider from Tammworth was killed, but have not
> confirmed it as yet.
>


Well thanks to a laggy news server I missed the post with the link to Noels
blog.

So thankfully no one was killed.

And I hope Noel can make a speedy recovery and come back and win the next
handicapped race with the Newcastle Vets, he got 4th in the Xmas handicap
race.

< http://www.huntervetscycling.com.au/Results/17Dec2006.html >

His group rode a great race and stopped any groups from behind catching, I
was riding off chopping block and we rode damn hard but could not get
anywhere within striking distance of them, even the scratch riders were
struggling in that race, when they caught us they were pretty well knackerd
they even said they were worried that we would take fastest time.
 

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