Cyclepaths
Frank Wilson
Posts: 930
Was out on the old mtb today (slow as buggery so not much chance of coming off) and went down the cyclepath. I avoid said cyclepath on my road bike, too many hazards, wet leaves, dogs, humans etc but one hazard I hadn't previously thought of came to light today. A guy had come off his bike and he was lying on the floor in the pouring rain with a suspected broken arm and other such nasties, he had by the time I arrived apparently been there over an hour because the ambulance couldn't access him on the cyclepath. There were two ambulances waiting on the road unable to attend, eventually an estate car ambulance managed to squeeze through the on/off ramp to drive down the path to him.
I don't know if there is an approved MO put out by Sustrans (who maintain the path) for such events but I haven't seen anything. Perhaps it is something they need to look at. Appreciate they are in an awkward place as they need to keep the access narrow to stop yobs on motorised transport.
I don't know if there is an approved MO put out by Sustrans (who maintain the path) for such events but I haven't seen anything. Perhaps it is something they need to look at. Appreciate they are in an awkward place as they need to keep the access narrow to stop yobs on motorised transport.
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Another tick in the box for staying on the road.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I know when a guy came a cropper at cannock sometime ago on the trail they just drove the ambulance up the nearest fire road strapped him to a basket stretcher and walked him off the trail down to the ambulance with some help from others. Why couldn't they do this on the sustrans path, let me guess health and safety again. What ever happened to common sense
Apologies, I may have mislead you by saying I was on my MTB, this is not a mtb trail with access roads, this is a tarmac path that runs through town, the conventional van type ambulance could not physically access the path as they were too wide, hence the extra wait for an estate car type ambulance. There are access gates for when routine maintenance of the path is required but these are kept locked for obvious reasons and one presumes the keys are with either Sustrans or the contractors who carry out said maintenance.0 -
Still doesn't negate the two guys and a stretcher option.I know when a guy came a cropper at cannock sometime ago on the trail they just drove the ambulance up the nearest fire road strapped him to a basket stretcher and walked him off the trail down to the ambulance with some help from others. Why couldn't they do this on the sustrans path, let me guess health and safety again. What ever happened to common sense
Apologies, I may have mislead you by saying I was on my MTB, this is not a mtb trail with access roads, this is a tarmac path that runs through town, the conventional van type ambulance could not physically access the path as they were too wide, hence the extra wait for an estate car type ambulance. There are access gates for when routine maintenance of the path is required but these are kept locked for obvious reasons and one presumes the keys are with either Sustrans or the contractors who carry out said maintenance.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Bolt cutters anyone. Surely paramedics just need to carry some and if they have to use them to gain access to an injured party then tough shit to who ever owns the gate.http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.0
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So paramedics can't get to anyone who isn't within a few metres of a road now? Poor form! Tell that to the likes of mountain rescue! As said two blokes and a stretcher!0
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Bolt cutters anyone. Surely paramedics just need to carry some and if they have to use them to gain access to an injured party then tough shoot to who ever owns the gate.
It still might not be a good idea for a vehicle weighing several tonnes to use a path designed for vehicles of around 100kg.0 -
I know when a guy came a cropper at cannock sometime ago on the trail they just drove the ambulance up the nearest fire road strapped him to a basket stretcher and walked him off the trail down to the ambulance with some help from others. Why couldn't they do this on the sustrans path, let me guess health and safety again. What ever happened to common sense
Apologies, I may have mislead you by saying I was on my MTB, this is not a mtb trail with access roads, this is a tarmac path that runs through town, the conventional van type ambulance could not physically access the path as they were too wide, hence the extra wait for an estate car type ambulance. There are access gates for when routine maintenance of the path is required but these are kept locked for obvious reasons and one presumes the keys are with either Sustrans or the contractors who carry out said maintenance.
Don't the paramedics have legs?
Couldn't access him? If he (and you) could get there then they can ... might take them a bit longer than going by ambulance - but really?
There's got to be another reason why they didn't attend - perhaps they couldn't find him? Please tell me it was that ... I can't believe any paramedic wouldn't attend unless they felt their own life was at risk ... and even then sometimes they'd go ...0 -
I must admit I am completely baffled by this one. Surely getting an ambulance CLOSE was sufficient?0
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This seems to be the relevant point. How far away were the ambulances?I must admit I am completely baffled by this one. Surely getting an ambulance CLOSE was sufficient?0 -
I broke my leg in a mountain bike race in the middle of some moorland. I was told that an ambulance couldn't get to me so they might have to send for the air ambulance. So I got up and hopped to the end of a mud track where the St John's Ambulance (3 men and a 10 year old girl, which was made for a lop-sided journey) carried me to their ambulance on a stretcher. They drove to the road where I was transferred to the 'proper' ambulance.0
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This seems to be the relevant point. How far away were the ambulances?I must admit I am completely baffled by this one. Surely getting an ambulance CLOSE was sufficient?
The nearest on / off ramp for walkers / cyclists (and the where the ambulance was parked) was about a mile from where the guy was down, I personally would not like to carry a full grown man for a mile on a stretcher, but in saying that a wheelchair would have been an alternative, I assume ambulances carry them. One of the Paramedics did eventually borrow a bike off someone and cycled to the chap with his kit bag.0 -
... this is not a mtb trail with access roads, this is a tarmac path that runs through town, ...The nearest on / off ramp for walkers / cyclists (and the where the ambulance was parked) was about a mile from where the guy was down, .....
That must be one heck of a spread out town!
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
OK, a mile is a fair schlep. I think I'd be doing everything I could to get myself to the ambulance if that were me, obviously can't say for sure without knowing the guys injuries.The nearest on / off ramp for walkers / cyclists (and the where the ambulance was parked) was about a mile from where the guy was down, I personally would not like to carry a full grown man for a mile on a stretcher, but in saying that a wheelchair would have been an alternative, I assume ambulances carry them. One of the Paramedics did eventually borrow a bike off someone and cycled to the chap with his kit bag.0 -
Surely if MR volunteers can walk miles across hard terrain in the dark, then a paramedic should be able to walk a mile and push someone back in a wheelchair...0
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Yepp, a mile takes about 15 minutes to walk at a brisk pace. So basically this boils down to "Can't be arsed". I would imagine that if the ambulance crew turned up and found the injured party was a close relative of one of them then walking a mile would have seemed quite achievable.
A lot of people do active sports and I don't think the key to undertaking them in a safe manner is to ensure that one is within a mile of a decent road at all times.0 -
This seems to be the relevant point. How far away were the ambulances?I must admit I am completely baffled by this one. Surely getting an ambulance CLOSE was sufficient?
The nearest on / off ramp for walkers / cyclists (and the where the ambulance was parked) was about a mile from where the guy was down, I personally would not like to carry a full grown man for a mile on a stretcher, but in saying that a wheelchair would have been an alternative, I assume ambulances carry them. One of the Paramedics did eventually borrow a bike off someone and cycled to the chap with his kit bag.
All ambulance stretchers have wheels nowadays so nobody would have to carry anyone.
Perhaps next time they can call air ambulance after all we wouldn't want them to walk the whole mile through the bike path...0
