Cyclist skidded on ice and hit Land Rover
A cyclist left fighting for her life after being run over by a Land Rover skidded on ice before the collision.
The woman, thought to be in her 40s, was trapped behind the front wheels of the vehicle, which came to a stop at a 45-degree angle over a ditch near Clevedon.
She was flown to hospital by air ambulance after Monday morning's incident, which happened in freezing conditions.
The cyclist suffered severe injuries to her chest, abdomen, arms, pelvis and legs in the accident, and was trapped under the car for more than 45 minutes.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Sunday, June 30 2013
Paramedics gave her morphine while firefighters dug her out and used an airbag and a winch to lift the car.
She was taken by air ambulance to Frenchay Hospital, where she was being treated for her injuries, which were described as "life-threatening" by ambulance staff.
The accident happened at 8.20am on Monday on Nailsea Wall, just outside the village of Kenn. Winter conditions made driving extremely hazardous in the area, and ambulance staff were called to two other incidents within a half-mile radius in the same hour, including a police car which had skidded on ice and overturned into a ditch.
The woman was cycling along the road when she also skidded on a patch of ice.
She was run over by a Land Rover towing a trailer driving behind her and it ended up in a ditch, pinning her beneath the vehicle.
Ambulance staff were on the scene within eight minutes.
Paramedic Chris Membrey said: "We needed to get the Land Rover off her as soon as possible but it was balanced at a 45-degree angle.
"I was worried that as soon as we moved the vehicle it would fall and crush her.
"I gave her lots of morphine and eventually we managed to pull her out. We called the air ambulance as she had been trapped in the cold conditions for some time and it would be the quickest and safest way of getting her to hospital."
Because the Great Western Air Ambulance cannot afford to operate on Mondays, the County Air Ambulance that usually serves Herefordshire and Worcestershire was dispatched, arrving in 25 minutes.
Nailsea Wall road was closed while the accident was cleared.
A police spokeswoman said an investigation into the accident was under way but no one had been arrested.
The Bristol Post is supporting Great Western Air Ambulance' sefforts to raise enough money to be able to fly more often.
Comments
by Chris, Ex Bristol
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 5:32PM
“Why do people have to try and come to a conclusion which suits them. The fact is the poor lady fell off her bike in front of a following vehicle. She got badly injured as a result of the ACCIDENT. Lets just wish her a speedy recovery and stop trying to turn the story into a them and us debate. Accidents happen to pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, car drivers and truck drivers but they are still an accident.”
by Mark, Somewhere in the centre
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 4:32PM
“Wishing a speedy recovery to the woman in hospital.
Agree this shouldn't be used as another opportunity to open that particular can of worms.
After hearing about this I, like other drivers, will just allow even more space between any vehicle and mine while this cold spell lasts. Enough e.g. for someone to fall into the road (we have no idea what happened here of course) and me to skid to a halt on ice. As this is up to 120 m at 20 mph, this will be quite a challenge. So if you're being held up by a very careful Mondeo, please be patient!”
by Eileen, Clevedon
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 3:42PM
“Picture the scene. A cyclist is cycling on a quiet frosty road. She is cycling on the part of the road where vehicles have gone before her, in their wheel-tracks where it's quite safe. She hears a vehicle gaining on her from behind and moves to the left to allow it to pass, but in doing so has to ride on the slippery part near the kerbside, which possibly has frozen puddles,and would certainly be frost and slippery. As a result the bike skids and she falls off. That's the most likely scenario,”
by Wholetime Firefighter, Bristol
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 3:27PM
“None taken.”
by GEORGE (different george), BRISTOL
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 3:21PM
“Wholetime Firefighter - I am not a Firefighter - retained or wholetime - I really was just wondering - sorry to cause offence.”
by Wholetime Firefighter, Bristol
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 3:03PM
“My "Tag", as you put it, implies what I do for a living. Where are you retained to? There ARE no retained stations in Bristol, only the outlying towns and villages.”
by Wholetime Firefighter, Bristol
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 2:58PM
“Get a grip, George. As an ex-retained bloke, I find your attitude offensive. It is my profession, not my part-time job.
It is attitudes like yours that DO cause divisions between the two types.”
by Martin, Clifton
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 2:46PM
“Just a little warning to everyone, it is going to get very cold again tonight (about -6C according to the BBC), so there could be ice on the roads tomorrow, so please take extra care, and Slow Down.”
by GEORGE (different George), BRISTOL
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 2:44PM
“WHOLETIME FIREFIGHTER - YOUR TAG IMPLIES YOU THINK YOU ARE BETTER THAN A 'RETAINED FIREFIGHTER'!! I HOPE THAT IS NOT THE CASE.”
by Martin, Clifton.
Tuesday, January 06 2009, 2:43PM
“I do the same George.
I think that if there is room on a road for parked cars, then there is room for me to pass them at a safe distance.”