Why do I bother taking time off?

[Gil]

Took a long weekend to go up to Colorado Springs to see the in-laws.
They are currently building a new home, and we were crossing town to go look at it.

Sitting at a light waiting for it to change, I look up just in time to hear a loud "whump" and see a biker sailing over a Fiero.

I get pushed out to assist.
The biker keeps trying to get up, and his leg was FUBAR.
Bones out at the heel and some bleeding.

This guy had to be the luckiest person on the planet.

As I flip on the hazards and jump out and plant my hand in the middle of this guy's chest to keep him down, two EMT'S (off-duty) come running up to assist.
Then ANOTHER nurse comes trotting up.

What a "vacation".

 

[SS69]

I was driving to work one day. Got off the highway and was sitting at a redlight. I look over to the other lane, no one was next to me, the third lane over there was a woman in a ford focus; she wasnt bad looking for someone in her 40's. For some odd reason I started thinking about how she looked like she would be a nice person, and she's probably a good mother. About ten seconds later, BAM! An 80,000lb rock hauler doing almost 70 hits her from behind. Her car catches on fire and her and the truck go on for probably another football fields length from the redlight before coming to a stop. I get out of my car and run up there, there is another guy running beside me, not sure where he came from. We get to the car and part of it's on fire. I see the woman and she's squashed in between her seat and the dash. The car looks like a soda can that got stepped on. She's clearly dead at this point, but me and the other guy still go to try and do something, with some hope that she was granted a miracle. Not much we could do though seeing as she was now a part of the car itself and no way for us to get her out. The driver side suddenly engulfs with flames and we just went back to our cars to wait for the paramedics.

The kid who hit her was 21 years old. He had just gotten hired by this company to drive a truck, and this was his first run. I almost feel bad at the fact he ruined his life at such a young age. I then think about the husband and the two young daughters who no longer have their mother. He deserves what he gets.

I figured I'd just tell the story, I mean, since we're talking about witnessing accidents.

 

[Zrow]

Well, that's what you get for being a nurse, now isn't it?

Really though, kudos for getting out to help the guy anyway.

 

[Solid Lifters]

Took a long weekend to go up to Colorado Springs to see the in-laws.
They are currently building a new home, and we were crossing town to go look at it.

Sitting at a light waiting for it to change, I look up just in time to hear a loud "whump" and see a biker sailing over a Fiero.

I get pushed out to assist.
The biker keeps trying to get up, and his leg was FUBAR.
Bones out at the heel and some bleeding.

This guy had to be the luckiest person on the planet.

As I flip on the hazards and jump out and plant my hand in the middle of this guy's chest to keep him down, two EMT'S (off-duty) come running up to assist.
Then ANOTHER nurse comes trotting up.

What a "vacation".

You people are never off duty. I salute you, sir. 👍

 

[Danny]

Them's the breaks...

Nurses do an amazing job 24/7, and I tip my hat to you and your colleagues.

 

[Gil]

Hey, the two EMT's did the "Heavy Lifting". I just kept the guy talking, and kept him from trying to get up. Nothing like a 300 lb. guy with his hand in your chest to keep you supine.
The girl EMT grabbed the guy's head and held C-spine traction. All the while the guys is cursing like a sailor about not hitting his head.
The male EMT is running hands all over the guy checking for injuries.
I felt nearly useless, till the police officer said, "So, did anyone of you see anything?"
He got my version, in writing.
Even though I felt useless, the first officer on the scene looked us over, saw we were rendering aid, and though he didn't have a first-aid kit in his car, he was passing out latex gloves like party favors, and staying well out of the way.
Truly, all I did was keep the guy down, and kept him from grabbing the dude that hit him when he came running back to the scene.
The most perplexng thing to me was that we came back thru that intersection 5-HOURS later and there were still cops there, and the bike was finally on the back of a flatbed, and the car was still down the street with all it's compartments open.

 

[Tulok]

maybe it was drugs in the car? And wow this is sad
It must feel pretty bad to see someone dead like that SS.

 

[Duke]

And here I thought it was just going to be a complaint about how you have to do an extra week's work both before AND after a 1-week vacation, but I guess not... :/

Thanks for rendering aid, Gil. Everyone appreciates it, even if it was only a small contribution THIS time.

 

[GilesGuthrie]

I thought it was going to be one of those fatherhood complaints. You know, where you take time off work and the family runs you so ragged you wish you'd gone into the office anyway...

You're a good man Gil.

 

[guska]

kudos for giving aid. IMO nurses don't get said enough for the extra things they do, not just things like this, I mean the dedication to the job and the care they have for others, but I guess, if you didn't have the care, you wouldn't be a nurse. The stupid thing in Australia is, that a nurse is not legally allowed to render assistance at an accident scene, whereas the average joe can do an emergency tracheotomy if they have the faintest idea what they are doing, and if it goes pair shaped, they are still lauded as a hero. Doctors, or course can do what they like.

 

[Gil]

I thought it was going to be one of those fatherhood complaints. You know, where you take time off work and the family runs you so ragged you wish you'd gone into the office anyway...

You're a good man Gil.

Nah, my kids are old enough that they could have driven part of the trip.
I actually was pretty stunned initially. The wife all but ejected me from the car to help.

I only have one thing to say to you who drive.
When making a left turn, watch out for the damn motorcycle!!!
My brother-in-law (who works with computers in a hospital) told me that nearly 90% of motorcycle accidents are the "classic" car turned left in front of the bike cause it wasn't seen.

So, for you bikers among us. 2 things, get some LOUD PIPES. Secondly, slow down when crossing intersections with left turn lanes.
I won't rag you about helmets...
Most of our organ donors in states without helmet laws are bikers.
Sign your organ donor cards.

 

[Vonie]

You da man, Gil!

 

[UnoMOTO]

I only have one thing to say to you who drive.
When making a left turn, watch out for the damn motorcycle!!!
My brother-in-law (who works with computers in a hospital) told me that nearly 90% of motorcycle accidents are the "classic" car turned left in front of the bike cause it wasn't seen.

So, for you bikers among us. 2 things, get some LOUD PIPES. Secondly, slow down when crossing intersections with left turn lanes.
I won't rag you about helmets...
Most of our organ donors in states without helmet laws are bikers.
Sign your organ donor cards.

The first rule of riding is to scan every intersection you approach. Look at every car sitting there and locate the one that is about to kill you.

I saw a guy the other day do all of the following while riding through an intersection.

1. No helmet
2. No riding gear...Short sleeve T-shirt
3. One hand on the handle bar
4. Other hand holding cell phone
5. Looking down at screen of cell phone

He would have never seen the car turn in front of him had it happened.

 

[Danny]

The first rule of riding is to scan every intersection you approach. Look at every car sitting there and locate the one that is about to kill you.

I saw a guy the other day do all of the following while riding through an intersection.

1. No helmet
2. No riding gear...Short sleeve T-shirt
3. One hand on the handle bar
4. Other hand holding cell phone
5. Looking down at screen of cell phone

He would have never seen the car turn in front of him had it happened.

That is shocking.
Perhaps you should have nudged him off his bike before he had a serious accident.

No?

 

[ND4SPD]

The first rule of riding is to scan every intersection you approach. Look at every car sitting there and locate the one that is about to kill you.

I saw a guy the other day do all of the following while riding through an intersection.

1. No helmet
2. No riding gear...Short sleeve T-shirt
3. One hand on the handle bar
4. Other hand holding cell phone
5. Looking down at screen of cell phone

He would have never seen the car turn in front of him had it happened.

That sounds like the dumbest person ever.

 

[Gil]

As I age I think about re-learning how to ride a motorcycle.
Then I remember that Kansas has actual "weather" and little of it is conducive to riding a motorcycle. (The same can be said for driving a convertible).

Another tip for you bikers among us. When you approach an intersection "cover" your brake and clutch levers.
If you have to make a panic stop, it'll save you a full second.
At 40 MPH that's about 60 feet.
The difference between stopping before the intersection, and stopping in the path of the oncoming vehicle.

 

[Public'sTwin]

Took a long weekend to go up to Colorado Springs to see the in-laws.
I get pushed out to assist.
What a "vacation".

There is no such thing as rest for those serving the public, and for that we are all grateful.

Edit: Heh, seems like I'm just echoing most people's sentiments here. Good.

Sign your organ donor cards.

Hmm, that reminds me: I think we should just default to allowing all people to have their organs donated upon death, and then sign a donor card if you don't want them to do so. And tax the hell out of them!

Kidding.

 

[niky]

Motorbike accidents out in Asia are a dime a dozen... and it's all because people don't have presence of mind.

Kudos, Gil. Accidents are a great way to spend the vacation... but it's worth it knowing you helped, eh? 👍

That is shocking.
Perhaps you should have nudged him off his bike before he had a serious accident.

No?

I've seen how that works...

 

[Gil]

Motorbike accidents out in Asia are a dime a dozen... and it's all because people don't have presence of mind.

Kudos, Gil. Accidents are a great way to spend the vacation... but it's worth it knowing you helped, eh? 👍

This accident was actually more than 2 years ago, and I've learned my lesson.
Got a freaking summons to appear in court to testify against the guy driving the car!!
Thankfully the guy pled guilty, and saved me a trip to Colorado, just to say "Yep, that dude was driving the car."

For more on riding safely www.ridelikeapro.com

Yeah, the dude is selling DVDs. But there is some free youtube content that is good stuff.

 

[niky]

Dude... I didn't notice the self-grave-dig!

Man... two years? For a traffic incident? And I thought our courts were slow!

 

[Gil]

Actually, the Summons was like a year and a half ago. But still LONNG after the accident.
I don't think I'd recognize the biker or the driver of the car if I were to run into them in the grocery store.

As for the "grave-dig" I forgot to star with "Dredging up this blast from the past...."

Although I did have a moment when I thought we should just avoid going to Colorado to see the 'rents.

The trip after the bike accident, we were rolling along I-70, near Junction City, KS, and I saw the Crown Vic/Mercury Marquis in the oncoming lane experience a blow-out. Right rear tire went at about 70 mph as they were coming abreast of us.
My youngest son was the only one of the kids awake in the back, and he said "holy crap! Did you see that?!?!" about the same time I yelled "Holy S***!!"
My wife was in the passenge seat reading a book and "What?"
I pointed out the back window and she turned to look and saw nothing but a cloud of dust.
My son and I saw the car skid sideways and start ROLLING side over side, MANY times!
My wife asked if we should stop, but by the time she knew what was going on we were a mile further up the road, and there aren't many exits out that way. So we called 911.

I don't know the outcome for sure, but we found out, when we got back that 2 dialysis patients from that area recieved kidneys...

The trip after THAT, we went up for my Brother-in-Law's funeral. Got to the Springs, 7,000 feet above sea level, and I couldn't breathe...

Then we went back for Christmas, and I wound up in the hospital 2 days after Christmas with an intestinal blockage. I spent two days in the Hospital with a naso-gastric tube literally sucking the crap out of my gut and resting my bowel....

I was pretty much ready to put a moratorium on trips to Colorado.