This is a first for me. Normally I am bagging CAMS for anything I can think of. Today I have to add some balance.
At Huntley last weekend we had a very serious crash. It was extremely close to a fatality. Just around the first bend for those that know the course. Not your usual spot. I've only seen 2 other crashes there and they were relatively soft. Exactly how it happened I dont know. Nobody seems to know. One of our formula libres had a rear end lose. It had a big impact with a tree about 8 inches in diameter and ended upside down facing slightly downhill.
The driver has serious head and chest injuries and is lucky to be alive albeit in a coma. Somehow he has escaped without any spinal or neck injuries. Its not nice having to pull someone you know out of twisted wreck.
The resulting efforts of the police investigation have only heightened my disrespect for them. I think pretty much every car in the Illawarra turned up for a look. 2 officers were working, the others were sitting on the armco doing nothing) The 1 who was investigating had no idea idea what she was doing, and the comments she made when she hopped out of her car would have earned her a smack in the teeth by some given the circumstances. The dick in an XR8 highway patrol that came late and sped through our pit area twice with people mingling around needs to be sacked. I never knew cars could reverse that fast.
However, CAMS execs flew up from melbourne and have been very supportive to myself and the family of the driver. They have done everything they can to help, so I thought I'd come on here and balance the equation a little.
Good to know they can pull it together when it matters most :thumb.
Hope you're doing okay dude, sure I speak for everyone when I say that we're thinking of you.
I would seriously consider yourself and witnesses reporting to the police ombudsman or a similar authority - not to say I haven't come across some very sincere police officers before but, attitudes like this within the force seem to be too widespread and re-inforced by an infalible, 'force protecting force right or wrong' attitude.
My deepest thoughts, prayers and sympathies go out to the driver and their, friends & family.
-Cam
Chris do you have an update on the drivers conidition. From what I hear he was still in a pretty bad way? My thoughts go out to the driver and his family. It is not a nice feeling having to witness and then deal with the aftermath of a serious or fatal collision, so I too can empathise with you Chris.
Although I dont condone the alleged unprofessionalism of the police / emergency services, it needs to be realised there is a shift in focus when it comes to major accidents, police investigations and ultimately coroners court. The fact of the matter is this. Once police are notified of a serious car crash (a possible fatality or persons trapped) all efforts are made to respond to the driver and their safety, then investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident. Once the police turn up it is their race track (or road or park or paddock etc) until it is handed back. Although you may not like the way in which the police dealt with this matter, they are professionals (or should be) when it comes to these investigations. Thats what Crash Investigation Officers do serveral times a day seven days a week.
In this instance I think it may be best if you keep your comments regarding the accident and any other matters surrouding it to yourself as your comments one way or another may come back to haunt you. Event organisors and officials may one day have to give evidence in the coroners court justifying certain actions or comments made on the day or there after.
My thoughts are with this driver and this family and any person who had to witness and deal with this horific accident.
[ Edited on 6/10/2007 by bat69 ]
White Knuckle Racing Team [/i] "Drive it like dirt"
Unfortunately there is no good news to tell as Geoff is still in a coma.
I dont back away from anything I have said about the police. They were called to the scene because that is there job, its what they do I have no problems with that. Only too happy to have them investigate. The trouble begins when someone steps out of their car and says "OK lets see who we can get" in full earshot of the people who she is talking about and who have just earlier pulled their unconscious and not breathing friend from a mangled race car. She was obviously not there to investigate the accident but to find a scapegoat. If it was a real investigation first she needed to find out WHAT happened and then if it was human error find WHO. To enable you to find out WHAT happened most people would talk to witnesses. To date I have no knowledge of this happening. The one person they were interested in talking to on the day was the person who was chocking the cars on the start line who couldnt see what happened. I tried to make this point during the investigation but it didnt seem to matter. I just had to sit on the armco with the rest of the police. They did not ask me or the CoC any questions at all apart from name, age, date of birth, possibly phone number.
We're constantly working to make things safer. At the last event we had a barrier for spectators at the fork for the first time and the pit area was controlled more strictly than ever before as I spent the whole day kicking people out that shouldnt be there. But this is a dangerous game we play. On a good day you get out of the car and the adrenalin rush is surely better than any pill you could pop. On a bad day things break or get bent. But then occasionally some pretty fucked up things happen. Not just to us amateurs. It happened to Senna arguably the best in the world, and it happened to Brock arguably the best Australian. We all know that, even if we try not to think about it. We sign the disclaimer, we attend the drivers briefing and sign that. The permits arent easy to get. I have permission from council, permission from the police, permission from CAMS, a fresh track licence was issued a few months ago. The driver has insurance with his licence, the event has insurance via the permit, and the club has its own insurance. A lot of work goes into maintaining the hill and building tyre barriers. We've spent many thousands of dollars and volunteer man hours over the last few years I have been the organiser. Unfortunately for Geoff he was dealt a really shit hand that day.
There has been a sad development to this story. I havent mentioned the drivers name before, but it was Geoff Lord. If you're involved or follow the NSWHCC you will know him. He had recently bought a Jedi open wheeler. He had previously driven a go kart or a yellow open wheeler.
I've had a terrible phone call tonight from Geoff's wife. Sadly he is not expected to live. Apparently he has no brain function at all, he is brain dead. He's currently on a ventilator keeping him alive but he has a staph infection of the lungs. She told me that his lungs are probably only going to last another two weeks.
It apparently wasnt the impact of the accident that will take his life but the lack of oxygen in waiting for the ambulance. It's more heartbreaking to know that. On top of being the organiser who gets people in, I was the one who called the ambulance well within a minute of the accident, plus I drove like an idiot at up to 140 in an bumpy 80 zone goat track driving out to the main intersection to wait for the ambulance and escort them in. Not that there was any delay in them coming, it was just never going to be quick enough.
We are commited to helping out the family as much as we possibly can. A large portion of the entry fees for the next event will be going to his family as will any donations we receive. If you want to be a part of that event or wish to help out the family of a fellow racer by donating there are details in the paperwork for our next event available at www.wscc.org.au
Craig Torrens6 times Australian, 7 times State Hillclimb Class Champion
amazeer wrote:The story might have had a totally different ending if that were the case. At multiclub events we only have a st johns officer on site.
The "Ambulance vs St John" issue - is something that's running around in the off road racing world as well, and given the distances from civilisation that our events are typically held, access to oxygen and other life saving equipment normally kept on ambulances is possibly even more critical/time dependent.
I can't imagine the emotional stress that you folks are suffering from, and hope that I never have to, so my thoughts go out to all involved or affected by this tragic situation.
I think there was some discussion at a NSW state level regarding the need for ambulances at state championship events. It is kinda silly that the same cars can rock up to the same hill on a multiclub day and only need a st johns ambulance. I think there was a push to relax the requirement at state rounds to contain costs. There was going to be an investigation of how many times the ambulances have been required to treat someone.
However, we've used the ambulances 3 times in the last 18 months. Once for a drivers heart attack, once from a large spectator having a "turn" after walking our hill, and now this. On those 3 occasions we've actually used 5 ambulances. If it was a multiclub day the heart attack victim would have died also. So I think WSCC might leave a foul taste in the mouths of others if the proposal gets knocked back.
Another thing that makes this hard to fathom is that the accident happened where accidents seldom happen. I only know of two others at that point on the first corner. If it happened coming out of our esses then you can sit back and think well that was an accident waiting to happen. But not there.
Yeah, similar discussions over here, in SA, with cost being one of the prime concerns/determinators.... didn't want to mention the cost thing earlier for fear of appearing to get on the soap box.
And as far "accidents where accidents seldom happen".... it's motor sport, so they'll happen wherever and whenever, but I do know what you mean.
We (NSW offroad) have used a careflight helicopter twice in the last 5 years, but still only use st johns ambo's. Theyre pretty good, if we need an ambo, they call them.
I know comittee's and the like will always abnter the costs involved with having an ambulance on site for race meets but what cost do you put on a human life?? you can't replace them nor rebuild them once they're gone they're gone.
Condolances to all involved...
ACCEPT THAT SOME DAYS YOU ARE THE PIDGEON AND SOME DAYS YOU ARE THE STATUE
Well, 1 year and 8 months have passed since Geoff's accident and the coronor has finished with his report and it appears he has made no recommendations at all, after finding it was an unfortunate accident. Still havent actually seen the report as yet, but looking like WSCC and more importantly chris fraser wont have anything to answer for.
Whether or not Huntley Hillclimb ever runs again is another matter, as the track has suffered from age and neglect. We still need permission from police and quazi council to begin again. Not sure about other WSCC members but I'm not prepared to waste time pulling out even 1 weed until given in principle approval.
In the past the process has been to apply to police and council. The council send it to traffic department who pass/reject and then send to full council meeting. Then they sent a letter saying they dont mind if the police dont mind/ police say they dont support it but wont object providing CAMS approve it. Then the cams track inspector comes down and makes a list of upgrades required. A series of weekend working bees happens to meet the upgrades, a 2nd track inspection happens, licence granted. So in an ideal world, I cant really see it happening this year, but possibly next year one of the oldest CAMS affiliated clubs in Australia will rise from the ashes again.
One thing that is for certain is that open wheelers will never run there again, meaning it wont ever be on the state championship list again. In all honesty though, that was just a pain in the arse status thing. We didnt really like doing it.
