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If the bike's on them, I'll wait until I think we're not in jeopardy of making things worse, and help them get untangled. The only exception is if there's an imminent chance of injury from a spinning wheel/sprocket/brake, or they're stuck in a way that may cause burns.
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As a follow-up question, what are some precautions that we as participants can/should be taking to mitigate the financial impact of a trip to the hospital? Apart from buying the best health insurance, are the subscription-based emergency air transport services worth it? Is there an equivalent that covers ground transport? What are the medical supplies to have with you at the track? What's a proper crash kit contain? (particularly for treating kids)
I've often considered a SPOT locater and a REACH air subscription for myself but hesitated, I am now reconsidering. Given the high probability of injury, I want to be prepared.
Great comments, I'm hoping this thread can become a resource for other riders and parents.
I was first on the scene at a crash at the Bithlo, Fl. motocross track. I was first because I was right behind the guy when he took his header. There was a set of big natural whoops leading up to the then famous ‘Mt. Bithlo’ and I was overtaking a much slower rider when he swapped and ate it. As I blew by he wasn’t moving so I slid to a stop and dropped my bike to go to his assistance. He was knocked plumb out but he was breathing and didn’t seem to be distressed. In fact he looked pretty comfortable so I didn’t move him before waving to the flagger to send the EMT.
The EMT arrived shortly on his Mule as the victim was starting to regain consciousness. Soon after a bevy of support arrived on foot.
The EMT got the victim to sit up and then started the usual question and answer session.
“Do you know who you are?”
“Yes, John”.
“Do you know where you are at?”
“Uh, Bithlo?”
“Do you know what day it is?”
“Sunday?”
At this point I had seen enough for my young self to decide he was going to be fine and it was time to get back to riding so I interrupted the EMT and asked the victim, “Do you know who I am?” I had never seen the guy before so I thought a ‘no’ would be the appropriate answer.
He looked at me closely before slowly saying, “I don’t think so”.
I pretended to be worried and said, “I’m your brother. You don’t even know your own brother?”
Poor guy got a really weird look on his face but before he could panic several of the do-gooder onlookers that must have know him yelled out that I wasn’t his brother. As they hastened over to enact some kind of penalty for my misdeed I was already on my bike and starting another lap.
I heard someone yell, “Asshole!” as I sped away and do you know that caught on and has been my nickname ever since.
For anyone interested the training is truly worth it and covers everything you need to know for being the first one on scene for anything ranging from a gun shot wound to a car crash or motorcycle accident. The training also includes a trauma kit with everything needed to save a life. It's amazing the lives that could be saved simply by applying a proper tourniquet or chest seal. Some say its expensive but its less than what we pay for a an exhaust. And the thought of never having that sinking feeling of being on a scene of an accident and having no idea what to do.
https://darkangelmedical.com/training/
The rest of the information here is good for a good samaritan. Protect yourself first so you can help.
Ensure their safety. Make sure incoming bikes don't hit the rider. Ensure they have an open airway. Don't move them. Studies show that if they can move themselves to a position of comfort then they are not likely to cause themselves further harm but it should require little to no help from you.
Gather information. From the rider witnesses or friends. Information would include name date of birth emergency contact information was he unconscious? For how long? Allergies? Medical conditions? As a bystander I don't expect you to have all of those answers but the more you have the faster I can move.
Other than that without any equipment all you can do is be calming. Don't say dumb things like everything is going to be OK when you don't know, instead try just talking to them about something to calm them down and take their mind somewhere else. Tell them help is coming and that your going to be with them until it arrives. Ask them what you can do to help them. Things like that.
What was not surprising was how many people said it was a great idea (we offered for free)
What was surprising was how many people didn’t want one because they thought it was bad ju ju
It was similar to this..
] https://images.myhardhatstickers.com/img/lg2/A/hh-wsid-01-03.png
Pit Row
Most young racers still aren’t going to know what to do if they had to help their 12 year old friend in a life or death situation, hopefully you’re article helps, but explain the importance of helping them by making sure traffic gets stopped as soon as possible. The more kids that learn this young will make for a safer enviorment for everyone.
On a practice day if you see someone go down hard or just in a bad place, be careful, don’t cause any other accidents by crossing lanes carelessly etc, but go get on the track in the most safe visible place before the accident. Could be 20 feet from the rider could be 200 feet, but safely stop/notify traffic first before worrying about that riders safety. You’re helping them so much more by notifying the other riders than you will be trying to go be by their side in the seconds after.
Three years ago I had my first big accident. Wide open straightaway, bike got headshake, tossed me over the bars followed by a few cartwheels... I laid there in the dirt a little dazed, but still conscious, had the wind knocked out of me and my kidney area was hurting like a bugger. Immediately a huge crowd of people gathered around me all yelling and screaming asking if I was okay (One at a time people, cmon now!
Fast forward after the ambulance ride to the hospital they get me some X-Rays... they come and tell me that MY BACK IS BROKEN and to not try moving or walking or standing as that could cause some serious spinal cord damage.
In short, it still scares me how the medics made me walk and propped me up by holding my arms, after such a serious accident. They could have done some serious damage to me on top of the already serious broken spine I had.
Ended up having it fused, two rods and five screws from L1-L3, luckily no spinal cord damage.
I’m glad this thread came up. Everyone could use some info on what to do in the case of an accident.
Stay safe everyone!
Except the exceptions like mentioned by Guyb.
The worst of all time is this happening in the woods at a Harescramble or an enduro far from any quick help. I like to volunteer at checkpoints and had a bad one with a compound fracture. It felt like a week for the EMT to get there and it was only 20 minutes.
I like this idea a ton, and well this would be a great addition to things done today.
I never seen this before.
tons of good information in here, doing race events for jsut at 30 years racing personally 46.
My thoughts are much like others here.
1. make sure rider is not being further hurt by oncoming riders not seeing, maybe help the flagger if there is need..
2. never ever move the rider unless like said danger from burns or chain, spinning wheels etc. then that is only extreme cases.
3. comfort the rider but mainly pay attention to what you see. When the EMT's get there they will need to know what you just seen. It will help them.
4. Once they are on the scene, step back, let them have the room they need to do their job.
I would also suggest that no track ever runs with out every flagger every time having radio communication with a race event person who is responsible to over seeing the event. This means, there is a person, who watches every race, every rider, as much as possible. They co-ordinate flagging and EMT's. So when this happens, the flagger is flagging and calling for assistance. Then the only time wasted in this process is the speed and ability for the EMT's to get to the rider who is down. it's our process. At our events myself or my sons are "watching". sometimes more then one person. It helps when you can see things that might go wrong and work to fix them before it bites ya in the butt.
great topic by the way.
Long story short, he crashed jumping a small single to table that pee-wee's were doing, got fucked up and KTFO. His son, who I believe was 5 at the time, was there with him and no one knew who to call in order to help out.
That's how I came up with this idea.
If interest had kept up, I'd have kept giving them away, for free.
Gave away a few hundred, but then interest faded and it seemed to spook others...bad juju
I'd make them again if I believed there was interest. I got some help on what was needed on it, and we printed it on a backing that was textured and easy to write on, could even be done with a ballpoint pen.
I'd always hoped the helmet mfgrs would've adopted it and included them with every helmet sold. A few other companies copied it for a while, and it was one of the few things (only thing?) that I was glad to see copied.
I don't care if I was a part of it or not, I probably wasn't, it's just a good idea and glad someone is doing it
Have you ever wondered why people don't wear bicycle helmets on jet skis? People do crash jet skis, but also, being made of foam, they'd keep your head out of or above water. Sure you could mold one where it would keep your face out of the water....
As George Carlin said "These are the kinds of things I think about when the power goes out"
The kid came to after a few minutes, and turned out to have a severe concussion. Was this protocol? Is lying on the side worse than being on the back? Helmet removal recommended?
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