The news spread like wildfire this morning. There had been a road accident on nearby Ecclesall Road at the junction that leads to our local Co-op supermarket and to Phoebe and Margot's nursery school. Twenty minutes before the accident, Frances had dropped Phoebe off at our house before taking Margot to the nursery school for her last day session of the week.
At first there was some confusion about what had happened but as the day advanced, the information became clearer. A sixteen year old cyclist on his way to school had collided with a car and had then been jettisoned into the path of an oncoming lorry.
At one point, there were four police vehicles at the scene and three ambulances. A helicopter landed in nearby Endcliffe Park but it proved unnecessary for the boy was soon sped to hospital in a regular road ambulance. He remains in hospital in what a spokesperson has called "a critical condition".
The busy A road was sealed off until 4pm. Shirley passed by the scene an hour later to pick up Margot and reported that there was still blood on the tarmac.
The whole thing is naturally a nightmare for the car driver, the lorry driver, the teenage lad's family and of course the injured victim himself who may or may not survive.
There but for the grace of God go any of us.
I am reminded of the time that my late brother Paul killed a teenage boy in rural Ireland. He was overtaking a school bus that had just pulled in at the kerb when a fifteen year old schoolboy shot out from round the front of the bus without looking. There was nothing that Paul could do. The boy died at the scene.
I don't know the name of today's accident victim but I wish him well and hope that he survives this day of horror without great physical impairment. Life is such a precious gift and he ought to have most of his life ahead of him. If I were a praying person, I would pray for him.
What a tragic accident. As you said, it's a nightmare for all involved, not just the poor boy. We knew a fellow who accidentally killed a child (unavoidably) and he was never the same, descending into severe depression and alcoholism. I am a praying person, so I will. Your photo is quite sobering.
ReplyDeleteHow do military people cope with having killed people? Not easy.
DeleteHorrible things can happen in an instant. Best wishes for that young man.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, there's no rewind button Deb.
DeleteIt could all be gone in an instant.
ReplyDeleteHoping the victim recovers.
The first could happen to TACOman but the second would not apply.
DeleteSituations such as this really shake you up. It happens so quickly . I hope the kid survives to live another day.
ReplyDeleteThese things hit home when they happen on your doorstep.
DeleteWhat a terrible accident. Yes, I hope the teenage boy survives without life-altering injuries.
ReplyDeleteIf I see an update I will post it. I know he has not died yet.
DeleteA boy in a neighbouring community died yesterday when he collided with a school bus.
ReplyDeleteShocking tragedies can be so close.
DeleteSounds dreadful. I always see idiots on the roads (mostly in the UK). They seem to think that by driving faster and more foolishly than the rest of us that they will get there quicker. Often they don't arrive at all.
ReplyDeleteIt may have been the cyclist's fault - I don't know.
DeleteLife can change in an instant as a result of such an event.
ReplyDeleteYour account of your brother's experience reminds me that I took the bus to school up to about year 3 (around about then I think I mostly walked - it was a bit over 1km - we knew that as half a mile) and maybe even to (preschool) kindergarten (about 3.5 km - we thought of that then as 2 miles).
Taking the bus to kindergarten seems amazing now. I'm pretty sure that a kindergarten teacher met me and presumably other children at the bus stop and escorted us back after. The drivers were regular and knew us and on the trip home would wait if my mother wasn't there to meet the bus.
Once I started school we (ie, sister; neighbours) had to cross a not very busy road when we got to school. It was absolutely drummed into us that we cross behind the bus after it had pulled away. I find that rule still very deeply imprinted in me.
My sister was run over by a car when she was 9 years old, right in front of our house. She had been very cautiously checking whether the road was clear before she crossed it, but someone had a brand new Porsche and wanted to test it out on our long, straight, slightly downhill road - he was speeding way over the allowed limit. She practically landed in our drive, but miraculously only sustained a broken arm and many bruises (which hurt a lot more than the arm, she said).
ReplyDeleteThe wife of the Porsche driver later even had the nerve to turn up at our house and ask for compensation for the pound-sized dent my sister's knee had cause in the brand new car's bonnet...! My Mum was THAT close to slapping the woman round the face, but she merely shut the door on her.
Anyway, my sister recovered well from her comparably minor injuries, and I hope the poor boy does, too. She said the worst thing was everybody gathering round our drive and staring. People are horrible like that.
How disgusting of that woman to appear like that. She should have been bringing flowers, chocolates and the words "I am so sorry!"
DeleteOh no! I do hope the boy recovers and is well again soon. I also hope the car and lorry drivers aren't too traumatised. I hear police and ambulance sirens far too often here.
ReplyDeleteMost sirens mean tragedy or trauma for somebody.
DeleteI hope that the young lad will be ok.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of something that happened a few weeks ago......I was following a bus that had stopped in a village to let school kids off. A couple of 14/15 yr old girls came round to the back of the bus, just in front of me, to cross the road. They were busy waving to someone in a shop and I could see a car coming down past the bus, just as they were about to step out in front of it. A timely blast on my horn made them stop in their tracks and calamity was averted!
You saved the day Frances! Nice to hear of a horn being used like that.
DeleteI am not sure if I hit the Publish button on my comment.
ReplyDeleteUnwise to be drinking at 8.36am JayCee. Knock it off lass!
DeleteDreadful. Yes, could be any of us.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that we have all come close.
DeleteHow awful. And news like that always tend to hit one even harder when it's also literally "close to home", doesn't it...
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Monica.
DeleteThat accident is a reminder that life can change in an instant.
ReplyDeleteNot just change - it can be lost too.
DeleteThings change in an instant and life thereafter is filled with 'what ifs?' I hope the lad recovers and all the others involved recover from this horrible accident.
ReplyDeleteEvery driver's worst nightmare. I hope that the boy recovers.
ReplyDeleteSomeone in my family was almost killed in a similar accident and I still can't talk about that very much.
ReplyDeleteHow awful. Hope the boy will be okay.
ReplyDeleteMy sister was the victim of a hit and run years and years ago when she was in France touring with her college choir. She suffered a broken leg and had to remain in hospital there for awhile on her own as the tour group moved on to other cities. That leg has given her trouble throughout her whole life because of that reckless driver who was never caught.
Horrifying. The world needs more protected bike lanes.
ReplyDeleteIn Toronto, school buses employ flashing red lights and arms denoting STOP that are deployed as they pull to a stop - all cars must stop - even those coming in the opposite direction if there is no medien and they cannot start up again until the bus turns off the lights and pulls in the arm. Accidents still happen of course - but it does make a real difference.
ReplyDeleteIf they had that system in Ireland, the young man would probably be alive today.
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