What happened?!

mysti_star · Post by **mysti_star** » Sun Feb 01, 2004 8:18 pm

On the way to the burn there was a large flat bed truck that was overturned on the wrong side of the road....my friend and I were going to stop to help because we saw a few of the passengers sitting on the side of the road apparently bleeding. I was wondering if everyone in the accident was okay....i am new to the e-playa and I was thinking about it...

I hope everyone is alright and will make it to the next burn

my innerself · Post by **my innerself** » Sun Apr 25, 2004 2:49 am

mysti_star wrote:my friend and I were going to stop to help because we saw a few of the passengers sitting on the side of the road apparently bleeding

just a small question, why didn't you stop when you had seen some people sitting on the side of the road bleeding obviously just after an accident?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 12:15 pm

Haven't heard of any serious injuries on the way to the burn last year. One fatality leaving.

innerself--helping requires at least knowledge of what you're doing and sometimes proper gear. If you cant be helpful then maybe you're just in the way. It's hard for us to judge--we weren't there.

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 2:41 pm

just a small question, why didn't you stop when you had seen some people sitting on the side of the road bleeding obviously just after an accident?

Maybe because in doing so you might be the cause of another equally ugly accident? Because the accident might have been caused by deep sand on the road's shoulder and pulling over might contribute to an already difficult traffic situation?

_tears_ · Post by **_tears_** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:13 pm

Isotopia wrote:
just a small question, why didn't you stop when you had seen some people sitting on the side of the road bleeding obviously just after an accident?
Maybe because in doing so you might be the cause of another equally ugly accident? Because the accident might have been caused by deep sand on the road's shoulder and pulling over might contribute to an already difficult traffic situation?

AGREED

Also...
The roads are rather small, pulling over spending on the size of your own vehical could casue even MORE traffic issues.

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:18 pm

Because the accident might have been caused by deep sand on the road's shoulder and pulling over might contribute to an already difficult traffic situation?[/quote]

I pulled over last year to help someone with engine trouble. I pulled too far into the sand. If I didn't have 4wd I would have been waiting for someone to pull me out. The sand situation is very deceptive.

chickenfish · Post by **chickenfish** » Wed Jun 09, 2004 4:51 pm

don't know what day you saw this, but when we arrived earlier the week (tuesday prior to the event) , we heard that someone had been killed because they were riding on the back of a flatbed truck and were thrown off when they hit some bumpy roads. This was prior to the event, so it was not included with the one fatality that occurred during the event. They were apparently a first time volunteer to the event.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 12:22 pm

Ouch! I hate looking at people in the back of pick-ups, it's so dangerous and I can't imagine doing the back of a flat-bed at any speed above 15, 20. Although, even I have to admit it was lucky for that guy in Texas a couple months back that someone in the back of a pickup spotted him. . .

madmatt · Post by **madmatt** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 3:36 pm

I remember reading something about one of DPW's trucks turning over on side of the highway on the way up to the event last year. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it was a truck for an art installation.

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Thu Jun 10, 2004 11:29 pm

If I saw an accident on the side of the road, I would have to say that its your civil duty to stop and give assistance if needed if someone hasn't already.

Where you pull off depends on the road conditions such as blind spots and traffic flow. If you have two people in the car then one can head back down the road to warn people that an accident is ahead- but of course some person in an altered state won't get your message and think your trying to hitch a ride of something else. I carry two flares in my desert ratmobile! But you should at least stop and ask if they need help. Sometimes its necessary to know if the victims are in shock first. People in shock may not be coherent enough to make that decision and may wave you off thinking everything They're fine.

Worrying about getting stuck in the sand should be a concern, but with all the people heading to BM it be only a second or two before someone stopped have help you out.

I don't know what cell service is like on the road to Gerlack but is may not be better then the BR.

Here in Montana it can life threatening to get stranded out in the middle of nowhere and injured- especially in winter.

So I would say stop unless someone has already or you know they're coherent to say their OK and if they have someone going for help if no cell service is available.

A II Z

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 8:43 am

>I don't know what cell service is like on the road to Gerlack but is may >not be better then the BR.

Unless you have a satelite phone, you're going to get zero reception.
After the burn, there are Exodus volunteers all over the place. They have radios. Yes, the sandy soft shoulders are tres deceptive. I've been stuck myself after pulling over to help a couple girls. Fortunately I had shovels, planks and two virile, strong men with me.

If you are really worried about someone, pause in the road, ask if they need help (they could be waiting for someone), turn around and FIND someone to help. If it's dark, put out some flares.

Dustdevil · Post by **Dustdevil** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 10:57 am

Robbi is 100% correct. NO cell service and the shoulders are really deceptive. We stopped to help someone last year and even with 4wd I had trouble extricating my truck and trailer from the sandy shoulder.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 10:05 am

If I saw an accident on the side of the road, I would have to say that its your civil duty to stop and give assistance if needed if someone hasn't already.

The rule is (and yes, I mean rule as in this is what pedants teach) that you check things out and make sure that YOU are safe before stopping so that casualties don't multiply. And if you don't have the know-how, you're better off finding someone who does (and that's driving to the nearest phone if there's no cell service) than getting in the way or getting trapped yourself. (And my EMT fiance stops at accidents or even stalls all the time--he has the know-how.)

chickenfish · Post by **chickenfish** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 5:12 pm

Last year we went out to the burning bush and witnessed an accident in the road in front of us where a girl fell off the back of a motorcycle. We slowed down and she waved us on, but we stopped anyway, and I am glad we did because the girl had broken her arm and didn't even realize it yet becasue she was so fucked up. Luckily we had a first aid kit and we were able to wrap her up and drive her onto the playa and find someone who knew here and had a 4X4 vehicle who could drive her to the hospital. We later saw her at BM and she was doing well, and she was very thankfull for the assistance. The moral being, take the time to make sure things are okay, don't just assume so and keep driving.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 9:01 am

chickenfish wrote:The moral being, take the time to make sure things are okay, don't just assume so and keep driving.

Absolutely, but note that you had the proper equipment and the know-how.

What happened?!

What happened?!

Re: What happened?!

burnign man can be fatal to your health

Cell service

take care of your brethren

Re: take care of your brethren