A very long way home, and first on scene of fatality...

[Gremlin]

The Story:

Tootled off to our favourite humped purveyor of clothing bike related's work to get my new gloves. Farking mint looking things, quality test being done now. Going away from airport traffic was murder so I decided that getting east would be just as fast going the long way (as you do) so I decided to head out of Manukau the back way, Franklin, Twilight Rd out to Clevedon then Pohutukawa Coast, Whitford and home.

Got out to Clevedon, headed towards the Pohutukawa Coast and a couple of k's out I see a car coming the other way. Light kink in road and he slightly cuts it (onto my side). No worries, it happens. Except that a nanosecond later I get the feeling something is wrong (the biker feeling). The car is going fast, and is not exactly heading parallel to the road. Sorta see him running wide, then a bit of dust.

Pass him and see a lot of dust. Know that something might be wrong, so hard on the brakes and swing a u'ey. Car has sorta travelled half along the road, but there has been a tree to get in his way. First there, go up to car, smell of alcohol, 2 adults, 2 young kids (not babies) and looks like no seatbelts in use :no: Back to bike to take off gear and get phone out. Call made.

Couple of other cars stop and we all go back to crash. Initially I thought there was one kid, and couldn't figure out the source of a wailing sound. Minutes later, somebody else tells me about the second kid... Heard later he was fading fast. Had checked with emergency services if we could move them, and we couldn't (fair enough too).

Since I basically couldn't do much, it was up the road to slow down cars from walloping the stopped cars. Eventually services show up (felt like an eternity), and actually seems to be considered major (nothing to gauge by), ambo, 3-4 fire, 5-10 cops, westpac, photographer, investigators, coroner, whole shebang basically. They take over. I hang around, not being able to do much, knowing the cops will really need my view (only one to see most of incident).

Eventually cop comes, takes me for statement, took about an hour and 4 pages of info. Turns out, girl behind driver didn't make it (neck was at a weird angle against the front seat) other kid (boy) was fading quickly, one adult was serious, other was bad, but not as bad as others.

Eventually able to go home, late by about 2-3 hours (hence the really long way round bit), and had to ride with the tinted visor up (bugs hurt).

*sigh* no matter how many ads, humans will always realise when it is too late... don't want to blame anything (don't know all the facts) but possible alcohol, possible speed (car looked down on its suspension through the corner) and no seatbelts is always going to be bad.

To be brutally honest tho, in a way, I'm glad he hit the tree. If he was going to have an accident (he did have one by way of proof), if it had been a left hand corner, he could have taken out a family, cyclist (there were several on the road) or me or other bikers...

Please wear seatbelts and don't drink and drive, it may not cost only your life...

edit: older car, so no airbags either... keeps getting worse eh? Thanks for the kind words, not really affected too much... just not really affected...

[Brian d marge]

Hope you are ok ....,, As for the savages that were driving the car ...they just killed their kids ,,,words fail me on that one ..(watching my son playing with one of my valve springs I had made ,,,,lost interest in that and now is trying to push the broom handle into the video machine...)...

How do these people ,,,get to be adults in charge of Minors .....un believabe ..
God rest the souls of those poor kids is all I can say !

Stephen

[mstriumph]

so sorry Gremlin :hug:
nothing else you could have done
you KNOW that
so believe it - and get some sleep

[avgas]

Some ghosts haunt us for the rest of our lives, i hope this one leaves you soon.

[justsomeguy]

Shit matey :no:

Sorry was too busy yesterday to meet-up.

Rotten stuff huh......

See you on Sat.

Peace

[RiderInBlack]

Fu*ken sad that. Feel for you, but at least there was someone there to call for help. Well done Gremlin, for stopping and turning back.

[Riff Raff]

Gremlin you did a fantastic job. Being first on the scene is extremely hard, but you kept your head and did all the right things. Because of your prompt actions and control of the situation there are people alive today. Give yourself a big pat on the back.

For some people the aftermath can be difficult to deal with, others do just fine. Don't let people tell you how you should or shouldn't be feeling. If you have good coping mechanisms then go along with them. If not and you feel the need to talk to someone who has a good understanding then please feel free to contact me.

[SuperDave]

Good on you man for turning back and helping out.

[Paul in NZ]

You did the right thing mate... Bloody good job!

This sort of stuff is pretty upsetting for sure and like the rest of us I can never quite figure this out. ie Why the heck you would drive badly or drunk with your kids in the car? Even more so with them unrestrained...

However, that was the choice that person made and you must not take responsibility for their foolishness (if criminal neglect can be described as foolishness). You did the right thing, you turned back and offered what you had and THAT is the action of a civilised man! I applaud you sir! Crazy as I may seem, you actions do more for society and our civilisation that anything else. Respect!

[MSTRS]

Well done on doing everything right. If you had any effect on events immediately after the accident, it was in the most positive way. If you have any trouble coping with the longer term effects, you know there is a world of support for you right here.

[Lias]

Here's the updated email from the police comms center. I think it safe to say the 18/20 year old arnt the parents of a 7 or 9 year old.. My guess would be siblings.

NZ Police CommCens Alert 18:50 3-11-2005 Counties Manukau

Location of incident: Clevedon, Manukau, Sth Auckland

Incident Type: Fatal crash

Updates re serious crash Clevedon....

Unsure at this stage how accident happened. No other vehicles involved.

7 year old female deceased.
9 year old male status 1
18 year old male status 1
20 year old male status 2 (driver)

Injured parties taken to Middlemore hospital


Issued by: Inspector Scott Webb

You have received this email because you signed up for CommCens Alerts on the NZ Police website.

To edit your subscription or remove yourself from the subscription list, click here:

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/media/subscribe.html

This is an inital incident report. Please keep in mind that as more information is gathered by Police at the scene specific details may change.

No liability is assumed by New Zealand Police for any losses suffered directly or indirectly by any person relying on the information contained in this email.

[sAsLEX]

One thing I have always wondered is that if this happened to me out on a ride, more often than not I have no idea of the road I am and only a general idea of location. Getting an ambo to my location could be difficult if all you have to go on is " ummm halfway down 22 near pothole 178" or "near miradnda or Kiaua kinda south eastish of Auckland"

[bugjuice]

I saw this on the news last night.
I'm sorry to read that you saw it all first hand. Things like this are never easy, especially when there's innocent kids involved.
I'm glad to hear that it was on their own tho, and the story didn't involve another vehicle, or you to be worse. Hope the memories don't haunt you for too long

[Indoo]

Typical that the driver is the least injured. He will wind up in court, tell a sob story and some pathetic Judge will let him off. Like this fkin waste of life, 250 hours community service for killing two people and putting an innocent person in hospital facing the prospect of having his leg amputated. Not to mention being a recidivist offender...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3466738a11,00.html

[Smorg]

Its always horrible when something like that happens dont know if you remember this but last summer all those kids drowned at browns bay? Well it was my older brother that swam in and out for 25mins dragging dead and almost dead kids into the beach then on his last swim he had to swim back with the old lady that died as well he was cut up about it for a fair while, so i kinda know how it feels hope you are feeling ok about it....... and well done for stopping :Punk: you'd be suprised at how many people just pretend nothing is happening :weird: :weird: makes me fucken sick

[Magua]

Sounds like you did the right thing man. Lucky you got there when you did or things could of been worse for those in the back if the call was made later. :no:

[tracyprier]

It's been said before that you can't legislate common sense. The real crime is that people like this seem to have the knack of taking others with them when they do stupid things... and I mean you too Gremlin for having to be there afterwards.

[Quasievil]

Sorry to hear about that Gremlin mate, good that you had a cool enough head to be able to deal with it efficently, thats a big credit to you.

As Riif Raff says though deal with it if you can but dont bottle it up. I had a similiar experience a few years back, it didnt hit be until a few days later then I had some issues, so get help if you need to, helps to talk even if your a bloke !!

See ya

[Beemer]

How terrible, and credit to you for doing all you could at the scene. So glad you were not involved further than witnessing this accident. Take care of yourself.

[Gremlin]

Thanks for all the kind words guys, funny, when you read someone else's experience, you think there isn't much to say, so you don't, but it is nice to hear from all of you guys.

Also very nice to have this sort of forum to be able to let it out as such.

yeh, with the location, I had that exact problem, I knew I was just out of Clevedon, but that's kinda the point of rides, middle of nowhere, because there are less cars. Luckily the 3rd person to arrive (as I was on the phone) said 700 North Rd... apparently she was local and there was a letterbox.

I even heard when giving my statement comms advising of the incident and the woman said "700 North Rd, I have no idea where that is", so its not only us...

Also good to see the email notification, I had been directing traffic, then the statement, so had no idea how things went.

yeah, I am on the lookout for things feeling more, after accident I was perfectly fine, but when I went to bed the incident had been trimmed to only the worst parts and were on a loop... :confused: .

I feel nothing for the driver, but the kids were innocent and trusting of the driver. The girl in the awkward position, and the boy wailing were probably the worst... due to your advice, I'll be aware if anything does happen, but luckily its not my first emergency, although by far the worst...

Looking forward to a good ride tomorrow :niceone:

[Lou Girardin]

A first aid course would be a very good idea for all. You just never know when you'll need it.

[Gremlin]

A first aid course would be a very good idea for all. You just never know when you'll need it.
Thought about that, but when I was on the phone, I asked if we could move the people and they said no, which is very understandable.

Girl was crunched against the front seat, so if she was alive, moving her would have screwed with the neck, boy was just about impossible to get to, too much car in the way. Front people were out over the bank, heaps of mashed car in the way, so that too was impossible.

But yeah, in other incidents, it may certainly be helpful.

[Lou Girardin]

Yes that's true. But being able to check the ABC. is a good thing. Someone wth a blocked airway will die, so it's preferable to move them to get them breathing.