Advocacy & Safety - Man who helped unconscious Salt Lake officer honored

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WriteABike
12-03-08, 11:32 AM
They were both riding bicycles, incidentally. Interesting story. I'm not sure if it's funny, or heartwarming, or ironic, or mundane, or what.

http://deseretnews.com/article/0,5143,705267769,00.html

Man who helped unconscious Salt Lake officer honored
By Pat Reavy
Deseret News
Published: Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008 10:55 a.m. MST

Karl Lins had just dropped off some items to his kids at school and was riding his bicycle home on 11th Avenue near 900 East.
That's when he saw bicycle parts in the road. Then a bike tire off to the side. And then, Lins came across Salt Lake police officer Brad Burningham.

The officer was unconscious and bleeding severely from his face. Lins originally feared the officer had suffered a stroke.

"He was in a situation I'd never seen before," Lins said.

Lins noticed the officer's two-way radio connected to his uniform and "pushed a lot of buttons" in an effort to call for help. That's when Lins noticed a "little recessed red button" and assumed it must be for emergency situations.

After pressing that button several times, officers responded immediately followed closely by paramedics from a nearby fire station.

Burningham suffered a fractured jaw, a fractured orbital bone, several broken teeth and a concussion in an apparent accident. Despite all of that, Burningham considers himself very lucky, thanks to Lins.

"I'm eternally grateful to this gentleman," he said. "If he hadn't been there as quickly as he had ... I can't even describe how grateful I am."

For his quick action on that afternoon of Oct. 20, Lins was awarded Wednesday with a certificate proclaiming him the Salt Lake Police Department's Citizen of the Month for October. Chief Chris Burbank presented Lins with his award.
"He actually saved our officer probably some severe injury," he said.

Burningham, a 19-year veteran with the department, said he doesn't remember much of what happened. Other officers have told him he may have hit a large garbage can, and was thrown off his bicycle, landing on the pavement face first. He has been back to work on light duty and has ridden his own personal bike since the accident. Burningham was hoping to get final doctor clearance Wednesday to return to full duty.

During Wednesday's award presentation, Lins and Burningham met for the first time since the accident. They hugged.

"Last time I saw you, you did not look particular appealing," Lins joked.

Burningham told Lins how much he appreciated what he did. Lins, an avid bike rider himself, said he appreciated the work of all Salt Lake police officers.

"I didn't do anything I don't think anyone else would have done," he said. "Truly, I don't feel like I did anything unusual."

Lins is the Thayne Robson Faculty Fellow and associate professor of finance at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah.


genec
12-03-08, 12:22 PM
How can you hit "a large garbage can?"

A pothole or rock I can understand; even a large dog can be a surprise... but a LARGE garbage can?

cudak888
12-03-08, 06:40 PM
but a LARGE garbage can?

"How large was it, Gene?"

Nonsense. A bicycle does not self destruct from hitting a non-fixed object of marginal weight.

I smell a possible attack by a motorist.

-Kurt


Chris516
12-03-08, 08:14 PM
"How large was it, Gene?"

Nonsense. A bicycle does not self destruct from hitting a non-fixed object of marginal weight.

I smell a possible attack by a motorist.

-Kurt

Kurt, I agree with you 100%!!!

Christopher

djnzlab1
12-04-08, 11:14 AM
HI,
I was riding along a road in Orlando and had someone throw a Large full Icee into my back the energy from the speed and weight of the drink caused me to crash rather suddenly, I don't think people should ever throw things at bike riders it could kill someone even if its result of the crash. Bike riders are pretty high up and any pushing on the upper body creates a rather dramatic change in balance and we tend to over compensate.
I did see the pick-up pulling away with some young guys laughing about my problems as I went head first into a ditch..:mad:
Its sad how some people enjoy other peoples pain.
Doug

DARKSCOPE001
12-04-08, 05:23 PM
that is pretty cool

but damn djnzlab1 please tell me you reported them i hate stupid drivers and report them whenever possible. i wish i had keept a cool head the day i almost got hit in the back end by some stupid lady and reported her i swear sometimes i think that there are people who should not be allowed to drive!

Rober
12-06-08, 06:21 PM
I live in Salt Lake and i ride that route a lot. On 11th Ave, about where 9th East would intersect (but the street is some "letter" street - maybe "M"?) someone routinely leaves a huge plastic city garbage can right in the bike lane. These garbage cans are big and heavy, especially if they are full. I have almost hit it so many times in the morning, as the sun shine directly in your eyes if you are going east. I can see how this could happen. I am glad the rider is OK, because it could have been far worse. I have always thought the person leaves the garbage can in the bike lane deliberately, because the other people who live along that street leave theirs near the curb, or take them in right after they are picked up. I have seen that garbage can there for days at a time.

Edit: Someone does this on east-bound Emigration Canyon Road too - again, I think deliberately.

crackerdog
12-06-08, 11:32 PM
If something is in the bike lane consistently, call the police and report it. I almost caught up with some jerks who threw something at me once, but they escaped by running a red light and just missed being T-boned. If they had been T-boned, I would have made sure all of them ended up in the hospital.

Rober
12-07-08, 12:19 AM
If something is in the bike lane consistently, call the police and report it. I almost caught up with some jerks who threw something at me once, but they escaped by running a red light and just missed being T-boned. If they had been T-boned, I would have made sure all of them ended up in the hospital.

The next time I see it, I will. I always have my cell with me.

dobber
12-07-08, 07:06 AM
"How large was it, Gene?"

Nonsense. A bicycle does not self destruct from hitting a non-fixed object of marginal weight.

I smell a possible attack by a motorist.

-Kurt

Holy ****, only in the AnS forums.

cudak888
12-07-08, 08:43 AM
Have to keep an open mind, you know.

-Kurt