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01-23-10, 12:08 PM
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/23/2799728.htm?section=australia
Quote:
"Teen drowns after riding off jetty ramp
Posted 7 hours 25 minutes ago...
A 14-year-old boy from Hobart has drowned after he rode his bicycle off a homemade ramp erected on a public jetty at Old Beach.
Police are investigating the drowning, which happened in the northern suburb of Gagebrook this evening.
Two friends could not retrieve the boy from the River Derwent because of the rising tide and current.
Acting Inspector Craig Joel says it is a tragic accident.
"Unfortunately the boy, at this stage, would appear to have been tethered to the bicycle in what we've seen from our initial inquiries, as a means by which he could retrieve the bike once he'd landed in the water," he said.
"Unfortunately the bike has acted as a weight and it's weighed him down, causing him to struggle in the water and he's drowned."
A report is being prepared for the coroner."
Now , this death is tragic, but I see the youths bungled the stunt, or got the instructions wrong.
I'm going to tell you what they did wrong, so that others might be saved.
We did this stunt when we were kids, but the rope is NOT supposed to tether the bike to the rider...
The Rope is supposed to tether the Bike to the Dock (pier or jetty). It takes a good length of rope, about 75 feet at least, on account the rope needs to be long enough to allow the bicycle to be ridden, and got up to speed to make the jump.
The rope makes it easy to fish the bike out of the water, so the next rider can have his turn.
Gives a new meaning to the term "Boat Anchor".
Quote:
"Teen drowns after riding off jetty ramp
Posted 7 hours 25 minutes ago...
A 14-year-old boy from Hobart has drowned after he rode his bicycle off a homemade ramp erected on a public jetty at Old Beach.
Police are investigating the drowning, which happened in the northern suburb of Gagebrook this evening.
Two friends could not retrieve the boy from the River Derwent because of the rising tide and current.
Acting Inspector Craig Joel says it is a tragic accident.
"Unfortunately the boy, at this stage, would appear to have been tethered to the bicycle in what we've seen from our initial inquiries, as a means by which he could retrieve the bike once he'd landed in the water," he said.
"Unfortunately the bike has acted as a weight and it's weighed him down, causing him to struggle in the water and he's drowned."
A report is being prepared for the coroner."
Now , this death is tragic, but I see the youths bungled the stunt, or got the instructions wrong.
I'm going to tell you what they did wrong, so that others might be saved.
We did this stunt when we were kids, but the rope is NOT supposed to tether the bike to the rider...
The Rope is supposed to tether the Bike to the Dock (pier or jetty). It takes a good length of rope, about 75 feet at least, on account the rope needs to be long enough to allow the bicycle to be ridden, and got up to speed to make the jump.
The rope makes it easy to fish the bike out of the water, so the next rider can have his turn.
Gives a new meaning to the term "Boat Anchor".