towing Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 When somebody near us get smash in an accident, we suddenly get more concerned about the risks of sledding. The bad luck fall on a friend of mine and his girlfriend last week on a big tour in Gaspe area. Like many of us, they had planned this trip months before and were more than excited to ride this area for the first time. Their trip run extremely well until the third day when they were going to Murdochville from Chandler. It was under powerlines and a guys coming in the opposite direction had just ride over a small steep hill, you know, the kind that will lift you ski on top at some speed... this is exactely what happened but there was small curve just on the other side. The guy had not been able to keep his right and hit my friend just in the front/left. On the impact, the guys pass over the bar and fly hitting my friend's girlfriend in passing and landed around 30 feets farther. His partially destroyed sled rubbed the left side of my friend's one and stopped few meters away. The 3 peoples were severely jolted and the girl passed out for several minutes before coming back... Fortunately, they were not far of the Murdochville road and each group helping, they were relatively quickly transported in Gaspé hospital. Murdochville city employees were hepful in organazing/retreiving the two dead sleds to the city. My friend got discharged from hospital the next day with bruises and a broken leg and his girlfriend spend a week in 2 hospitals to treat their 8 fractures in the left feet and in her jaw and for a surgery to put titanium plates to stabilize his jaw... The brand new brp touring 1200 was totalled which is their least worry right now. Fortunately, they are still alive and should completely recover in the next weeks/months to continue to enjoy life and taking care of their two young kids... not sure as their future as sledders at the moment but time will tell... I choose to share their story with you because I know we sometimes need to hear(read) those story to remember us how an accident happen fast. In this case, the guy comming in the opposite side was obviously riding too fast but who of us never sometimes ride too fast or shift more than expected to the left for a moment... Let's keep in mind to adjust our speed to what we see and slowing down in the blinds spots... in doubt,slow down... it just give a good opportunity to blip the throttle just few meter farther when the view clear up... Let's ride safely to enjoy sledding for us and the others... Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasledgirl Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks for sharing this to remind us all to be more careful Alain. I do hope your friends recover completely and ride again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 (edited) Hope they get well soon Alain. Sorry to hear the news. Edited February 17, 2012 by iceman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysnow Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 When somebody near us get smash in an accident, we suddenly get more concerned about the risks of sledding. The bad luck fall on a friend of mine and his girlfriend last week on a big tour in Gaspe area. Like many of us, they had planned this trip months before and were more than excited to ride this area for the first time. Their trip run extremely well until the third day when they were going to Murdochville from Chandler. It was under powerlines and a guys coming in the opposite direction had just ride over a small steep hill, you know, the kind that will lift you ski on top at some speed... this is exactely what happened but there was small curve just on the other side. The guy had not been able to keep his right and hit my friend just in the front/left. On the impact, the guys pass over the bar and fly hitting my friend's girlfriend in passing and landed around 30 feets farther. His partially destroyed sled rubbed the left side of my friend's one and stopped few meters away. The 3 peoples were severely jolted and the girl passed out for several minutes before coming back... Fortunately, they were not far of the Murdochville road and each group helping, they were relatively quickly transported in Gaspé hospital. Murdochville city employees were hepful in organazing/retreiving the two dead sleds to the city. My friend got discharged from hospital the next day with bruises and a broken leg and his girlfriend spend a week in 2 hospitals to treat their 8 fractures in the left feet and in her jaw and for a surgery to put titanium plates to stabilize his jaw... The brand new brp touring 1200 was totalled which is their least worry right now. Fortunately, they are still alive and should completely recover in the next weeks/months to continue to enjoy life and taking care of their two young kids... not sure as their future as sledders at the moment but time will tell... I choose to share their story with you because I know we sometimes need to hear(read) those story to remember us how an accident happen fast. In this case, the guy comming in the opposite side was obviously riding too fast but who of us never sometimes ride too fast or shift more than expected to the left for a moment... Let's keep in mind to adjust our speed to what we see and slowing down in the blinds spots... in doubt,slow down... it just give a good opportunity to blip the throttle just few meter farther when the view clear up... Let's ride safely to enjoy sledding for us and the others... Alain Wow !!!!! I'm really sorry for your freinds alain glad to see that they will be ok Well said !!!!! CrazySnow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vt_bluyamaha54 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Alain - My best wishes for a full recovery for your friends. I hope they will be able to resume sledding at some time.Very glad to hear it was not worse - when I first read how it happened, I feared a worse ending. I do not think any of us can say we could not ride more carefully at times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailblazer Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 You're absolutely right Alain about getting on the throttle a little too hard at times and verring over to the left a little too much, we all do it sometimes, either knowingly so or just a little out of control so. In any case this is just a little reminder of what can happen and given the remote locations we seak out the most to ride in, it could make the outcome of an accident alot worse. It changes everything when there's kids involved too, weather they're ours or their's, 'cause at the end of the day in a case like this someone is going to miss their mommy or daddy. I have witnessed a sled accident many years ago and have seen the outcome of a rescue operation and the recovery period for my friends. I am so glad to here your friends were not injured too badly and that there was a fast rescue. Thanks for sharing JG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldsmoke1 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 your right we are guilty of at some point drifting to far to the left from time to time wishing a speady recovery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowgirl38 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 I am so sorry to hear about your friends, I am glad they are ok. I completely understand I myself was in an accident last year the last weekend in February, No one was at fault but me, I came around a 90 degree corner maybe doing 40 I thought i was heading in a straigt-away but to my surprise it was not when i realized it was a corner I locked up my breaks and flipped my sled i was thrown off and hit a metal bridge back first, I was in Clova so i was out in the middle of nowwhere. With the help of my awesome boyfriend and some complete straingers i managed to get to Mont Laurier Hospital 8 hours later and I found out that i had broken 5 vertibras in my back, 2 ribs and my left hip. I spent 5 nights in Mont Laurier Hospital and then another night in a hospital in the states. I was in a wheelchair for 2 months and endured 4 months of therapy. I am lucky to be walking and very lucky to be alive. I am back on the sled and have ridden 1300 miles so far this year but not without caution. I have had some close encounters with people that just dont know how to stay on their side and realize that there are other people out there enjoying the same sport. So I ask the same please ride carefully and remember to stay to the right so that others who enjoy riding can continue to do so without worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markusvt Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Ride R-I-G-H-T! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLAYHARD Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Alian, of course you had no option but to share this story with everyone. I'm glad you did. And as bad as it is, I'm SUPER glad that the story didn't have what could have easily been a much more tragic ending. Just a few inches (or miles per hour) one way or the other is all it takes. There's no excuse for putting someone else's life in danger. Like you said, there's plenty of opportunity to rip when the coast is clear. Staying FAR right over hills and around curves (hell ALWAYS) is all we should be constantly thinking about, and that comes down to logical throttle management. We wish your friends a full & speedy recovery, and we really really hope that they ride again. Please tell them that they have many supporters & well-wishers (who also keep to the right side of the trail)! We certainly can't count on these signs being there every time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smclelan Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks for sharing a good reality check. Good Luck to your friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revct1 Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Thanks for sharing Alain. It is a good reminder for all of us. We wish all involved a quick recovery. Jack & Sandi :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S pump Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 the most important thing is to always ride to the right even when you think this noone is coming, always expect somebody to be there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icecreamman Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 Thanks Alain and everybody else for the reality check. Marie and I are heading to St Zenon in the morning and like alot of us we get excited and forget the important things. Ride safe for yourselves,others and your loved ones. I hope your friends have a quick recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcticbobcat Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 My riding partner and I came upon this crash shortly after it happened. Sleds were trashed and the injured parties were stable at the time. We of course stopped and made sure help was on the way. Definitely a wake up call! Made us ride more cautiously over those small hills where you cant see what is coming the other way. Glad everyone is healing. These things can be a nightmare. Great to post this as we all get a little careless. Always unfortunate when something like this happens. Speedy recovery to the injured! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowshark Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Once again.. Glad everyone is healing OK! I've been riding for 23 years now mostly in Canada and northern Maine.. I've had my share of close calls etc.. A couple of years ago my riding partner came around a corner in broad daylght about 40 miles from the HS and hit a groomer at about 30 mph!! He was pretty banged up but fortunetely because of quick reactions both the groomer operator and my partner both turned right at the last second and he hit the rear track on the groomer and not head on. I have 4 simple rules.. KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS.. RESPECT THE MACHINE.. DON'T OVER DRIVE YOUR HEADLIGHT.. EXPECT THE UNEXCECTED.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greasemonkey Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Great to hear it turned out as well as it did, Alain. That could have been a lot worse. Hope all stays well for them. I myself have witnessed 2 horrible accidents in my 30 years of riding, which I guess isn't too bad, but bad enough. All resulted in totaled sleds, and a lot of broken bones, one very major injury. One involved a hill, another a sharp turn. I know I tend to ride on the upper half of my speedometer more than I should, but, my rule is that cresting hills and going around bends, I keep the right ski in the snow about 8" off the trail. My theory is that it helps hold me to my side and also if someone hits me, I have proof, my ski track off the trail, that I was on my side. One other thing that burns me up is the stupid person that decides to pull over for whatever reason right past a bend or hill. People have to wait for straightaways with plenty of site on either side of you so approaching sledders can see you well in advanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman Posted February 20, 2012 Report Share Posted February 20, 2012 Sad but true most people ride right up the middle. Fact. Then they wait till they see someone to move over. I see them everywhere. I ride right period, its the smoothest for sure i seem to find plenty of unused real estate over all the way right. Just for me.I am sure these people do not drive their car straddling the yellow line on roads so why on trail is OK?And as far as stopping on trail, yeah there are some real winners out there. Common Sense is not that Common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towing Posted February 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2012 Thank you for you support I always try to get something positive from bad events, your response show me again it is possible. Like many of you said, this time the issue turn out bad but would have been completely different with just a very small difference... from just a fear, to tragic... let's remember this. Yes snowgirl38, je me souviens...heu... I remember your accident last season. When your boyfriend post your story here, I was scared just in reading it. I always ride with my wife and can't even imagine having to leave her, injured in the middle of the woods to get help... Being rescued in real remote area is an adventure you don't wont to test. Even you did not get it easy, I'm really glad to see that you completely recover and want to tell you that you are a real one to get back on your sled this season, I raise my hat to you B) Thank you Arcticbobcat to having stopped with your partner(he wrote me an MP). In many cases that's the actions of the peoples that arrived on accident site that make diffence because those involved cannot get by theirselves and completely depend on others. The sign you posted PLAYHARD can't better describe the situation... Really like your 4 simple rules snowshark and like many said before would just add one: KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS.. RESPECT THE MACHINE.. DON'T OVER DRIVE YOUR HEADLIGHT(adjust speed for what you see) EXPECT THE UNEXCECTED (in doudt slow down) ALWAYS KEEP YOUR RIGHT. Just be careful Greasemonkey, sometimes you can got some bad surprise hidden in the snow aside of the groomed trail. Sticking to very side of the groomed trail would be the best IMO, much safer... Even it burns us sometimes, we will continue to encounter all kind of drivers and we can't control the way they drive, it's part of sledding. On the other side we have all the control on how we drive and it's on this side that we can change something, maybe sometimes we will make the difference regardless of who made it wrong at first... Again,thank you all Alain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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