Bike danger is lurking

By Casey Neill
A SICKENING bicycle accident in Mount Evelyn last Friday has highlighted a dangerous Yarra Ranges trend.
A 13-year-old boy became impaled on his bike after falling from a small dirt mound built for BMX jumps on the Lilydale to Warburton Rail Trail just before 1pm.
Yarra Ranges Council staff bulldozed the jump just hours later. Billanook Ward councillor Tim Heenan said illegal BMX jumps across the shire were a big problem and a danger to young people.
He said this was not the first time jumps had to be destroyed in various townships.
“I have reported them to council to destroy because I have found them on the numerous walks I have done,” he said.
“But the young chaps keep building them. We are finding these jumps everywhere.”
He said the council destroyed the jumps as soon as they became aware of them. He urged residents to report them to council straightaway.
“That’s all we can do,” he said.
“Behind the scenes for a few years now, every time they find these homemade jumps in and around public reserves and that they always dismantle them because some of them can be quite dangerous.”
Cr Heenan said the injured student was on a riding excursion in the area. The class was on their way to catch the train back to Melbourne and had stopped on the rail trail for a break.
“It was their last rest and during a bit of a lunch time break, the boy jumped up one of the areas and came down really badly,” he said.
He said the accident occurred on a jump less than a metre high.
Cr Heenan said the accident brought back memories of Alex Webb. The 12-year-old Monbulk boy died in a similar accident at a BMX park just over two years ago.
“No one ever heard of such a freak accident before Alex died, you just didn’t hear anything like that,” he said.
“And he was on a professionally constructed track.”
Intensive care flight paramedic Matthew Shepherd said crews at the scene had a delicate job. They arrived to find the boy with his upper leg impaled on the break lever.
“It was vital to leave the metal where it was, and keep it as still as possible,” Mr Shepherd said.
“As with any foreign object stuck in your body, you don’t know what it’s pushing up against.”
“Any movement or attempt to pull it out can result in more damage or sudden bleeding.”
CFA and SES crews helped to dismantle the bike’s handlebar so paramedics could move the boy more easily.
“The remaining part of the bike was then taped to his leg to keep it still,” Mr Shepherd said.
“For a 13-year-old boy, he was quite a tough little fellow, despite such a distressing situation. Intensive care paramedics drove the boy to a nearby oval to meet us at the helicopter.”
“This boy was very lucky that the lever didn’t cause more damage. Essentially, he has been left with what appears to be a superficial injury.”
The boy was discharged from hospital on Friday afternoon.