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(Image: Craig Elliott/Twitter)
IN WHAT LOOKS like a scene from an action movie, the Coast Guard swooped down to rescue a man after he fell during of a bike in the Dublin Mountains yesterday evening.
The 25-year-old was taking part in a club cycle with the Mountainbiking Assioation of Dublin (MAD) when he fell and broke his leg near Ticknock at around 7.30pm.
A paramedic and then an ambulance attended the scene and recommended he be airlifted to hospital as it was a difficult spot for the emergency services to reach.
The helicopter came from Dublin Airport and the man was brought to Tallaght Hospital to be treated for his injuries.
HT: Craig Elliott
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Fair play to our rescue services they have been flat out this summer and a lot of people are still alive thanks to there efforts Cheers
Nothing but respect for these rescue services! They really should consider adopting a model similar to that of New Zealand to raise more funds…. Follow their rescue stories on a TV programme and allow the viewer to donate by text…I know I do every week.
That is not the only thing that gets pulled and hoisted up at Ticknock
I like where this is going. Giggedy giggedy gigg-e-dy
Lads as a keep Mountain Biker and long time professional outdoor instructor who has also been a mountain rescue team member, accidents do happen. The casualty knows the risks associated with his chosen sport.
Someone in the rescue services made an informed / qualified decision regarding the use of the chopper in bring the casualty to hospital, I don’t see any issue with that what so ever.
I’m happy there was a positive outcome from the incident and I’ve no doubt the rescue services will see it the same way.
I hope all the different user groups be they cyclist, hikers, dog walkers, runners, doggers continue to use Ticknock. I’d love if there was more secure parking and maybe even some public toilets (Not for the doggers mind you).
Hope he pays for the rescue, seeing as he understood the risks involved. Most people are responsible enough not to engage in activities that put themselves at risk and ultimately can cost the tax-payer thousands if things go wrong…
Same goes for hillwalkers, boating enthusiasts, climbers ….
Hurling, football, tea drinking…
Yeah John, let’s do all we can to dis-couarge young people from taking up sport.
@ Adrian – Couldn’t agree with you more, Ticknock is a great facility to have so close to the city and both Mountain Rescue & Coast Guard are two of the most valuable services we have, thanks to you and all the other volunteers for your good work.
+1 to all that. Mountain biking is an exhilerating and healthy sport, – its nice to show young folks that there is a positive alternative to flagons and vandalism to get some kicks.
@Cannabis Freedom(!)
You don’t have to cycle down dangerous mountain tracks to engage in sport.
Why should the tax payer pay for the risk-takers? Please tell me why.
Rescues like this are highly rare, – this is the first I’ve ever heard of with a helicopter involved
Soccor can be equally dangerous in terms of injury, – a relative of mine spent a couple of years with multiple operations getting his knee rebuilt due to a hard tackle, at significant expense to the public health system. Practically all sports have risk of injuries.
Perhaps you think everyone should stay inside hiding under their duvet, – the problem then of course is that it will probably cost the tax payer even more when they acquire a related chronic heart condition.
Because the provision of state funded air rescue services is the minimum level of first aid obligations one can expect in a first world country. If one considers all outdoor sports enthusiasts as risk takers (hikers / sailors / cross country runners etc), and feel they are responsible for the provision of air rescue services, how would you propose they collect such a tax? Lets do the maths, 350 people lifted and air rescue costing 18.5 million a year, meaning 53 grand per rescue. So you would be excluding unemployed or heavily mortgaged people from rescue because they went for a hike up the Sugar Loaf? You need to think things through before spouting such rubbish.
Jayzus John you sound like great craic! Careful playing tiddlywinks, you might loose an eye! As a road and mountain biker I do these sports purely for the exercise and the adrenaline buzz. If I hurt myself (and I have) so be it, I’ll be out for a while but I’ll still go back.
All sports are dangerous, fact. People who engage in those sports are fully aware of the risks involved. It’s the danger aspect that can make some of those sports fun. The best reason I’ve ever heard for engaging in these “risky” sports I’ve ever heard was given by George Malford. When asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest his reply was simply “Because it’s there”.
Health and rescue services are in place to provide a service to the public, the public like to engage in sports, some that may involve people injuring themselves, sometimes badly, so they go the hospital. The public pay taxes to avail of these services so I don’t understand what your difficulty is. It’s not like you get sent everyone’s hospital bills!
You mean like the health costs of smoking or drinking as opposed to be a healthy fit person engaging in sports?
John I totally get where you’re coming from and in certain parts of of Europe someone taking part in adventure sports and end up having to call out emergency services you are billed and that’s why insurance cover for such sports is needed.
That’s not the set up we have in Ireland and until we do I don’t think it is fair to make criminals of casualties. Also the mountain biker wasn’t been wreck less and being a member of a cycling Ireland affiliated club he would have paid in excess for membership which includes insurance for club sanctioned events.
As an aside if we were to to go down the route of charging casualties to be rescued are we excluding a huge section of society from taking part in enjoying the outdoors because they can’t afford the risk of calling for help should they need it?
Soccer is not equally dangerous in terms of injury. You don’t play soccer in remote inaccessible locations and if you fall down you invariably get up uninjured. With mountain biking you fall down, you get up injured. When I played soccer I only ever saw two serious injuries over more than a dozen years, leg breaks, and the ambulance drove on to the pitch.
I’ve no problem with most sports at all so long as their locations don’t cost €35,000 to access.
I believe that sports in inaccessible areas, such as mountain biking and mountaineering are very selfish pursuits however, as the participants blithely expected rescue when they injure themselves or get stuck up the top of a mountain in fog or darkness.
The total cost to the state in search and rescue, including that for ill-equipped boating in unsuitable conditions is staggering.
If you are careless in terms of not cleaning your chimney and it goes on fire, you pay for your foolishness by paying the fire brigade call-out charge.
There should, in my opinion be a call-out charge for search and rescue operations also, if, in the opinion of the rescuers, the rescued party was guilty of reckless self-endangerment.
Don’t forget that these people seeking their thrills by endangering themselves can also endanger their rescuers should something go wrong.
I know that most people who enjoy these pursuits won’t agree with my opinion, but let them logically justify why the taxpayer should assume the risk for their pursuits.
Never said soccer is as dangerous, just that people do get injuries at most sports. Plenty of people get serious joint and ligament injuries from soccer. Many people acquire chronic injuries from running even. Certainly rugby has its dangers. People like to ski and snowboard, kayak, surf. Im afraid its just called living life…
John, do you smoke and/or drink? Why should we pay for your healthcare bills???
Are you saying that remote areas shouls be off limits? Or not serviced by emergency services
I have VHI, don’t smoke and, believe it or not, I haven’t been drinking, despite my comments!!
Then it’s serious! ;)
Not at all, but those who engage in reckless self-endangerment should pay a contribution if they get into trouble and have to avail of emergency services. To say I’m against accessing remote regions or against any sport is misinterpreting my point.
I really don’t think you understand the whole idea of adventure sports.
I guess you’re the leader of the nanny-state party. “Most people are responsible enough not to engage in activities that put themselves at risk and ultimately can cost the tax-payer thousands if things go wrong…” Come on, who are these “most people?” Activities with inherent risk are part of everyday life. The Coast Guard trains for these types of missions every day at a cost to the tax payer, incidents like these allow them to put their skills in to play. This mission was already funded and paid for before it happened. Life is short, get out and enjoy it. Evaluate the risk and take the best precautions to avoid injury and have a plan. In this case they did and the first responders made the call for air support not the cyclist. Sorry John, you and all tax payers funded the rescue.
should we charge those who need to be saved by the coast gaurd if they get suck out at sea sure they know the dangers involved in surfing/sailing/kyaking
should we charge those old folk who fall down the stairs, they should know better than climbing the stairs
should we leave those who smoke( as foolish as they are) to die form cancer/heart disorders sure they know the risks
John. Hope you re not a smoker, with your mentality, why should we pay for smokers to be treated in hospital!
I’m not a smoker Eric and can’t actually think why we should pay for smokers to be treated. Perhaps you’ll tell me why…
Or at least tell me who should get priority in terms of access to treatment…smokers or non-smokers in the case of restricted numbers of consultants/ hospital beds etc.,
I almost slipped and fell over my front door step yesterday, very dangerous place so it is
martin will hook ya up with bubble wrap
The coastguard quad bike is only used to carry equipment to areas not easily accessible by jeeps not for carrying casualties.
Good stuff, rule of thumb if you have a serious accident on a mountain is to call for a chopper, they may not always be available but it’s what they’re for. Weather changes pretty quickly up there.
What people have got to remember is the lads in the ICG heli do training exercises to keep their skills up to date both the pilots and medics in the back.
So the fact that they got a call out to tick nock makes no difference it could have been a training flight, And as for people moaning saying we should not venture out to places like that what to they want us to do stay in doors watching telly not getting any exercise.
The rider was on a low lying accessible area of the hill. I believe there were other calls involving the helicopter which included a lost tourist and a suicide attempt in sandymount. I suspect it was used as it was available in the air at the time which in my opinion was a good call.
Unlike John I am happy to know my taxes are used for worthwhile services such as this.
I think it’s great that sports such as mountain biking , kayaking, windsurfing, sailing and climbing exist. They are social and healthy.
Did you know Bmx racing has made a comeback in Ireland ? Probably not but we got a world campion in it the other day. The exploits of our sailers in the olympics. We’ve been represented by our kayakers our windsurfers and our mountain bikers at the highest levels abroad. They all put us on the map in a global positive way .
Its a far cry from the drinking stereo type we earned as a people staying safe in the pub.
I wonder was the helicopter absolutely necessary? Do mountain rescue have access to quad bikes? Nowhere in ticknock would be more than 2 miles to an accessible road.
Dublin history if patient is a suspected spinal injury patient he can’t be put on a quad bike and bumped over trail for few kilometres so they usually airlift suspect spinal or unstable injuries
Unless it’s a Benny Hill Mountain Rescue sketch.
I was up there on day. Almost slipped and fell. Very dangerous place…
If you knew the vast amount of people who mountain bike, walk, run etc up there every day you’d probably think it less dangerous.
Listen,I just think something should be done. It’s important to be proactive about these things. It only takes one tragedy. We don’t want to see a repeat of the elderly couple out in Howth head in ’09…
‘Almost slipped and fell , very dangerous place’
Em , it’s a forested area nothing dangerous about it for every biking or hiking accident 1000′s venture out and return safely.
Ditto re rescue services , angels .
Tell that to the man in Tallaght hospital right now. Or to that teenager in Clare after what happened to her off Spanish point…
As an outdoors man myself, just think there needs to be a greater protection offered, that’s all. One horrible accident is enough.
As said above, it is what it is, a forest. People who mountain bike or hill run or hike know they could hurt themselves.
What do you thing should be done?
So you want to tarmac all of Ticknock then Martin? Or maybe we could just ban it’s use altogether?
Any proposals to support your suggestions?
And I don’t meant if you go up an hurt yourself, we’ll tough. I just think that if you’re going up a mountain to exercise you have to accept there are greater risks.
Martin, mountain bikers know the risks.!
Thats all part of the appeal which makes it fun.!
I think properly maintained pathways and areas to be well signposted for inexperienced users is a minimum. I mean look at national trust land in England for comparison. People are made fully aware of the dangers before venturing off path. In Ireland, people are asked to make their own way almost…
Would your suggestion we to continue down the path, excuse the pun, we’re on?
It’s not just about mountain bikers! People of all ages and interests enjoy the outdoors. I just don’t want to see a repeat of what happened to that elderly couple in Howth or that teenager in Spanish point.
The logic of people know the risks they are taking would suggest they have not right to receive any rescue services! If they are willingly taking such risks then why should the tax payer have to fund this??
When I take to the water or mountains I am generally very concious that I am in a hazardous environment and act accordingly !
And it’s TAX payers taking the risks by the way. Sometimes it’s even insured TAX payers :)
Im all for propper marked pathways etc, but accidents do happen and even on propper trails too..! Sometimes more so because you carry more speed.! The guy in question is experienced but just slipped into a gully. It can happen anywhere and the emergency services did a gret job in looking after him..!
It’s a mountain…what the hell do you expect?
OK Martin, let’s do this scientifically.
Add up the total cost of rescuing mountain bikers in the last 10 years.
On the other side, add up the total paid by mountain bikers in VAT on mountain bikes and related stuff over the last 10 years. Plus a reasonable estimate of the amount they’ve saved the taxpayer by reducing their levels of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes etc. through mountain biking.
Then we can have a chat about singling out groups to be billed for public services.
martin works for a bubblewrap factory,i think he is looking for the tender :)
I’m with Martin. Can’t we just wrap the countryside in bubble wrap or something….
You should check out this group
I volunteer with them sometimes. They’ve constructed paths on Ticknock and are currently involved on a project in Glendalough. It’s completely voluntary and is amazing to see the amount of quality work that can completed with a small group of volunteers. It can be tough work but very rewarding.
not as rewardind as hearing that distinct sound that popping bubble wrap makes,
your careering down the hill side,your bike gives way,then……pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop pop
.im hitting dragons den with this one.
LMFAO.
Bubble wrap bike
Bloody Mountainbikers !!
Funny man Richie!
Wouldn’t you want the best help if it was your leg busted on the side of a hill. That’s what it’s there for.
Ticknock!, wasn’t he in ‘Return to Oz’?. He must’ve thought yer man on the bike was one of the ‘Wheelies’ and knocked him down.
Two varieties of trials bike exist, those with 26″ wheels (referred to as ‘stock’) and those with 20″ wheels (referred to as ‘mod’ – because historically they were modified BMX bikes). They typically have no suspension at all, though some still make use of some form of it. Competition rules require stock bikes to have multiple gears for competition, but most riders never use their shifters. Competition rules do not require mod bikes to have any gears. Best Mountain Bike Under : $500 http://empiremountainbikes.com/
you would be genuinely surprised by the amount of people in mountain rescue who engage in these “engage in activities that put themselves at risk and ultimately can cost the tax-payer thousands if things go wrong…” in their own time.
D.W.M.R.T. is also not funded by the taxpayer, they do their own fundraising and are staffed by volunteers.
have your say