Cycling campaigner critical after bike fall (From Daily Echo)
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Cycling campaigner Lindsi Bluemel critical after bike fall
9:27am Monday 24th October 2011 in News
Lindsi Bluemel
Southampton’s most well known cycling campaigner is fighting for her life following a freak accident while out riding her bike.
Lindsi Bluemel, chairman of Southampton Cycling Campaign, suffered life-threatening head injuries after coming off her bike in the cycle lane of a busy dual carriageway yesterday morning.
Just two days ago the 56- year-old had her helmet stolen and police confirmed she was not wearing one when the accident happened as she attempted to ride over a five-metre long piece of plastic which was lying diagonally in her path.
Officers were forced to close the busy Wessex Way in Bournemouth just after 9.15am yesterday while they examined the scene of the crash.
A spokesman for Dorset police said that eyewitnesses reported how Mrs Bluemel’s bike suddenly wobbled and the back wheel slid, causing her to fall.
Passers by stopped to give first aid before she was taken to Poole Hospital by paramedics.
Doctors last night said she was in a critical but stable condition.
Mrs Bleumel has been a forthright campaigner in Southampton, arguing for better cycle routes and facilities.
She has also been heavily involved in organising various events to encourage more people to get on their bike.
One of the most notable was Southampton Skyride, which took place in August, which she took part in.
Mrs Bleumel’s most recent campaign was called Missing Links, where she argued for low-cost improvements to cycle lanes so they would be joined up through the city.
The keen cyclist has also spoken regularly on the rights of cyclists, green issues and organised many of Southampton’s events during National Bike Week in June.
Comments(30)
Elgy
says...
10:01am Mon 24 Oct 11
teamgreen
says...
10:06am Mon 24 Oct 11
Shoong wrote:but the highways should be kept clear of rubbish.the person whos car or van that dropped the plastic should be fined for a insecure load.cycle helmets are only tested for static drop from three feet for impact testing.
I hope she makes a full recovery but above all Mrs Bluemel should have known that if you're riding on the road you need your lid on, surely.
Shoong
says...
10:23am Mon 24 Oct 11
teamgreen wrote:True, but largely irrelevant, it happens & I'm afraid & this is just the kind of incident helmets are there to protect you from.
Shoong wrote:but the highways should be kept clear of rubbish.the person whos car or van that dropped the plastic should be fined for a insecure load.cycle helmets are only tested for static drop from three feet for impact testing.
I hope she makes a full recovery but above all Mrs Bluemel should have known that if you're riding on the road you need your lid on, surely.
mansak_hunt
says...
10:24am Mon 24 Oct 11
Let's hope she makes a full recovery.
Never go out without your lid, not much in this life is more precious than your head.
teamgreen
says...
10:41am Mon 24 Oct 11
Shoong wrote:not really, if she was at a stand still then it may of helped her head but if moving at a speed it is not designed for that.speak to makers of the helmets and the suppliers and then you can understand how a helmet may/could save you.
teamgreen wrote:True, but largely irrelevant, it happens & I'm afraid & this is just the kind of incident helmets are there to protect you from.Shoong wrote: I hope she makes a full recovery but above all Mrs Bluemel should have known that if you're riding on the road you need your lid on, surely.but the highways should be kept clear of rubbish.the person whos car or van that dropped the plastic should be fined for a insecure load.cycle helmets are only tested for static drop from three feet for impact testing.
rmb2g08
says...
11:03am Mon 24 Oct 11
Yes, she should have been wearing a helmet, she's more than aware of this but if you read the article her helmet was stolen. She hadn't yet had a chance to replace it.
Thank you all for your well wishing. She's currently in intensive care at Poole hospital.
- Rhiannon Bluemel (Lindsi's daughter.)
chrisbluemel
says...
11:41am Mon 24 Oct 11
- Chris Bluemel, Lindsi's eldest son and local Green Party candidate.
mike80
says...
11:46am Mon 24 Oct 11
ovchap
says...
1:43pm Mon 24 Oct 11
ovchap
says...
1:43pm Mon 24 Oct 11
downfader
says...
5:16pm Mon 24 Oct 11
Rhiannon and Chris - I'm deeply sorry to hear about your Mother! I don't know her personally but she has inspired many people like myself to speak up for cycling (even if some of the finer points differed).
Debris, rubbish and potholes on the roads and lanes have been a real bugbear of mine and others. I hope that who ever is responsible is taken to task.
Get well soon that lady!!!
pod
says...
6:09pm Mon 24 Oct 11
downfader wrote:I absolutely agree.
People. This is NOT the place to be having an argument about lids (if you want to do that get some research in and send letters to the paper instead)
Rhiannon and Chris - I'm deeply sorry to hear about your Mother! I don't know her personally but she has inspired many people like myself to speak up for cycling (even if some of the finer points differed).
Debris, rubbish and potholes on the roads and lanes have been a real bugbear of mine and others. I hope that who ever is responsible is taken to task.
Get well soon that lady!!!
There is a lady, someone's mum who is lying criticaly ill in hospital and all some people can do is make nasty comments, how would any of these people feel if it was one of their family, woried sick and then having to read some of the sh** written on here.
I do not know this lady or her family but I would like to send out my very best wishes for a speedy recovery.
chrisbluemel
says...
11:46pm Mon 24 Oct 11
Let me assert once and for all that helmets are indeed regularly stolen, and that there could be no other reason on earth why my mother would have cycled without one. I don't understand why thieves are so keen on helmets that have been on someone else's head for many hours, but they are generally opportunists.
Old Harry
says...
12:01am Tue 25 Oct 11
Poppy22
says...
12:12am Tue 25 Oct 11
I hope the person who stole the helmet has seen this story.
Echo - about time you barred some of the people commenting on here.
rmb2g08
says...
12:45am Tue 25 Oct 11
Those of you saying bike helmets don't get stolen... as my brother said, they do, and in this case it was. Mum is always careful to wear a helmet and is a very experienced cyclist. I find it slightly offensive that by disputing the helmet theft you are basically calling my family liars and that it just plain rude.
Also, it would have been nice if someone hadn't dumped a huge piece of plastic there, causing a masssive risk to cyclists, even ones who haven't had their helmets stolen. I'd rather you complained about that than about the fact that one time mum didn't wear a helmet because it was stolen. Okay?
As some people have pointed out, this really isn't the place for that. My mother is in INTENSIVE CARE. This means she's REALLY SICK. She has 5 children here desperate for their mum to get better, please leave the being rude for a later date.
Those who have left such lovely messages, I'd like you to know, it really is appreciated by me and my 4 brothers. When mum is awake I'll tell her about all your kind words.
- Rhiannon Bluemel.
pod
says...
9:25am Tue 25 Oct 11
rmb2g08 wrote:Rhiannon you do not have to explain to anyone (especially not to some of the poor excuses for humans on here) the whys and wherefores of your mum not wearing a helmet.
Thank you all for your thoughts and supportive messages, it really does mean a lot.
Those of you saying bike helmets don't get stolen... as my brother said, they do, and in this case it was. Mum is always careful to wear a helmet and is a very experienced cyclist. I find it slightly offensive that by disputing the helmet theft you are basically calling my family liars and that it just plain rude.
Also, it would have been nice if someone hadn't dumped a huge piece of plastic there, causing a masssive risk to cyclists, even ones who haven't had their helmets stolen. I'd rather you complained about that than about the fact that one time mum didn't wear a helmet because it was stolen. Okay?
As some people have pointed out, this really isn't the place for that. My mother is in INTENSIVE CARE. This means she's REALLY SICK. She has 5 children here desperate for their mum to get better, please leave the being rude for a later date.
Those who have left such lovely messages, I'd like you to know, it really is appreciated by me and my 4 brothers. When mum is awake I'll tell her about all your kind words.
- Rhiannon Bluemel.
The large majority of readers only wish for your mums speedy recovery and for her to be back with her family.
very best wishes to you all
woolston
says...
10:08am Tue 25 Oct 11
keepontriking
says...
1:59pm Tue 25 Oct 11
Hampshire Cycle Training.
StEmmosfire
says...
2:32pm Tue 25 Oct 11
.
The best rated comments on there are extremely similar to ones that had been removed on here.
Niel
says...
7:49pm Tue 25 Oct 11
chrisbluemel wrote:Unfortunately they steal them just to be 'clever', notice how temporary road signs always seem to be flat on the road, often in the path of traffic, the same problem, twunts being 'clever'...
'Who steals a helmet?' Are people really asking this question!?!
Let me assert once and for all that helmets are indeed regularly stolen, and that there could be no other reason on earth why my mother would have cycled without one. I don't understand why thieves are so keen on helmets that have been on someone else's head for many hours, but they are generally opportunists.
Hope your mother recovers soon, I don't ride a bicycle on the road anymore because of the 'clever twunts' who use cyclists for targets, that said a number of the idiot bicycle users (note: NOT cyclists) around the University could do with being educated.
rmb2g08
says...
12:50pm Wed 26 Oct 11
It's not actually a legal requirement to wear a helmet, it is, however, against the law to dump things in cycle lanes. It was a huge piece of plastic. I know my mother, if she had had a safe option other than to try to go over it she would have done so.
You're no longer wishing her well, StEmmosfire, you're now just not dropping it. You're entitled to your opinion, but you're just repeating yourself. I've already asked you to stop. You're not saying anything new, that's what I object to.
- Rhiannon Bluemel
Judderz
says...
2:12pm Wed 26 Oct 11
Get well soon Lindsi!
Judderz
says...
2:12pm Wed 26 Oct 11
Get well soon Lindsi!
kimlisaharris
says...
2:42pm Wed 26 Oct 11
Carl Young
says...
5:11pm Wed 26 Oct 11
Lord Swood
says...
5:18pm Wed 26 Oct 11
Best wishes to Lindsi, hope to see her back on two wheels soon.
p.s. The absence of a helmet may have not have been a factor anyway (see http://cyclehelmets.
org/1052.html).
If a helmet is proven to be a factor, I'm sure that Lindsi will respond positively and champion the usage with her normal tenacity.
StEmmosfire
says...
5:59pm Wed 26 Oct 11
.
Again... I wish her a speedy recovery, genuienly.
pod
says...
6:40pm Wed 26 Oct 11
StEmmosfire wrote:oooh truth hurts, it is ok when you are bullying and harrassing people, but you don't like it when others challenge your behaviour,
Stop challenging me, you will only hear what you dont want to hear I am not going to respond.
.
Again... I wish her a speedy recovery, genuienly.
this will be my last post on the subject, so I would just like to wish lindsi and her family all the very best, Lindsi you sound lovely you have obviously touched the hearts and lives of many people, hope you are soon up and ab out again and enjoying life.
Shoong says...
9:42am Mon 24 Oct 11