Well, we always knew it was going to be a wet weekend, and everybody turned up in appropriate armoured riding gear and wet weather gear.
The northern mob had a trouble free and dry ride down to Mandurah, where they met up with the southern mob for a late breakfast at Friar Tucks, some of us may have even had a pint. Steve Leech (WA state rep. and organiser of the weekend) had incorporated the breakfast into the total price for the weekend. It looked like we had a healthy eighteen Lambrettas out for the weekend despite the weather
Next stop was Settlers Roadhouse on the Forrest Hwy about 50k’s out of Bunbury, for everyone to top up their tanks.
I was driving this weekend and was at the back letting the scoots get out in front of me.
It all happened very quickly, there was one of our support vans blocking the inside lane with its hazard lights on and one of our riders in Hi-Vis waving cars into the outside lane. Once I got past I could see that one of ours was lying on the road.
Mark Dearman and John Stacey, had pulled out into the inside lane together, with Mark on the inside, and John on the outside, at the same time another car had pulled into the outside lane, leaving a 4WD travelling at 110kmh with nowhere to go…
The 4WD hit John on his right side and sent John and his scoot up in the air and then spinning down the road.
As tragic as the accident was, the way Club members reacted was first class. The support vehicle blocking the lane and protecting John, riders waving vehicles into the outside lane, John Senior on the phone to the ambos, Mark Dearman and Phil Synott looking after John, telling him to just stay down and not remove his helmet in case of back or neck injury, and generally staying chatting to him keeping him calm, and even the rest of the mob for realising there was nothing more that they could do and moving onto Bunbury.
John was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital, and is recovering well. He has a nasty break to his upper arm and has lost the top of one of his thumbs, from the knuckle, it was found in his glove, and unfortunately could not be reattached.
The rest of the ride to Bunbury was uneventful, though Des’ and Mark’s scoots ended up in the trailer, with electrical issues.
The Rose Hotel in Bunbury is our usual haunt, and typically they tolerate us having a session in the car park next to our scoots but because of the weather, everyone got out of their wet clothes and met in the public bar, for a few pints, before heading out for dinner.
The following morning, we found a local café for some brekky, Steve Leech handed out our t-shirts, and everyone got ready for another wet ride, home this time.
On the way home Russ Edwards lost his spark and was on the trailer, and later, both Tommy Bosson and Al Taylor dropped their scoots at different times hitting oily patches in the road, though not at speed, and apart from some bumps and bruises, and some nice paintwork which will need repairing, they are OK.
These events, even just an overnighter, take some organising, and are not easy to cancel, despite inclement weather. Huge thanks to Steve Leech for organising the event, and especially the WA LCOA crew, who are ready to ride with their mates at any opportunity.
When I hear comments like ‘this is the best Club in WA’, it makes it all worthwhile.
Cheers Max
The northern mob had a trouble free and dry ride down to Mandurah, where they met up with the southern mob for a late breakfast at Friar Tucks, some of us may have even had a pint. Steve Leech (WA state rep. and organiser of the weekend) had incorporated the breakfast into the total price for the weekend. It looked like we had a healthy eighteen Lambrettas out for the weekend despite the weather
Next stop was Settlers Roadhouse on the Forrest Hwy about 50k’s out of Bunbury, for everyone to top up their tanks.
I was driving this weekend and was at the back letting the scoots get out in front of me.
It all happened very quickly, there was one of our support vans blocking the inside lane with its hazard lights on and one of our riders in Hi-Vis waving cars into the outside lane. Once I got past I could see that one of ours was lying on the road.
Mark Dearman and John Stacey, had pulled out into the inside lane together, with Mark on the inside, and John on the outside, at the same time another car had pulled into the outside lane, leaving a 4WD travelling at 110kmh with nowhere to go…
The 4WD hit John on his right side and sent John and his scoot up in the air and then spinning down the road.
As tragic as the accident was, the way Club members reacted was first class. The support vehicle blocking the lane and protecting John, riders waving vehicles into the outside lane, John Senior on the phone to the ambos, Mark Dearman and Phil Synott looking after John, telling him to just stay down and not remove his helmet in case of back or neck injury, and generally staying chatting to him keeping him calm, and even the rest of the mob for realising there was nothing more that they could do and moving onto Bunbury.
John was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital, and is recovering well. He has a nasty break to his upper arm and has lost the top of one of his thumbs, from the knuckle, it was found in his glove, and unfortunately could not be reattached.
The rest of the ride to Bunbury was uneventful, though Des’ and Mark’s scoots ended up in the trailer, with electrical issues.
The Rose Hotel in Bunbury is our usual haunt, and typically they tolerate us having a session in the car park next to our scoots but because of the weather, everyone got out of their wet clothes and met in the public bar, for a few pints, before heading out for dinner.
The following morning, we found a local café for some brekky, Steve Leech handed out our t-shirts, and everyone got ready for another wet ride, home this time.
On the way home Russ Edwards lost his spark and was on the trailer, and later, both Tommy Bosson and Al Taylor dropped their scoots at different times hitting oily patches in the road, though not at speed, and apart from some bumps and bruises, and some nice paintwork which will need repairing, they are OK.
These events, even just an overnighter, take some organising, and are not easy to cancel, despite inclement weather. Huge thanks to Steve Leech for organising the event, and especially the WA LCOA crew, who are ready to ride with their mates at any opportunity.
When I hear comments like ‘this is the best Club in WA’, it makes it all worthwhile.
Cheers Max
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