Incredible moment crowd lifts BUS to free trapped unicyclist in Walthamstow

Title direct from The London Evening Standard, this short video and story just made me smile and I thought worth sharing here.
Link

Londoners rushed to save the life of a unicyclist by lifting a double-decker bus after he became trapped beneath its wheels.

Incredible footage shows up to one hundred Londoners rushing to the aid of the 55-year-old man in panicked scenes after the crash, which left him fighting for his life.

The extraordinary intervention came after the unicyclist was hit by a route 212 double-decker in Walthamstow at around 6pm on Thursday.

It is good to see that as people we still mostly care enough about each other when it is important.

Most folks will help another in trouble... it just doesn't make news... but good to hear about, anyway, for perspective.

That said... unicyclist? Hmmm... bet if it was a mime, they would've left him... close call, though.. .wonder if there was a discussion first?

a reply to: grainofsand

I doubt that would happen in China. They'll either walk past you as if you never existed or pull out their phones and record you dying.

Make me happy to be British. We won't say hi to you in the street but if your crushed by one of our red buses we will unite

originally posted by: Baddogma
wonder if there was a discussion first?

I wondered the same, or was it just an initial couple of people shouting "We can get him out" and compassionate mob psychology took over.
I'm sure a few emergency service members here on ATS will say it was a stupid risk, could have injured the guy or other people at the scene, should have waited for appropriate lifting gear, haven't had training for people stuck under busses etc etc, but if I was in that crowd I would have stretched my muscles to the limit to get him out as well.
Basic instinct for another human suffering I guess.

a reply to: grainofsand
It all depends on the injuries etc. Sometimes we will load them with fluids and sodium bicarb before we lift them on crush injuries. This is because alot of times as soon as you lift the object and bloodflow returns, the patient can die immediately.

There was a case awhile back with NYFD. I believe a video is out there of this as well. They had a bicyclist trapped under a vehicle. The equipment they used to lift the car failed and came back down on the patient killing him. My point is even trained emergency personnel make mistakes in these situations which these citizens didn't.

I say good on the citizens for banding together in humanity and getting this guy out.

originally posted by: LoverBoy
a reply to: grainofsand
It all depends on the injuries etc. Sometimes we will load them with fluids and sodium bicarb before we lift them on crush injuries. This is because alot of times as soon as you lift the object and bloodflow returns, the patient can die immediately.

Thanks for the reply, I learned something new
...and total agreement about the citizens, I hope that human wish to help each other in emergencies is not ever killed of by 'wait for the right people' or litigation and rabid 'health and safety' protocols.

originally posted by: BaddogmaHmmm... bet if it was a mime, they would've left him...

We wouldn't have known the mime was there. He couldn't cry for help.

a reply to: Excallibacca

Hahaha! Twice Ive laughed out loud in this thread now!
Cheers both you and Baddogma

...I'd save the mime if I saw him/her looking at me with a sad face under a bus though, definitely!

originally posted by: LoverBoy
a reply to: grainofsand
It all depends on the injuries etc. Sometimes we will load them with fluids and sodium bicarb before we lift them on crush injuries. This is because alot of times as soon as you lift the object and bloodflow returns, the patient can die immediately.

There was a case awhile back with NYFD. I believe a video is out there of this as well. They had a bicyclist trapped under a vehicle. The equipment they used to lift the car failed and came back down on the patient killing him. My point is even trained emergency personnel make mistakes in these situations which these citizens didn't.

I say good on the citizens for banding together in humanity and getting this guy out.

The little bit of first aid training I had told me the following.

If tending a crush victim, find out how long they've been crushed before freeing them, the reason I was given was that - blood that had been trapped by the crush, will contain little oxygen but lots of toxins released by the body, and when that blood is suddenly released it poisons the patient - septicemia?

I suspect in the case of the bus incident the patient had not been under the bus for long so should be ok.

originally posted by: VoidHawk
I suspect in the case of the bus incident the patient had not been under the bus for long so should be ok.

I hope what you say turns out to be correct, but either way, it is a lovely story of humanity.

a reply to: VoidHawk
I cannot remember the exact word for it but yes you're right. Basically a buildup of co2 in the blood with lack of o2. That is what the sodium bicarb is supposed to help. Also the rapid blood flow to extremeties causes a hell of a havoc on the body to crushed areas once released. Basically if circumstances allow, you try to prep for these things. As most in fire ems will tell you....like this case, nothing is ever textbook.

This is so close to me. This area has quite a bad reputation lately, its good to see people come together

I'm also not taking away from these citizens. I think what they did was great. Worst case scenario I would rather see untrained people at least trying to help this man in which case they did.

There are many instances where untrained people get in the way and cause more harm than they do help. This is not one of those cases.

a reply to: LoverBoy

Isn't it lovely to see people running in crowd psychology to help someone.

originally posted by: grainofsand

originally posted by: VoidHawk
I suspect in the case of the bus incident the patient had not been under the bus for long so should be ok.

I hope what you say turns out to be correct, but either way, it is a lovely story of humanity.

I hope so too.

While in the first aid class I was asked the following.
"A man is laying in the road, he is not breathing, but his chest is all busted up and bones are sticking out. Chest compressions are very likely to cause injury, what should you do?"
The answer - If he's not breathing he will die, so start pumping!

I suspect the case in your op may have been similar. Had they left him there he'd probably have died, so best to get him out.

The story was that he was hit and run over by the bus, someone screamed, and everyone came running out of all the shops, restaurants and cafes to move the bus.

a reply to: grainofsand

This has to be one of the best examples of community as it should be, that I have ever seen put either to print, or to video! The people who pushed that bus, who monitored the injured party, who gave up their time, their sweat, and risked injury themselves to free that man, should be very proud of themselves right now. There are times, theses days, that a British fellow looks upon the nation that is his home, and despairs for it, and its inhabitants.

However, with news like this, I believe today is one of those days where a citizen of these Isles can be genuinely proud to be British. Bloody good effort all round!