Wow, so much drama out at Enfield yesterday when a bus load of tourists from Hong Kong crashed and over turned their vehicle on the highway, landing on the corner opposite our house.
I was just lounging around watching TV when I saw Craig running across our block shouting for to me to call an ambulance, which I did immediately. Upon exiting the front door I saw the carnage. The buses wheels were up in the air, still spinning and I could hear people inside shouting out 'help me.' Craig and our neighbour across the road were the first ones on the scene, opening the back of the bus and helping the tourists out. One poor guy was bleeding profusely from the head due to a laceration but everyone else appeared to be okay, just in a state of shock. It wasn't long until the ambulances arrived, two of them and about five cop cars and a fire truck and of course within half an hour the media as well. The place was swarming with flashing lights, and just when I thought it couldn't get anymore dramatic an ambulance chopper arrived to air lift the injured man to hospital.
Apparently the driver hit a pot hole and lost control of the bus, swerving uncontrollably onto the wrong side of the road, mounting the embankment and then flipping over. The poor tourists were all really shaken up and the fact that none of them seemed to speak much English certainly made things a lot harder.
Clearly the man with the bleeding head was seriously injured, but the rest just suffered minor bumps and bruises which was a bit of a miracle given the state of their bus. It took about five hours to clear away all evidence, transport the tourists and flip the wreckage back over, and Colac Road was closed to all traffic for about an hour. This is the first big accident that we have seen out here, and I hope it is the last because it was pretty horrible.
The only good thing that came out of it was the fact that we now know that a chopper can be landed within 100 metres of our side door, should I ever purchase a helicopter. Seth found it all extremely exciting, especially when the helicopter arrived, running about yelling 'get to the chopper!' in an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent. I had to remind him that this was a catastrophe and not a side show, but I had to agree that it was a bit exciting.
Hopefully this incident will be enough to get the council to address the terrible state of the roads out our way, so that this sort of thing doesn't happen again. Those poor tourists are certainly never going to forget their trip to Australia that's for sure.
I was just lounging around watching TV when I saw Craig running across our block shouting for to me to call an ambulance, which I did immediately. Upon exiting the front door I saw the carnage. The buses wheels were up in the air, still spinning and I could hear people inside shouting out 'help me.' Craig and our neighbour across the road were the first ones on the scene, opening the back of the bus and helping the tourists out. One poor guy was bleeding profusely from the head due to a laceration but everyone else appeared to be okay, just in a state of shock. It wasn't long until the ambulances arrived, two of them and about five cop cars and a fire truck and of course within half an hour the media as well. The place was swarming with flashing lights, and just when I thought it couldn't get anymore dramatic an ambulance chopper arrived to air lift the injured man to hospital.
Apparently the driver hit a pot hole and lost control of the bus, swerving uncontrollably onto the wrong side of the road, mounting the embankment and then flipping over. The poor tourists were all really shaken up and the fact that none of them seemed to speak much English certainly made things a lot harder.
Clearly the man with the bleeding head was seriously injured, but the rest just suffered minor bumps and bruises which was a bit of a miracle given the state of their bus. It took about five hours to clear away all evidence, transport the tourists and flip the wreckage back over, and Colac Road was closed to all traffic for about an hour. This is the first big accident that we have seen out here, and I hope it is the last because it was pretty horrible.
The only good thing that came out of it was the fact that we now know that a chopper can be landed within 100 metres of our side door, should I ever purchase a helicopter. Seth found it all extremely exciting, especially when the helicopter arrived, running about yelling 'get to the chopper!' in an Arnold Schwarzenegger accent. I had to remind him that this was a catastrophe and not a side show, but I had to agree that it was a bit exciting.
Hopefully this incident will be enough to get the council to address the terrible state of the roads out our way, so that this sort of thing doesn't happen again. Those poor tourists are certainly never going to forget their trip to Australia that's for sure.
CRASH
Release Date: 2004
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 112 mins
Co-written, produced and directed by Paul Haggis, Crash won three Academy Awards including Best Picture at the 78th Academy Awards and was inspired by a real life incident that happened to Haggis when he had his Porsche carjacked outside of a video store in 1991. The film centres on racial and social tensions in Los Angeles, and was well received by critics and audiences alike for its refreshing and unusual approach.
Several characters with different ethnic backgrounds, classes, genders and personal experiences interweave over two days in Los Angeles.
This film is working hard to break down stereotypes and preconceived ideas about people. By putting both victims and perpetrators of racism into the limelight, Crash demonstrates that in different contexts the characters all have the potential to be both. Most of the racial remarks and comments that are made seem to stem from ignorance and misconception rather than malice, allowing the characters to sway our judgement of them back and forth.
The cast is massive, with notable performances from Matt Dillion, Sandra Bullock, Thandie Newton, Don Cheadle and Jennifer Esposito and although it may be taking a few liberties with its depictions of certain races, it does have a voice and a message worth hearing.
FINAL SAY: You folks drive safe now.
3.5 Chili Peppers
Release Date: 2004
Rating: R 18+
Running Time: 112 mins
Co-written, produced and directed by Paul Haggis, Crash won three Academy Awards including Best Picture at the 78th Academy Awards and was inspired by a real life incident that happened to Haggis when he had his Porsche carjacked outside of a video store in 1991. The film centres on racial and social tensions in Los Angeles, and was well received by critics and audiences alike for its refreshing and unusual approach.
Several characters with different ethnic backgrounds, classes, genders and personal experiences interweave over two days in Los Angeles.
This film is working hard to break down stereotypes and preconceived ideas about people. By putting both victims and perpetrators of racism into the limelight, Crash demonstrates that in different contexts the characters all have the potential to be both. Most of the racial remarks and comments that are made seem to stem from ignorance and misconception rather than malice, allowing the characters to sway our judgement of them back and forth.
The cast is massive, with notable performances from Matt Dillion, Sandra Bullock, Thandie Newton, Don Cheadle and Jennifer Esposito and although it may be taking a few liberties with its depictions of certain races, it does have a voice and a message worth hearing.
FINAL SAY: You folks drive safe now.
3.5 Chili Peppers
RSS Feed