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Final goodbyes to Sydney dad after Bali scooter crash

Kevin Malligan, 24, who was critically injured in a horror <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/heartbreaking-update-after-young-father-critically-injured-in-bali-scooter-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bali scooter crash</a> has been taken off life support, after he was declared brain dead by doctors. The young father-of-two was left fighting for his life after the accident. He suffered a brain bleed and a fracture to his neck, and was put into an induced coma at the BIMC Hospital in Nusa Dua. On Friday, his mother-in-law confirmed his death via a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/kevin-malligan-accident#xd_co_f=NDIzY2U3YjUtNTQ2Yi00MjhjLWEwNTMtNGNhZTMyZmNiMzc0~" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page that was previously set up to raise funds for his return to Australia. “Our last hours with our son-in-law Kevin were this morning as we all said our goodbyes,” she wrote, with a heartbreaking photo of Malligan's heavily pregnant wife, Leah and young daughter Ivy at his bedside. “We had to go through a traumatic time that no wife, father, mother, dad and family should have to go through. “Leah and his dad made the beautiful, generous choice to donate his internal organs," she added. She then thanked everyone who has supported their family during these tough times, with over $122,000 raised by generous donors in the fundraiser. “We are forever grateful for so much support over these last two weeks from family, friends, work colleagues, community and complete strangers. “Leah is overwhelmed by the support to bring Kevin back home and to have the opportunity to farewell her beloved husband and father to Ivy and her soon-to-be bub – due early February 2024.” Images: GoFundMe

Caring

Heartbreaking update after young father critically injured in Bali scooter crash

Kevin Malligan, 24, who was critically injured in a horror scooter crash in Bali, has been declared brain dead by doctors and now his pregnant wife is left to decide when they will turn off his life support machine. The young Sydney father was holidaying in Bali just weeks before the birth of his second child, before disaster struck when the moped he was a passenger on “hit a bump” and he was flung off. The 24-year-old suffered a brain bleed and a fracture to his neck, and was put on life support at the BIMC Hospital in Nusa Dua. As he fought for his life, his heavily pregnant wife Leah Malligan raced to Bali to be by her husbands side along with Mr Malligan’s father and brother. The young father underwent emergency brain surgery before generous donors helped him secure a $150,000 medevac flight back to Australia on January 4. But despite doctors best efforts, his family confirmed on Wednesday that his injuries are irreversible and he's been declared clinically brain dead. “This is the most difficult time of any of our lives and we just can’t be grateful enough to have been able to get him home for everyone to see him before he leaves us," his wife told Daily Mail. She described her husband as a “great dad, husband and friend, with a generous and loving nature who will be missed by all.” “He was always up for a good laugh and would do anything to put a smile on someone’s face," she said. “There was nothing more valuable than seeing how excited he was when he got home to give his Ivy girl a great big cuddle. “They then would play constantly until it was dinner and bedtime. He loved her so much and she doesn’t love anyone else as much as she loved Kev.” The heartbreaking update was shared to the family’s <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/kevin-malligan-accident" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page yesterday, with it already raising over $119,000. “Leah would like to thank everyone from the bottom of her heart who has donated, helped, sent messages to help her and the family at this time,” Mrs. Malligan’s mum Jodie French said. “She and the Malligan family now has the awful decision of when to turn off his life support.” “We are sending all our love and prayers for strength at this time to our daughter and Kevin’s family," she added before thanking everyone who has donated to their family. Images: 7NEWS

News

Big jump in e-scooter injuries following Melbourne trial

With many Australian states reviewing the laws around electric scooters, new data from Victoria suggests more can be done to prevent serious injuries. Data from Monash University’s Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit shows a doubling in the number of scooter injuries in the state this year. Some 427 people attended emergency departments with injuries from e-scooters in 2021/22, a 234% increase on the previous year. The data comes from 38 Victorian public hospitals with 24-hour emergency departments. Around a third of the emergency department presentations were admitted to hospital. Reflecting trends seen in Queensland, the majority of Victorian e-scooter injuries involved males (68% in 2021/22), with head and neck injuries common. Younger people aged 10 to 39 consistently made up more than 70% of emergency department presentations in 2020/21 and 2021/22. But urban transport specialists say e-scooters should still be taken seriously as a method of transport which offers environmental and health benefits. Professor Hussein Dia from Swinburne University, an expert in future urban mobility, argues it’s important to consider the broader benefits offered by micromobility transport options, particularly as an alternative to private car use for shorter commutes, and for connecting people to nearby public transport. “I think we need to take them seriously because they can make a big difference in terms of reducing congestion, improving livability in our cities, because they can be accessed very easily, and also they can be a force for a good change in reducing emissions.” “Transport contributes around 18% of [greenhouse gas emissions], particularly road transport and specifically private vehicles. So, the more we move people out of private vehicles towards public transport, e-bikes and e-scooters, the better for everyone. And then also, let’s not forget about the health benefits. But we need to prioritise safety,” he says. Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit data shows there were more than 11,400 emergency department presentations related to cycling injuries, more than 5,500 for motorbikes, and more than 7,600 related to cars in 2021/22. While e-scooter injury numbers are relatively small in comparison to these other transport modes, it’s difficult to compare statistics directly given the lack of information on the proportion of trips made by e-scooter. Transport accidents are the third highest cause of serious injuries and fourth highest cause of deaths, 2019-20 data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows. Car occupants and motorcyclists experienced the highest rates of serious injuries and deaths. Dia says while each city is different in terms of its infrastructure and transport policies, a UK study found e-scooters were five times safer than bicycles and nine times safer than motorbikes. Professor Mark Stevenson, an expert in transport and public health at the University of Melbourne, says when e-scooters and e-bikes replace car trips this reduces air pollution in the form of particulate matter from car tyres and combustion. Stevenson says injury data typically doesn’t distinguish between regulated use of e-scooters as part of the trial in Melbourne, and illegal or unregulated use. This is an important distinction because vehicles in the trial have safety measures in place such as speed limitations and helmet requirements. “If we embrace them and also ensure that we can deliver a safe transport infrastructure for them, we could see enormous utility out of these vehicles, one that will deliver in spades,” he says. The year-long trial of 1,500 rent-and-ride e-scooters operates in the inner city councils of Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip. To date, Melburnians have taken more than a million trips on e-scooters according to the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria. Private e-scooters remain illegal to use in public spaces, including roads and footpaths in Victoria. It’s estimated 100,000 e-scooters are privately owned in Victoria, according to reports in The Age. A spokesperson for Neuron, one of the companies participating in the Melbourne trial, says its vehicles include safety technology that controls where e-scooters are ridden and parked, and how fast they can travel. “Safety is our top priority, we have a robust rider education program focused on ensuring riders know the rules and how to ride and park responsibly. We run regular safety campaigns and ScootSafe events and deploy ‘Safety Ambassadors’ to city streets to engage one-to-one with riders and the general public,” the spokesperson says. According to the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit, the most common injuries were fractures (35%), dislocations or sprains (11%) or open wounds (11%) in 2021-22. Most injuries occurred as a result of people falling from e-scooters (81%), 7% collided with a car or van, 1% collided with a bicycle, and 1% with a pedestrian. Queensland recently introduced new rules and penalties for e-scooters in an effort to improve safety, and South Australia looks set to reform e-scooter laws in 2023. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/cosmos-briefing/victoria-e-scooter-injuries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Petra Stock. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

To scooter, or not to scooter?

<img width="117" height="100" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/41006/julie-g-aka-barbara-bindland_117x100.jpg" alt="Julie G Aka Barbara Bindland (5)" style="float: left;"/>Barbara Binland is the pen name of a senior, Julie Grenness, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She is a poet, writer, and part-time English and Maths tutor, with over 40 years of experience. Her many books are available on Amazon and Kindle. So, as a senior citizen, you have finally hung up your car keys, for whatever reason. That is part of our ageing journey, one day no longer being able to drive a motor car again. What’s next? Well, the senior citizen, over-60, golden oldie, can decide to purchase an electric mobility scooter. These provide both transportation and independence to anyone with limited mobility. Scooters are a great invention, assisting their owners in performing everyday tasks, such as shopping, or running errands. Electric mobility scooters are the safest way of travelling currently in Australia, even safer than walking on a footpath! There is a variety of styles of scooters available, at a variety of prices. In Australia, the costs range from $1,400 to $8,000, depending on style, number of wheels, length of battery life, and manoeuvrability, as well as number of wheels. They have a warranty, you can have a home demonstration for a test drive, and can even have lessons! Here are some questions to consider before purchasing: <ol> <li>What and how far do you intend to travel?</li> <li>Are you only planning to use your scooter locally, or do you wish to use it on trips?</li> <li>Are there tight corners where you wish to travel?</li> <li>Where will you store your scooter?</li> <li>Do you wish to carry luggage or bags with you?</li> <li>Have you considered the cost of insurance for your scooter?</li> <li>Is your vision okay at normal walking speed?</li> </ol> Overall, electric mobility scooters are easy to operate, travel at a modest speed, and are a safe and stable mode of transport, as they are designed low to the ground. If you have a disability, or issues with walking, a power scooter helps you get around and provides you with independence. With a variety of styles available, you can find one that suits your needs, and looks good too. Finally, here is a little verse about greys on scooters to lighten your day… FREEWHEELING! What a lovely day, Look, here come the greys! Freewheeling today, On their scooters again… Skateboarding teens, yah! Look out, kids, you’re in the way! Greys toot and wave, Freewheeling today, There go the greys! Have a fun grey day! Cheers from one of the greys! Do you use a scooter? How do you find it? Let us know in the comments below.

Caring

Who’s liable if you’re injured or killed riding an e-scooter?

The rental e-scooter craze is sweeping the globe, with millions of the vehicles dotting pavements in <a href="https://assets.ey.com/content/dam/ey-sites/ey-com/en_gl/topics/automotive-and-transportation/automotive-transportation-pdfs/ey-micromobility-moving-cities-into-a-sustainable-future.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 600 cities</a>. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200608-how-sustainable-are-electric-scooters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Studies predict</a> there will be 4.6 million shared e-scooters in operation worldwide by 2024. While e-scooters <a href="https://www.mearth.com.au/blogs/news/why-electric-scooters-are-greener-than-you-think" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been praised</a> as a greener form of transport, they have also caused scores of injuries and even deaths. Australia’s e-scooter fleet is comparatively small at <a href="https://micromobilityreport.com.au/infrastructure/bike-scooter-share/2022-a-year-of-change/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">around 10,000 units</a>, yet major hospitals in <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/melbourne-emergency-department-sees-escooter-injuries-daily/9cdd73d5-0bee-4546-ab65-2cf650201e5b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Melbourne</a>, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-22/electric-e-scooter-e-bike-injuries-brisbane-emergency-department/100313526" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brisbane</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-15/warning-issued-to-escooter-riders-in-perth/101242834" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Perth</a> are reporting “daily” presentations with e-scooter related traumas to both riders and pedestrians. Worse, according to media reports at least seven Australians have been killed through falls or collisions since their <a href="https://raine.co/blogs/news/electric-scooter-trials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduction in 2018</a>, including a <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/qld/queensland-boy-15-dies-five-days-after-suffering-critical-injuries-in-e-scooter-crash-c-7563230" target="_blank" rel="noopener">15-year-old Queensland boy last week</a>. Although the National Transport Commission <a href="https://www.ntc.gov.au/sites/default/files/assets/files/NTC-Decision-RIS-PMDs.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommended</a> in 2020 that e-scooters be limited to a speed of 10 km/hr on footpaths and 25km/hr on roads or bike lanes, most states have allowed higher speeds on footpaths. Many riders also shun the helmet requirement imposed by the e-scooter terms of use and the <a href="https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/__legislation/lz/c/r/australian%20road%20rules/current/2014.205.auth.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Road Rules</a>. It therefore seems that more carnage is on the horizon. We need a uniform regulatory framework balancing the risks and benefits of e-scooters, and clarifying avenues for compensation. <h2>Who’s liable for e-scooter injuries?</h2> The <a href="https://pcc.gov.au/uniform/Australian-Road-Rules-10December2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Road Rules</a> empower the states to prohibit e-scooters on public roads and footpaths. Most states have banned them by default, but many local councils have authorised <a href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/road-safety-programs/e-scooter-trials-in-victoria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temporary trials</a>, which are still in effect. Obviously, if you crash due to your own misuse or recklessness, you are personally responsible for your injuries or those you cause to others. But if the accident is caused by a fault with the e-scooter, that might be different. Some of the e-scooter companies, such as Neuron, <a href="https://www.rideneuron.com/terms-of-service/au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">state that they exclude liability</a> for injury except where it’s caused by their negligence. Where you’ve crashed due to uneven pavement or damaged road, the disrepair will generally need to be known or otherwise significant to prove the local council breached its duty of care to you. You would then seek compensation through the council’s public liability insurer. You would likely have to try to do the same if you trip over a dormant e-scooter that has been dumped in random locations, as they often are. Third parties who are injured by an e-scooter rider are in a difficult position. This is because <a href="https://jade.io/article/67447" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only parties to a contract</a> can incur rights and obligations under the contract. E-scooter contracts are between the user and the respective company, so those who are struck by e-scooters, or trip over a dormant one, have no contractual rights against the company. An injured third party would have to sue the rider directly. But attaining the rider’s personal details could be difficult if they drive off or are evasive, and they will <a href="https://attwoodmarshall.com.au/escooter-laws/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likely be unable to pay compensation</a>. Complicating matters is the fact minors also ride e-scooters. <a href="https://www.li.me/en-au/user-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lime</a> and <a href="https://www.rideneuron.com/terms-of-service/au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neuron</a> forbid minors from using their vehicles, but <a href="https://global-uploads.webflow.com/5b685812f109cf81a7d99e25/61b3143240d08942f78415ce_Terms%20of%20Services%20-%20Beam%20Australia%20(website)%20-%20December%202021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beam</a> allows people under 16 to ride with parental consent. E-scooters are colourful, funky, and marketed in a manner appealing to young and likely inexperienced riders. Each of the e-scooter companies’ terms warn that breaching the terms of use, such as riding as an unauthorised minor, can void insurance entitlements, meaning many unwary parents or caregivers may be left to foot hefty medical and legal bills. <h2>Excluding liability through the fine print</h2> When a user downloads and accesses the relevant app to activate an e-scooter, they agree to the terms of service. <a href="https://jade.io/article/68500" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The law states</a> that you’re bound by the terms you sign (physically or digitally), even if you don’t read them – and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/mar/03/terms-of-service-online-contracts-fine-print" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most people don’t</a>. Australia’s biggest e-scooter companies – <a href="https://www.li.me/en-au/user-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lime</a>, <a href="https://global-uploads.webflow.com/5b685812f109cf81a7d99e25/61b3143240d08942f78415ce_Terms%20of%20Services%20-%20Beam%20Australia%20(website)%20-%20December%202021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Beam</a>, and <a href="https://www.rideneuron.com/terms-of-service/au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Neuron</a> – all have lengthy user agreements, each containing exclusion clauses. These clauses restrict or exclude the companies’ liability if you’re injured while using them. But are they watertight? It depends on wording. Beam’s agreement, for example, states that the company isn’t liable to users “for any death, disability or personal injury […] howsoever caused” arising directly or indirectly in connection with use of its e-scooters. Such statements, though broad, are <a href="https://jade.io/article/65000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">generally sufficient</a> to exclude negligence liability. The reference to “indirect” injury also implies a user being injured by a third party (such as an errant rider, driver, or pedestrian) would have no recourse against the company. However, the courts <a href="https://www.bailii.org/cgi-bin/format.cgi?doc=/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/1953/2.html&query=(white)+AND+(v)+AND+(john)+AND+(warwick)" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have also said</a> that where liability can arise on two or more different bases – such as negligence and breach of contract – then you need to use more specific wording in your exclusion clause. Lime, Beam, and Neuron all mention negligence, so they would likely be covered. <h2>Insurance as a panacea?</h2> Compulsory third-party insurance is <a href="https://www.qbe.com/au/news/ctp-explained" target="_blank" rel="noopener">required</a> with motor vehicle registration in Australia. But this isn’t so with e-scooters, as they’re not classified as registrable vehicles. Extending the compulsory third-party insurance scheme to e-scooters might help resolve some of the liability questions that linger. However, the <a href="https://mylicence.sa.gov.au/road-rules/riding_motorised_scooters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Australian Government</a> has observed this isn’t possible because e-scooters don’t meet <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/vehicles/vehicle-design-regulation/australian-design-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national standards</a> that govern registrable vehicles. While some home and contents insurance policies may offer some coverage for e-scooter injuries, this hasn’t been tested and young victims almost certainly won’t have this insurance. Workplace insurance might also apply if the accident occurred on the way to, or during, work. Again, this will depend on the relevant policy and whether the rider was obeying all road rules and the e-scooter’s terms of use. If a rider is hit by a car, the driver’s compulsory third party insurance would cover any resulting injury or death. The e-scooter companies have started introducing third party liability insurance schemes which might protect riders from claims brought by, for example, injured pedestrians. However, the policies generally have numerous exclusions, such as where riders breach the terms of use (for example for not wearing a helmet or being underage). <h2>The need for a unified approach</h2> Multiple stakeholders are involved in rental e-scooter arrangements. From a regulatory perspective, state and local governments have a duty to consider and protect all members of the community when they allow and control e-scooter trials. The chosen approach can also impact redress mechanisms for those injured by e-scooters. At the moment, there’s different approaches across Australia. So it’s essential that all levels of government work together to craft a uniform regulatory framework. Additional safety measures can help curb the injury and death count, such as more precise “geofencing” to restrict e-scooters to certain areas and remote deactivation for breach of safety rules. Ensuring only those with a driver’s licence are authorised to ride e-scooters could also help, and this could be implemented by linking e-scooter app sign-up to state government licence databases. In the meantime, law enforcement is critical to ensure riders are riding e-scooters in a safe and legal manner. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/whos-liable-if-youre-injured-or-killed-riding-an-e-scooter-187436" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Legal

Eight-year-old girl hospitalised after e-scooter collision

An eight-year-old girl has been left with serious injuries after being run over by a man on an e-scooter. Lilli Ritzka was walking along a footpath in North Coogee in Perth’s west on Sunday when she was hit by a rider doing 40km/h. She was flung almost 10m in the air leaving her with serious injuries to her forehead, cheek, nose and bottom lip. "The e-scooter was riding in the middle so he just crashed into me," little Lilli told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/perth-e-scooter-crash-father-calls-tougher-laws/26ea4c13-6cd1-41e8-862d-a9d3795adb26" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nine News</a>. Her father Volker rushed her to hospital where she spent two nights there in fear of permanent scarring. “It was a strong impact, a big, big scooter, a really heavy vehicle,” he told <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/eightyearold-girls-very-shocking-and-very-painful-escooter-ordeal/news-story/41e6dbfdacf36fd756dd8be06b00a227" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Australian</a>. “It could have been much worse easily.” Volker said the rider apologised but then rode off despite his best attempts at getting him to stay. A man in his 20s was later arrested but was released without charge. St John executive director ambulance operations Deon Brink said many riders are not adhering to the speed limit and almost all injuries involving e-scooters are serious. “Wear a helmet, abide by speed limits, ride responsibly and preferably not late at night or in the early hours of the morning,” he said. Images: Nine News

Travel Trouble

Last selfless act on behalf of teen killed on e-scooter

After their 13-year-old son was tragically killed in an e-scooter accident on Saturday, Calym Gilbert's heartbroken parents are making sure his legacy lives on. The young teenager and his friend were riding the e-scooters in Perth when they collided with a Ford Ranger at an intersection, "ejecting" both boys from the scooters and leaving them seriously injured. Calym's life-threatening injuries saw him places on life-support, with his parents making the devastating decision to turn off the machines on Wednesday, with Calym passing away a short time later. According to 7News, his parents have decided to donate their son's organs, allowing the teenager to "leave behind a legacy", by giving six other people a second chance at life. Ever since the incident, Calym's father has issued a plea for others to be careful on the road. "Wear a helmet," he told 7News. "He is our baby boy, the love of my life, ripped from us so suddenly and way too soon," his heartbroken mum added. A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-calym-gilbert" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been set up by Calym's relatives to ease any financial "worry" in the wake of the boy's untimely death, with generous supporters already donating over $8,000 to the grieving family. "Calym had a gentle soul and would do anything to help all of those around him. Calym was full of life and love - his internal light filled any room and left a lasting impression on all those that knew him," the page says. Image credits: GoFundMe

Family & Pets

"Callous and heartless": Plea for return of stolen scooter

Police are searching for the person who stole a pensioner’s mobility scooter. The 82-year-old man parked the red scooter outside of his home on Macarthur Street in Ultimo, in Sydney's inner-city at approximately 2.30 pm on Sunday. The senior realised it was missing around 4:30 pm. The elderly man is now unable to leave his home. Security footage has showed the scooter being driven away around 3.50 pm by someone wearing a motorbike helmet. Police say they believe they will be able to identify the man responsible for the theft. "It's a man between 30 and 50 years of age, white and blue jacket, the motorcross helmet is distinctive and it does have an open face," Acting Inspector Anderson Lessing said. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838739/senior-scooter-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1b468bba04b94d1b8907a5ee635b8c4d" /> "Hand yourself into a local police station, otherwise we will be knocking on your door once we identify you." Mr Lessing said police are urging for the scooter to be returned to the man. "This was a pensioner, he's 82 years of age, this suspect has deprived him of his ability to go up the shops, to get a coffee, go buy a newspaper, essentially he's deprived him of his independence," he said. "It's a callous and heartless attack and we want to identify him who he is so we can put him before the courts."

Legal

Qld woman faces leg amputation in Thailand as desperate family tries to bring her home

The family of a Queensland woman are desperately trying to raise enough money to bring her home from Thailand, after a horrific scooter accident left her hospitalised and staring down the barrel of potential leg amputation. Stacey Liddle was celebrating her 30th birthday in Thailand with friend Sinead Markham, when the pair decided to rent scooters, before disaster struck. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F7NewsBrisbane%2Fposts%2F1703684856311026&width=500" width="500" height="731" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe> “We were riding along in Chalong and I heard beeping and I saw Stacey get dragged underneath the bus and the wheels went straight over the top of her,” Ms Markham told the Courier Mail. “She wasn’t breathing when she first got hit and I thought she was dead and then she started moaning and woke up and we both just started screaming, it was so horrific.” Ms Liddle was taken to hospital suffering severe leg injuries and a punctured lung, where she was operated on without anaesthesia and doctors removed her calf muscle. “(The bus) completely tore her leg apart, her bone were exposed and her calf muscle was lying on the ground,” Ms Markham said. “They pulled her skin around and stitched it up but where they’ve stitched it the skin is going grey and starting to die and it’s all infected. “She’s lost so much blood that she’s had 10 blood transfusions but at one point she was just so white I thought, ‘Oh my god my friend is going to die’”. To make matters worse, Ms Liddle’s friends and family have discovered that the pair weren’t insured to go on the scooter. To avoid amputation in the Thai hospital, Ms Liddle’s friends have to raise enough money to bring her home. “We’re doing everything we can to get a medical flight to get her home to a hospital in Australia and give her the best possible chance… and stop her leg from being amputated and make sure she survives this,” Ms Markham said. “She has ants crawling all over her in the hospital. It’s absolutely disgusting and the beds are rusting and she has to lie in her own sweat and blood.” Ms Liddle’s family has started a fundraising page, you can <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/please-help-stacey-liddle-get-home" target="_blank">visit here</a>. What are your thoughts? Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Save money with Over60 Travel Insurance. <a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=content&utm_content=link1&utm_campaign=travel-insurance" target="_blank">To arrange a quote, click here.</a> Or for more information, call 1800 622 966.

International Travel

Teenagers rescue 90-year-old man from six-metre sinkhole

Just two days before Christmas Alwyne Watkins was driving his mobility scooter through an oval at Wallsend in the NSW Hunter region when the ground opened up beneath him. There was no time to think and if it wasn’t for a group of quick-thinking teenagers who saved him, Alwyne is certain what fate would have befallen him. “I wouldn’t be here,” the 90-year-old said. “They saved my life. The four of them are heroes in my eyes.” Jackson Rickford, Michael Zechel and Elijah Startin, 16 and 17 years of age, were playing soccer when they saw Alwyne approach. He stopped in a middle of path and then seemed to vanish. “I sprinted over and jumped the fence because I thought he’d had a fall,” said Michael. “Then I looked under my feet and I could see all the way down. It scared the hell out of me.” <img width="459" height="258" src="http://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/xeqZeRWbggz2D8A9GTEsMK/e9f5796f-6432-4f30-9576-91e449ae300d.jpg/r0_195_4872_2934_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg" alt="Mr Watkins stands next to the sinkhole that swallowed his mobility scooter. Photo: Simone De Peak" class="story-image__image" style="opacity: 1; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Alwyne has been swallowed by a six-metre sinkhole. Luckily, the scooter had wedged him close to the surface and Michael managed to lift the scooter and pull Alwyne to stable ground. The boys called triple-0 and Alwyne was taken to the nearby hospital. Luckily, injuries were minor and only needed a few stitches. “All I knew was that I was driving, and the next moment my head was level with the ground,” Alwyne recalled. His damaged scooter was replaced by a new one for free by a local mobility scooter business. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/worlds-happiest-countries-in-2015/">These are the happiest countries in the world</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/older-generation-better-at-learning/">Older generations better at learning than everyone else</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/tips-for-being-a-good-person-today/">8 ways to be a good person today</a>

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Man fined $71 for riding push scooter through Sydney tunnel

Image credit: www.dailymail.co.uk A man who was filmed riding a scooter through Sydney’s busy Cross City Tunnel has been hit with a $71 after turning himself into Surry Hills police. The 42-year-old pushed his way through the tunnel yesterday about 3:30pm, much to the shock and frustration of surrounding drivers. The footage filmed by a passenger in a nearby vechile shows the smartly dressed man travelling in the tunnel's left lane with little sense of urgency. A spokesman for the Cross City Tunnel said the man forced several cars in the tunnel to slow down behind him, prompting warnings from staff. By the time road crews had arrived, the man had already left the area. Under NSW law, all foot scooters, skateboards and rollerblades are illegal to use on roads with speeds greater than 50 kilometres per hour or on any one-way road with more than one marked lane. Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/01/man-gives-shivering-stranger-the-shirt-off-his-back/">Man gives shivering stranger the shirt off his back</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/2016/01/eat-like-an-okinawan-and-live-until-100/">Eat like an Okinawan and live until you’re 100</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/body/2015/11/best-outdoor-exercise-options/">The best ways to exercise outdoors</a>

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Teenagers rescue 90-year-old man from six-metre sinkhole

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Final goodbyes to Sydney dad after Bali scooter crash

Heartbreaking update after young father critically injured in Bali scooter crash

Big jump in e-scooter injuries following Melbourne trial

To scooter, or not to scooter?

Who’s liable if you’re injured or killed riding an e-scooter?

Eight-year-old girl hospitalised after e-scooter collision

Last selfless act on behalf of teen killed on e-scooter

"Callous and heartless": Plea for return of stolen scooter

Qld woman faces leg amputation in Thailand as desperate family tries to bring her home

Teenagers rescue 90-year-old man from six-metre sinkhole

Man fined $71 for riding push scooter through Sydney tunnel

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