BAN THE STONES BOMB

This is what happens when one goes wrong. This is my wife of 20 years.

http://au.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shintaro12r/album?.dir=412dscd

The "Before" photo was taken at Christmas.

 

If you play with fire prepare to get burned.
Sorry to hear.

justAL

 

Whats a Stones Bomb?

 

Ouchie-ouch ouch. What's the story?

 

On Saturday we went to a rally, not unusual but this was Leanne's first ride
on her bike since all the operations she went through last November. She got
the all clear from her doctor on Thursday and off we went on Friday.
Wednesday was our 20th wedding anniversary.



Leanne was really enjoying herself. Some of her new girl friends were there
and we were having a pleasant relaxing day. However, on Saturday night I was
standing 3 meters away from the fire with my back turned to it, Leanne was
standing 1/2 a metre further away and to my right. An individual placed a
stones bomb in the fire, I heard a "noise" and turned my head towards the
fire. The bottle had fallen over and exploded almost immediately. The top
was pointing directly at Leanne. I have a slight sun tan on the right side
of my face. My left hand is twice its size with fluid and I have 1st degree
burns to the back of it as well as 2nd degree burns on the tips of 3 fingers
all complete with huge blistering. Before I could get her out of the way the
jet of ignited fuel threw both of us about 2 meters. Can you imagine the
shock I got to get up off the ground and see Leanne running around ON FIRE
screaming? I hope NO ONE EVER has to go through that. I certainly will never
forget it.



We doused her with water and 3 first aiders administered help for 1/2 hr
before the ambo's arrived. 4 hrs treatment in Loxton hospital and then they
flew her directly to Royal Adelaide Hospital burns unit. She underwent
surgery on Sunday for 1st degree burns to her face and 2nd and 3rd degree
burns to both sides of her hands and forearms. The swelling in her hands is
so bad they had to cut her rings off her fingers. She also only has partial
vision in both eyes.



The facial burns will heal with minimal scarring, her hands are a different
matter. She may never ride or drive again due to nerve and tissue damage and
the loss of her sight. Skin grafts are a distinct possibility. At the moment
she is full of morphine but in as good mood as she can be. The doctors
expect her to be in the burns unit for the next 2 weeks and an indeterminate
time for re-hab. The swelling



Financially this may ruin us. Medical insurance will only cover so much. At
the moment I don't know if we have to pay for the flight from Loxton to RAH
which in excess of $15,000. I don't think the mental scarring will ever
leave us let alone the damage it has done to our kids who dearly love their
mother.



People who build stones bombs and haven't had an incident or
injured someone have been lucky so far. Their luck and an innocent persons
WILL run out. If it goes wrong, and we've all seen it happen, innocent
people wear the consequences.



I'm asking everyone to actively encourage the "BANNING OF THE STONES BOMB".
Every time you hear someone mention making a stones bomb or see one,
remember the photos above and think of Leanne and the consequences which may
occur.

 

I sincerely hope that you and Leanne heal well and fast, and that it doesn't affect you too much financially.

However, I think the biggest problem with this particular "Stones Bomb" is that the fool placing it in the fire did not warn people
nearby and allow everyone to get to a safe distance, let alone placing it firmly in place so the chance of it falling over was
minimised.

Whilst I understand your emotions over the matter, it's akin to people calling for a ban on motorcycles after someone dies. Both
activities carry risks, and in this case the person setting up the bottle was extremely careless. He deserves your fury.

I don't go around calling for a ban on cars, or a ban on elderly drivers, following my Cat's death. Hell, I would feel like a
hypocrite considering I myself partake in what many people consider a dangerous activity.

 

Madeyes wrote:

Sorry to hear your story. Hope Leanne heals quickly. I remember a
bunch of us met the two of you at the SR500 rally a few years ago... and
at that rally a certain Ausmotian who's name I won't mention here - but
you know who you are Dave Milligan - almost suffered some injuries of
his own over a stones bomb in a fire incident..

At the risk of openning a can of worms regarding the rights and wrongs
of a litigious mentality, in this situation you will probably be in a
good position to claim for your losses financial, physical and
psychological from the rally organisers, ie their public liability
insurer. What direct ramifications that might have which flow on to the
whole 'rallying scene' in this day and age are easy to foresee, though
that shouldn't be your primary motivator. You should probably seek a
qualified legal opinion ASAP.

Nev..
'04 CBR1100XX

 

Unfortunatly if they do claim against the organisers it will be the last
time that event will be held cause they`ll never get insurance again.

Its a double edged sword...but I guess if you are going to be ruined
financially and cant name the actual perpetrator then going after the
organisers is the next best thing.

 

Madeyes, very sorry to hear of your wifes injuries. There are only a
few simple rules to follow in making a Stones bomb, but when fools
ignore them, people can get hurt.

Many rallies won't allow Stones bombs, there have been enough incidents
with them in past years. Likewise many rallies won't do motorbike based
Gymkhana events any more for the risk of an accident (I've seen a
sidecar spear off into the crowd at one rally). At one rally, the fool
who put the stons bomb on became annoyed when it didn't go off after a
few minutes (lid was probably too loose to build pressure). He went up
and pissed on the bottle with predicatable result. I remember chatting
with his father at the same rally the year after when he was bemoaing
the fact that it was his 'idiot son' who had got stones bombs banned.
Richard, a well made and placed stones bomb is a fun thing to watch.
It's a Stones green ginger wine bottle, carefully emptied by tipping
the contents down ones throat before refilling it 1/3 with petrol,
screwing the lid down then backing it off around 1/4 turn. Place bottle
carefully in the fire so it doesn't fall over and step well back.
The usual practice is to yell "Fire in the hole", any experienced
rallyist will then step well back without a second thought. A good
stones bomb will sit in the fire for 10-20 seconds as the petrol boils
then the increasing pressure forces the cap off and the petrol ignites
in a long flame trail out the top of the bottle, up to 10m high. A bad
stones bomb, with the lid screwed on too tightly, can explode. Another
bad is when the bottle falls over, what has happened in Madeyes case.
When you write it down, it does sound like a reasonably dangerous
business. Arguably no more dangerous than building a high performance
engine and bolting a wheel each end of it but I won't split hairs.

Stuart T

 

Sorry to hear Madeyes, best wishes to your wife for a good recovery (no
point wishing for a quick one that's not going to happen sad to say).

G-S

 

One hopes that the organisers were organised enough to actually have
public liability insurance.


G-S

 

Was this a RFDS flight? If so you won't be billed for it. That was our
experience when Jo needed to be transferred from Bourke Hospital to
Dubbo Hospital after a bike accident in 2004.

Nev..
'04 CBR1100XX

 

Sorry to hear mate. Please pass my best wishes on to Leanne.

 

I, too, am sorry about your wife's injuries...and your own.

I think it's the only sentiment that I share with stuart.

Not to me, it doesn't.

It sounds an _extremely_ dangerous business, verging on bloody stupid.

regards,
CrazyCam

 

Muck fee mate. Thinking of you both ...

<speechless />

Cheers
Goaty

 

Who cares? That's what the insurance is THERE for. The mind boggles on
people's priorities.

Richard

 

Oh Madeyes, I'm so sorry. Has the twonk responsible pledged their
lifetime support? Or maybe given up a testicle?

Stones Bombs are hereby banned at Unuaugural.

 

[shudder]
Sorry to hear that and wishing for the best.

 

Hey there

Drop me a line off the group.

Cheers

Hammo

 

Your tolerance is admirable, but isn't there a difference? When you ride
your motorcycle you are, by and large, a danger only to yourself. The
"fool" who deserves Madeyes' fury was a danger to everyone *but*
himself, since he presumably backed off to a safe distance. Without
warning anybody else. Possibly because he was simply careless, but
possibly also because he wanted to give the other people a scare. Which
makes him culpable.