Bicycle Austin forum

tomwald

Moderator

From: 78722

Registered: 2008-05-27

Posts: 290

"[Motorist] man and [motorist] woman help save cyclist"

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/n … escue.html

Man and woman help save cyclist: Man grateful for local heroes.

By Isadora Vail
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, December 18, 2008

Andrew Cordova remembers driving from Cedar Park to Georgetown on March 14 and seeing a pair of feet still clipped into a bicycle while the bicycle's tire spun in the air on the side of Parmer Lane near RM 1431.

Cordova immediately drove into the grass median so he could turn around to help the person who lay motionless on the shoulder of the road, he said.

If it weren't for Cordova and another good Samaritan who stopped, Stephanie Lee, 73-year-old James Robinson would have died. Cordova and Lee received awards from the Texas Department of Public Safety on Dec. 10.

"I just knew that something was not right with this picture," said Cordova, a father of three. "It was like instinct, so I stopped to help him."

Cordova, 38, dialed 911 as he approached Robinson, a retired Los Angeles police officer. He asked if Robinson could hear him and saw that Robinson was turning purple and not breathing, he said.

Robinson had suffered a heart attack.

That's when Lee, a 19-year-old student at Temple College in Taylor who is studying to be an emergency medical technician, nearly jumped out of her boyfriend's moving car to help. She said she saw Robinson on the ground and Cordova trying to assist him.

Both Cordova and Lee said they were appalled at how many drivers passed without stopping.

Lee said she began cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Robinson, who was still not breathing. After a few minutes, he gained a very slight pulse.

As Cordova and Lee worked together, Department of Public Safety trooper Scott Isbell showed up.

The three worked together until an ambulance arrived, and eventually a helicopter came to get Robinson. He was then flown to University Medical Center at Brackenridge.

"We, as a human race, have to look after one another," Public Safety Capt. Raul Vargas said at the awards ceremony. "Because of what you all did, you helped save an individual's life."

Robinson, who has since fully recovered, was unconscious for three days after the accident and says he has no memory of what had happened.

"It was such a surprise to wake up in the hospital like that," Robinson, who is now 74, said. "I wrote letters right away to everyone: the governor, representatives, police. I just wanted everyone to know I was so thankful."

See now, in case you've ever doubted it, there are motorists out there who are looking out for bicyclists' well being.  ;)

MichaelBluejay

Webmaster

From: Austin, TX

Registered: 2008-05-26

Posts: 1,466

Website

Re: "[Motorist] man and [motorist] woman help save cyclist"

Maybe I'm always seeing the glass half-empty, but the fact that the samaritans received an award means that this kind of behavior is not expected.  I want to live in the kind of world where we *expect* people to help each other by default, not one where that action is so rare that you get a freaking medal when you do.

Oh yeah, I just read this part which I missed on the first read:  "Both Cordova and Lee said they were appalled at how many drivers passed without stopping."

Yep, as I thought.

dougmc

Administrator

Registered: 2008-06-01

Posts: 631

Re: "[Motorist] man and [motorist] woman help save cyclist"

Well, playing devil's advocate, why stop if the situation is already under control and there's nothing useful you can add?

Granted, they don't know for sure that it's under control or that they can't add anything, but it's probably a reasonable guess.  At least that's what people will tell themselves as they drive by.