Somebody may suffer the same – or worse
Saturday 20th November 2010, 3:00PM GMT.
From Malcolm Sutherland.
ON 2 June, as a 60 year old visitor to Jersey, I toppled and fell 20-24 feet onto rock and sand off the wall at the Channel Islands Military Museum, St Ouen.
There were no extraneous influences associated with my fall, just one of those things that could happen to any visitor stepping onto the natural vantage point to reflect on the war history of the Island.
After returning home in July, I wrote to the States of Jersey praising the response teams of Coast Guard, Police, Hospital Ambulance and Trauma Unit, and the unknown lady on the beach who alerted authorities.
In the same letter I also appealed for barriers or at least signs to be erected to ward off the innocent.
While fortunate to be on my feet and mobile, I continue to rehabilitate from the injuries I sustained from my fall, but I live in dread of any other person, and their families, suffering the same experience, or worse.
I am curious as to whether the States may have erected barriers or signs, and/or if there is anything I can do to support such action?
Travel
To, from and around the Island
Airport Arrivals/Departures
Harbours Arrivals/Departures
Bus Information/Timetables
JOIN US ON...
Facebook and Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Got a story? Get in touch
KIT 4 CLUBS
Win a share of £10,000
2012 is the year of the London Olympics and to celebrate this great event the Jersey Evening Post, in association with sponsors Ogier is giving all sporting clubs a chance to win a share of £10,000.
This is Jersey
Jersey Evening Post
Useful links
You should know better at your age.
I avoid standing on walls with unguarded 20 foot drops. Not playing in the traffic and avoiding sharp pencils are also good ideas. Would you have us all wrapped in cotton wool, or should you perhaps better consider the obvious dangers that are, frankly, all around you?
Better stop at home next time (careful on the stairs now).
Report abuse
i for one do not want to see yet another beauty spot littered with warning signs.
anybody with a bit of common sense wuld be able to see that if you are old and doddery or young and and stupid you should not venture in such dangerous areas .
well cmmented Simon you put it in a nutshell
Report abuse
look where your going/simples
Report abuse
….and how much did your carelessness already cost us Jersey taxpayers for the Coast Guard, Police, Hospital Ambulance and Trauma Unit.
Instead of disregarding your own safety before stepping onto an obviously unrailed wall perhaps you should thank the islanders for footing the bill for your ignorance.
People have to start taking responsibility for their own actions instead of blaming everything and everyone else.
Report abuse
whilst this is sad to hear, it doesnt mean we need barriers errecting. If this was so, im sure jersey would erect them along the whole of st ouen bay no doubt. The site is exactly what you said it was, a site to reflect on the war history.. dont think you would have seen the germans resting up on a barrier incase they fell off.
The world, my friend, is full of dangerous places, and you cannot put a fence around the world, you just have to be careful when you are somewhere you dont know, ive never heard of someone doing that in that spot before.
They normally choose a little further down.
Report abuse
There’s a plus for the Jersey education then. Iwas told from the time I could walk, ‘Don’t go near the edge’. Bye the Bye, the White Cliffs of Dover aren’t fenced…yet..
Report abuse
What a lot of sympathy from the islanders!!! Perhaps they resent you spending your money on Jersey as well! As visitors we need travel insurance or are liable for medical costs. Whilst I agree that common sense must prevail visitors are not always aware as Islanders of some of the hazards.
Report abuse
#& Phillip, maybe Jersey common snese is why Channel TV don’t have a home grown version of Sea Sdie rescue then. Age is supposed to breed sense. The gentleman says no other factor was involved. IE I did something stupid, thank you for bailing me out.
Report abuse
It concerns me that the main purpose of writers letter has been one of simply identifiying a risk to all and sundry, and yet all I read is beligerent comments from Islanders( and as one it shames me when I read comments like these)about a person who was a visitor to our Island and had a tragic accident. Some of you may recall that tragically locals have lost their lives falling from those walls and barriers were subsequently erected there.
Report abuse
Good Job he wasn’t American, we could have been sued for Millions!
Hope he recovered well, and glad not much harm was done.
But as the saying goes “look before you leap!”
Even my two little girls know not to go on walls!
Report abuse
#9 ‘all I read is beligerent comments from Islanders’
Year, year, Mulluv! Just wait until some of them get old and start forgetting that they were standing with their back towards danger.
We cannot realistically expect railings at places where the normal stance would be facing the danger and aware of it. This incident highlights the ability of distraction to erase the previous contents of the hippocampus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippocampus
Most of us consider that locals are very caring towards others, as exemplified by their constant urge to give way to others whilst driving. I am now beginning to wonder if the aforementioned deference is primarily due to them not being sure of the rule of the road, given that some are evidently as misanthropic as certain posters above.
Report abuse
“I am curious as to whether the States may have erected barriers or signs, and/or if there is anything I can do to support such action?”
Yes there is…..you can pay for them!!!
Report abuse