Lotus Club Queensland
Dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Lotus experience
Login
Register
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Membership
    • Member Login
  • Events
    • Calendar
  • Motorsport
    • Lakeside DTC Timed Laps
    • LAKESIDE DTC RESULTS
  • Magazine
  • For Sale
    • Merchandise
    • Classifieds
  • Posts
  • Galleries
  • Directory
    • Suppliers & Parts
    • Advertisers
  • Archives
helmet-banner

$10 HEAD/$10 HELMET

Anne Blackwood.

For many years in various areas of motorsport there have been discussions about helmet design. I’d like to update you about a recent episode in the Blackwood/Hogan families about the value of top quality helmets and what a wonderful country this is.

July 3, 2022 saw CLA members Jen and David Hogan (my daughter and son-in-law) competing once again at Hattah Desert Race near Mildura. This is an event they love and have competed in a number of times. This year they headed off with their Gang of Two (Penny and Lincoln) along with David’s parents who babysit as well as pit crew.

Saturday’s prologue/qualifying showed a new track layout including straights 2 km+ long that were not usually in the event. David was getting to 131 kph and Jen 112 kph on their KTM’s. Please bear in mind this is through fine red bull dust.

Sunday was fine and dry and they headed off to the spectacular start – which is an epic event and should be seen via YouTube – of hundreds of riders. David was expected to do 8 x 37 km laps (4 hours of riding) and Jen 4 x 37 km laps (2 hours of riding.)

I’m not sure when everything turned to shit for David but he came off his bike and was rag-dolled down the track resulting in eight units of blood transfused, broken hip, ruptured spleen, shattered collarbone, broken ribs, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia – but no concussion. Here lies the story of the $10 helmet.

Jen having worked in the motor bike industry for 20+ years has always been a stickler for top quality helmets – usually Arai or Shoei. David’s helmet was destroyed. For a few weeks following the accident he was still expelling red bulldust from his eyes, ears, throat and nose and I repeat, no head injury.

The spleen was removed at Mildura and he and Jen were airlifted to The Alfred in Melbourne where he stayed for two weeks which was difficult being in the time of Covid. David’s parents returned to Sydney with the bikes and kids. David and Jen were eventually transported via road ambulance from Melbourne to their home in East Seaham. Flying was out of the question because of the embolism which doesn’t like altitude.

Now for the quirky/warped-humour-Anne-bit. I’ve always joked that if Emergency Departments sold souvenir spoons I’d have quite a collection. So, I thought, copulate them! I’ll make my own by collecting town spoons at op shops – 18 needed in total. This is a family that has been airlifted three times; suffered three major hip injuries, etc. I give a meagre regulation donation to Careflight and am thrilled that I receive a Christmas card from them which is treasured.

How’s David doing? He’s doing great. Medicine in this country is amazing. Never underestimate it and never skimp on that helmet.

Lakeside DTC Timed Laps August 2022 DTC

Related Posts

mp-banner

Events, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Racing

Morgan Park Sprints R4

kevs-banner

EMRs, Gallery 2022, Homepage

Kev’s Big Day Out

duratec-banner

Articles, Homepage, Technical

Duratec Elise – better late than never

Random images

MG_8961 5-Morning-tea martin-suzanne-dick-sam 4-Quiet-chat-before-days-events.jpg Steve Garry Elise-vs-Elise 21-Early-chat Jason-HPE 20140928_093122 IMG_4343 IMG_4894 MGP2191 P1020653 IMG_8618 McL_13 IMG_8430 121_2128_IMG IMG_6857 image_128 image_121 IMG-0167 20220220_093730 221707065_384351383062365_7143520318489763557_n IMG_3394 IMG_3297 Jason Boy-toy-talk_gw Aston-Greensill-rocking-the-black-and-gold Vyvyan, Mitch, Margie MG-8134 img_1121 On the bench chris-derek A contemplative Martin _MG_5033 as Smart Object-1 DS7_3430_full Shanes-Lotus7-2 Jaguar-Red Boattail-custom Vyvyans-Elan image004 IMG_8486 GIC27-Fire-lighting main-29 main-34 Wade-about-to-do-the-treetop-walk A-shared-table Seven-Lineup Lotus-Esprit Geoff-followed-by-Jason-and-Joe- IMG_7413 Pau_for_the_historic_GP 1426860242_c16c000a1c_m_1 Elan S1 Interior IMG_0328 IMG_0318 IMG_0310 img_0940 img_1034 img_1581_2 P9180010c1_001 119_1967_IMG IMG_5215 IMG_3708 DSC_1549 IMG_7835 IMG_7800 IMG_7795 IMG_1275 171_171 CRW_7890_RJ 016_16 IMG_5202 IMG_8007 IMG_0919 P1020750 P1020774 IMG_5671 P1050440 IMGP7376 M6K3158 IMG_8879 volvos Dryer Fraser1 A hard earned thirst Penny-Robyn-Carolyn_GW unnamed-3 Start the-home-stretch Presentations Ready for the Concours Barb-at-Jones-Winery 20200815_075724 Clive Transport-Museum-Jag-1951 tonys-eleven-4 Patricks-26R-Elan-1 IMAG6058

Recent Articles

  • Morgan Park Sprints R4
  • Kev’s Big Day Out
  • Duratec Elise – better late than never
  • Gold Rush Hill Sprint – 2022
  • Marburg Pub Run – 4 Sept 2022
  • Unique +2 Road Trip to Brisbane
  • Leyburn 2022
  • August 2022 DTC

Latest Gallery Images

20220220_093834 20220220_093818 20220220_093827 20220220_093743 20220220_093812 20220220_093730

Search articles by category

Archived articles

Lotus Club Queensland
© Lotus Club Queensland   |   Site by Black Eye Studios