When Ric Vanderbom and Vicki Bond hit ice on Brown Mountain, while towing their caravan, the results were terrifying as Ric wrestled to gain control, at the same time desperately trying to avoid the steep drop on their right hand side.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
They came out of it with some fractures and soft tissue damage but it could have been so much worst and they were only travelling at about 40 kilometres an hour.
READ ALSO:
Ric and Vicki are well-known volunteers and Lions Club members of Tura Beach and had left early for a Lions Club meeting in Goulburn.
Vicki said it was somewhere close to the uncoupling bay on their way across Brown Mountain that Ric mentioned about black ice.
"Ric no sooner said it and we were sliding and it looked like we were going to go over the edge," Vicki said.
"Then the caravan jack knifed and hit the rear wheel pushing us towards the bank on the left hand side. It was happening like it was in slow motion," Vicki said.
"I think I closed my eyes and remember spinning; there was a big thump and the caravan went on its side. The caravan was pushing us.
"But I remember thinking I'm not ready to go yet and I think someboby must have been watching over us."
The tow bar and stabilisers snapped and as the caravan slid on the ice it pushed the car towards the bank.
"We looked at each other and asked are you OK," Vicki said.
Coincidently travelling behind them was a registered nurse and a speech therapist from South East Regional Hospital who stopped to assist and stayed to talk with Ric and Vicki while the police and then paramedics arrived.
READ MORE:
"The nurse told the police everything they had seen, including that we had only been travelling at 40 kilometres and hour," Vicki said.
Vicki was put on a stretcher with her hearing dog Brody and taken to Cooma Hospital where she and Ric were checked out with CT scans. Both suffered soft tissue damage, Ric had whiplash and Vicki had a small fracture to her lower spine and back rib.
Vicki thinks the caravan and the car will probably be written off.
"We think that a strong wind gust might have caught the caravan and then with the ice as well it slid.
"We travel up and down the mountain a lot with the caravan but it's the first time anything like this has happened.
"It's an important reminder of how dangerous it can be on Brown Mountain," Vicki said.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
Sign up for our breaking news alerts and free weekly newsletter for the best in local news
Denise Dion
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
