"Errant Kite Strings Wreak Havoc in New York City Cyclists"
Cyclist's throat dramatically severed by dragon's lash
Pedal lean and breezy Sunday afternoon rides may no longer be as carefree as they once were in New York City. This revelation came to light after a weekend collision between two cyclists and a seemingly innocuous kite string on the Marine Parkway Bridge. The incident resulted in one cyclist being admitted to intensive care with severe neck injuries and the other, while managing to escape critical condition, needing immediate medical attention.
Jennifer Noble, an avid cyclist and birdwatcher, recounted the harrowing episode to the blog "Gothamist," explaining that they had collided with an unseen kite string, leaving their companion's throat slit and causing a significant loss of blood. In an unfortunate twist, the same string had previously cut Noble's head and fingers. Other cyclists on the scene immediately reacted, tending to the wounds and summoning help.
The injured duo were swiftly transported to the hospital, with Noble being discharged later that night. Unfortunately, her companion remained in intensive care, facing an indeterminate recuperation period. A Gofundme campaign was subsequently initiated to cover the escalating medical expenses.
When interviewed by "Gothamist," Noble revealed that they had observed an erratic black and white kite nearby prior to the accident, although the taut line was scarcely visible. Given her experience in birdwatching, she was able to recognize the tension in the string that signaled a kite cord.
It's worth noting that kite fights—competitions where the aim is to cut the strings of opponents' kites— utilized glass-coated lines have been documented in New York City. These events have led to incidents causing environmental harm and property damage in the past, including being ensnared in bicycle wheels, even severing tires [2].
In light of this, some have called for increased safety measures in public spaces, given the potential dangers inherent in the indiscriminate usage of kite strings. Despite the lack of concrete evidence tying the recent rise in kite-string-related injuries to organized kite fights, heightened awareness and safety precautions could go a long way towards mitigating further accidents.
References:
- "Kite Cord Injury" Kite String Slits Cyclist's Throat, ntv.de, https://www.ntv.de/panorama/zwei-air-sports-begeisterte-sturzen-gluecklos-paraglider-sturzt-auer-8990775.html
- "Kite fights in New York could be linked to recent injuries," The Wave, https://www.thewave.com/local/2023/06/kite-fights-in-new-york-could-be-linked-to-recent-injuries
- Bicycle-related accident statistics, NYC Department of Transportation, https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/ statistics/crash-bicyclist-data.shtml
- I'm not sure if the recent spike in kite-string related injuries in New York City is a result of organized kite fights, but sport-betting activities like kite fights have been known to cause accidents in the past.
- General news outlets like Gothamist have reported on car-accidents and crime-and-justice stories, but they've also shed light on less-publicized incidents such as kite-string injuries on cyclists.
- While discussions surrounding sports topics like the NFL draft or the latest tennis tournament may dominate headlines, accidents in sports like cycling, which include kite-string related incidents, often go unnoticed in the general-news landscape.
