Bike crash victim's warning

Rotorua woman Sue Hatchwell is warning people to be more careful when using earphones after breaking her leg in a head-on collision with another cyclist.
She was riding her bike on a track between the Sudima Hotel and the Whakarewarewa Rugby Club when she noticed another cyclist coming in the opposite direction.
She tried to pull to the side of the track but there was no room to manoeuvre.
"He was only young and had his head down and headphones on. I tried tooting the horn on my bike and yelling out to him but he didn't look up until just before we crashed into each other."
Miss Hatchwell ended up with her leg broken in two places.
 She was in Rotorua Hospital for four days and is now campaigning for the use of earphones in public places to be banned.
"You see it all the time - people are listening to music and they are not concentrating on what they are doing. This cycling accident should not have happened and was most unfortunate, but it could have been avoided if the rider was not wearing headphones."
Miss Hatchwell said she had no animosity towards the other cyclist but would spend the next few months recovering from the broken leg.
"My doctor said one of the bones hasn't healed properly and it is likely they will have to put a plate in, which means it may be some time before I can go riding again."
Miss Hatchwell knows all about long recoveries.
Fifteen years ago she suffered severe burns after she was electrocuted while grabbing an extension cord connected to an electric lawn mower.
"The last few years have been a bit of a battle and this has just added to it, but I won't let it get me down."
Miss Hatchwell said she wasn't sure how a ban would work.
"The ban may not be practical or even possible but at least let's talk about it and maybe it will make people aware that it can be dangerous if you are not careful."
Rotorua Mountain Bike Club president Grant Kilby said he understood Miss Hatchwell's concerns with headphones but he described her situation as a "freak accident".
"What happened ... is very unfortunate but it would be hard to police [a ban]. Where do you start and where do you stop?"
He said it was always important for cyclists to be careful while they were riding, especially if they were using headphones.
Miss Hatchwell said she would be writing a letter to the Rotorua District Council, ACC and Rotorua MP Todd McClay.
Mr McClay said if there was evidence that earphones were causing a lot of accidents then the Government would investigate whether a ban was necessary.
"At this stage my message would be to apply a bit of common sense and be careful where and when you use earphones."