Vendor’s tarpaulin cord nearly strangles motorcyclist

A motorcyclist is in shock after a ride through downtown Kingston quickly turned into a near-death experience, when a cord used to anchor a tarpaulin across the street sliced his neck on contact.

Ken Hansel told THE WEEKEND STAR that what vendors saw as a simple action could have left him nursing more serious wounds or even caused his death.

“On Sunday when I went to buy some groceries, some juice and vegetables at the market, I was riding my bike and a child was on the bike with me. We both had on helmets. In the vicinity of Coronation Market, I just feel something grab me neck,” he said.

Hansel explained that when he felt the burning sensation, he attempted to control his bike but failed as he later fell from it.

“Someone seh, ‘Look under your throat,’ and I see the burn mark. It was white first and then it started to bleed and I realised the type of injury. I was very frightened because honestly, I could have lost my neck,” he said. Hansel said that the incident also came as a shock to some eyewitnesses.

“Some people come around and take up the bike and say, ‘Blouse and skirt, look how you could dead, youth.’ The lady who was under the tarpaulin was saying to me, ‘A accident, man, a accident.’ I said, ‘No, it is careless,’ and she say, ‘Sorry, sorry,’” Hansel recounted.

He said that the child also fell from the motorcycle but only suffered a scraped elbow. Hansel explained that the incident could have been avoided if the cord had been strung higher.

“What they did is that they tied the tarpaulin over their stall with a synthetic rope, but they carry it cross the road and it was tied very low and I was riding very slow,” he said.

He opined that the incident highlights a lack of care for road users by some vendors.

“The people dem nuh care about nobody safety. It’s like them just want to make money, because if them did care about any safety, they wouldn’t tie things cross government road,” he said. Hansel said he did not press charges against the vendor, who identified herself to him. However, he reported the matter to the police and the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC).

“Mi report it to the police but nuh waan press no charge because a little selling people. Someone said I should report it to KSAMC and I do that because I want the people dem to remove the cord, because what happen to me can happen to anyone else ... even a child. They can buy tent, man,” he said.

Hansel said the wound is healing but he is still reflecting on how the incident could have ended fatally.

“Mi just go home and take care of it myself and it’s healing. It could have been worse if I was going faster, enuh,” he said.