Major injury caused by stray cattle
A SPEEWAH resident has been left wheelchair-bound for three months after an evening ride along the Kennedy Highway ended in agony.
Terry Patmore moved to the Far North from Melbourne with his wife four weeks ago, buying a property at Speewah.
The 54-year-old builder had set off for a motorbike ride along the Kennedy Highway on November 5, with friend Mick Dowling.
But when the pair were about 10km from home, Mr Patmore collided with a cow that had been previously hit and was laying on the road.
“I knew the kangaroos were bad along that stretch of road so I purposely stayed behind a ute thinking that would protect me from any roos that jump out,” he said.
“Then within 10 seconds the ute had swerved to miss a cow.
“It had clipped the cow and knocked it out, but the cow fell over on the road … and I just went straight over the handlebars. There also four or five other (cows) that were on the side of the road.”
Mr Patmore suffered a broken leg, broken shoulder and collarbone.
He has spent almost two weeks in hospital, had two surgeries and is now wheelchair bound for three months.
But Mr Patmore said the crash had not deterred him from getting back on the bike.
“Every day gets better,” he said. “I’ve been riding for about 30 years on the road, but this is only my second accident.
“It was certainly unavoidable this one … but that’s certainly not stop me from buying another bike.
“I’ve already ordered while I’ve been in hospital.”
The Kennedy Highway between Cairns and Mareeba has recently become notorious for roaming cattle.
A Mareeba Shire Council spokesman said there had been 16 reports of cattle on the highway so far this year.
The Department of Transport and Main Roads will continue to monitor the road.
“It is a matter for the cattle owners to keep livestock properly contained,” A TMR spokeswoman said.
“Warning signs … are installed by TMR or local government, in accordance with statewide guidelines.” it