Bizarre bicycle accident sends woman to hospital

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Sunday, October 25, 2009

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By CARLOS VILLATORO
Register Staff Writer

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A bizarre bicycle accident sent a Napa woman to the hospital with moderate injuries Saturday morning.

The California Highway Patrol reports that Pamela Contos, 47, was riding a Giant bicycle west on Henry Road, east of Dealy Lane, at about 23 miles per hour.

Contos approached a hot-air balloon that was halfway on the right shoulder of the roadway and half in the west lane shortly after 9 a.m., the CHP said. She attempted to veer left and maneuver past the hot-air balloon but as she passed she felt a rope — which was attached from the hot-air balloon basket to the balloon’s fabric — tangle around her neck the CHP said.

The rope tightened around her neck and yanked her from the bicycle. Contos fell in the west lane of Henry Road and the rope snapped from the balloon the CHP said.

The hot air balloon’s crew immediately helped Contos until emergency workers arrived on the scene. Contos sustained a broken nose, lacerations to her neck and abrasions to her body and was taken to Queen of the Valley Medical Center by Piner’s Ambulance Service.

52 comment(s)

Fiesty1 wrote on Oct 24, 2009 4:53 PM:

" What the heck was the balloon doing in even partially in the roadway? "

leavintown wrote on Oct 24, 2009 4:53 PM:

" Wow!!!!!! I have never piloted a hot air balloon before, but I bet I could miss a bicyclist...... Was there a drug test done??????? "

Baraki wrote on Oct 24, 2009 5:16 PM:

" Sounds like the balloon had landed after a tourist trip, they land wherever they end up based on the wind currents, etc -- then they just sit there and wait for the van to show up. The balloons are a shady business in Napa... "

spatulabetty wrote on Oct 24, 2009 5:26 PM:

" Wow. Just...wow. "

crusherfan wrote on Oct 24, 2009 5:39 PM:

" can someone explain the "Giant Bicycle"? "

pernodboi wrote on Oct 24, 2009 5:45 PM:

" Wow! My prayers go out to the bicyclist.

How big was the bycicle? Is Giant a description or a brand? "

Talking About wrote on Oct 24, 2009 6:11 PM:

" Sounds like a freak accident - hope she'll be alright, what a fright that must have been! "

lolie wrote on Oct 24, 2009 6:35 PM:

" when the balloon lands the pilot tosses out a single rope to the ground crew who uses it to help direct the balloon to land.

I am not sure how the cyclist could not have seen the rope. They are very large in diameter, roughly 2 inches! "

Sue wrote on Oct 24, 2009 6:43 PM:

" That is just another reason we need to get a long safe bike trail done soon. This is the only place I have ever lived that doesn't support athletic behavior. I guess they want fat, lazy residents who just fly in balloons and not ride bikes. "

tweety wrote on Oct 24, 2009 8:25 PM:

" Get well soon Pamela! "

Napa local wrote on Oct 24, 2009 8:42 PM:

" Sounds as if she was going faster than she had control of on her bike.... Otherwise she would have avoided it, it's not like it jumped in front of her... "

dtjb1962 wrote on Oct 24, 2009 8:47 PM:

" The ballon had landed and was preparing to deflate, it was in no way the ballonist fault. the cyclist ran into the rope, the pilot didnt lasso the cyclist..it is sad that someone got hurt and she has my well wishes,But;how can a cyclist not see such a big colorful balloon and the ropes that are associated with them. she probably had the same attitude as too many people in this valley, that balloons are a nuisance. leave the ballonists alone they have a right to their share of the tourist dollar. and they have to adhere to alot of covenents and conditions to operate in the napa valley. "

thisisnotatest wrote on Oct 24, 2009 8:59 PM:

" balloons = not street legal....
Why do these guys think they can land wherever they want?

I know they can't really maneuver very well...but the middle of Henry road? seriously? "

BD4 wrote on Oct 24, 2009 9:02 PM:

" I'm sorry, but there is no way a balloon should have even been close to landing on a roadway. That pilot needs to be cited. "

Baraki wrote on Oct 24, 2009 9:16 PM:

" I've seen them plopped down in the middle of Atlas Peak Road about 50 feet from Silverado Trail... like it ain't no thang. "

gracieface wrote on Oct 24, 2009 9:19 PM:

" Pamela, I am praying for you and hope you get well soon. "

cyclopath wrote on Oct 24, 2009 9:41 PM:

" Giant is a brand. "

Anita D'Groin wrote on Oct 24, 2009 9:52 PM:

" Truly bizarre, but just a few observations and hopefully clarifications:

Yes, it is legal to land a balloon on a road if you can do so SAFELY.

Regardless, there is strict liability for any accident arising from such an action. The bicyclist (or for that matter, the operator of any sort of road vehicle) would in no way be responsible for avoiding something such as the rope from the balloon that was obviously not seen by her.

Henry road is a VERY LIGHTLY traveled country road, and temporarily partially blocking one lane with a balloon would not normally cause issues for any traffic. However, the hanging rope was the issue - not the basket sitting partially on the roadway.

Lastly, Giant was the brand of the bicycle involved in this incident. Why the Register would choose to include this insignificant detail I do not know. (If I am ever scraped up off the side of the road and it make the pages of the NVR, I am gratified to now know that there is a possibility they will mention my Bianchi Milano in their report of the event.) "

jack27022003 wrote on Oct 24, 2009 9:57 PM:

" A couple of years ago a balloon was flying very low over my house. I was in the garden weeding. The balloon passengers yelled and waved at me. I mooned them. "

old napa boy wrote on Oct 24, 2009 10:16 PM:

" GHiant is a brand name ; like schwinn "

Hear Ye wrote on Oct 24, 2009 10:18 PM:

" Doesn't sound like this was the balloons fault. I hope she recovers fast. "

tiredofcomplainingnapkins wrote on Oct 24, 2009 10:47 PM:

" Wow, sounds like a freak accident, and NO ONE IS AT FAULT. Hope shes ok, and hope nothing bad happends to the ballon company over this. Just a freak accident. "

ambonizay wrote on Oct 25, 2009 6:39 AM:

" Old proverb.....when riding Giant bicycle, watch out for hot air balloon ropes attached to hot air balloon on the roadway. "

ambonizay wrote on Oct 25, 2009 6:41 AM:

" George, George, George of the jungle, watch out for that tree (rope). "

Napa_Citizen wrote on Oct 25, 2009 7:54 AM:

" Im sure she'll sue, as it seems to be the American way.... What a shame for all involved. Hot air balloons in the Napa Valley are beautiful, and are quite a site for all to behold. I think most balloon pilots do a wonderful job of landing, and doing so safely. What a freak accident. "

random name here wrote on Oct 25, 2009 8:51 AM:

" Giant bicycle, hot air balloon...

The Circus is in town!!! "

MarkMiwords wrote on Oct 25, 2009 9:00 AM:

" dtjb1962: The balloons may be entitled to a share of the tourist dollar, but remember, the are not public transportation, and many see them as a glorified carnival ride. And they certainly ARE a nuisance when the cause damage to private property. The balloons have over- worn out their welcome in my neighborhood. I've watched them land in the vineyards and take out rows of grape vines. Then the "chase-vans" come racing down the street and storm through the vineyards, throwing mud everywhere to pickup the tourists. This happened three times to my neighbor before I was woken early one morning to find a balloon attempting to land in my backyard. (Yes, in my backyard!!) And of course its accompanying chase-vans raced down the road and made an attempt to drive through my side yard to retrieve it and all the tourists. Having witnessed the destruction to my neighbor's property, I avoided my own problems by closing and locking my side gate and letting my dog out. (who was going crazy at this point!) The dog did a great job of persuading the balloon pilot to land elsewhere. And the mud-throwing vans left, once again speeding down the street. For those of you who wonder if they were able to land elsewhere safely, yes I watched them do so. I saw that the pilot was able to abort the landing in my backyard and land safely further south, and on public land. There was no reason to choose my backyard. I don't see any excuse for what they were did to my neighborhood, and if the balloonist were more polite, they would probably be treated better by the locals. "

speakingup wrote on Oct 25, 2009 9:04 AM:

" I was with this cycling group. The balloons (there were actually two that had landed on Henry Road) were a hazard. It WAS a freak accident. It could have easily been a cyclist getting hit by a car though. The balloons landed near the crest of a hill, on a blind curve. When the cyclists maneuver around the balloons, the oncoming traffic is another risk. Henry Road is definitely not a good place for balloons to land. "

pbfallon wrote on Oct 25, 2009 10:05 AM:

" While living in Napa, I had two near mishaps involving balloons. It seems they pretty much do as they please. Now, I understand that the winds determine 99% of what they do...but, it takes a "pilot" to launch and land the thing. I hope the balloon owner will do the right thing and pay all the lady's bills, plus some compensation to avoid a law suit!!!! "

4466 wrote on Oct 25, 2009 11:49 AM:

" I too am wondering if the bicycle was a giant size or a Giant brand. "

itswhatsfordinner wrote on Oct 25, 2009 11:52 AM:

" If the balloons dont get you, the chase trucks and vans certainly will "

napeyellow wrote on Oct 25, 2009 11:54 AM:

" Just like to say that bicyclists are not much better. They think that they own the road. Instead of California raising our vehicle registrations the government should make all the bicyclists register thier bicycles......maybe then it would make more sense to SHARE THE ROAD.... "

ROYRODGER wrote on Oct 25, 2009 12:06 PM:

" Cyclists are a hazard on the road as well, even if they are riding a giant bike they are still hard to see. Just like the bumpersticker on my truck. "Jesus Saves-Obama Spends" "

CommonSense1662 wrote on Oct 25, 2009 12:35 PM:

" This was a two story balloon landing with a rope hanging to be retrieved and anyone thinking that the bicyclist did not see it is ridiculous. She was obviously trying to beat it by going under its landing and did not look for the rope. And as for landing they try to land near rural roads for easier retrieval and had the right of way since they have limited control of their balloon and the bicyclist did not even slow down. It is a simple accident, but not the balloonist fault. "

MamaKing wrote on Oct 25, 2009 12:55 PM:

" Napa_Citizen - What an odd thing to say: " Im sure she'll sue, as it seems to be the American way...." First, medical insurers sometimes "force" lawsuits when someone has caused an accident or incident. It may not be the victim's choice if her medical provider deems it necessary to sue to recover costs for her care. This happens often with auto accidents. Second, let's say a freak, unforeseen accident were to happen to you, you'd certainly sue? Apparently, since it's the "American way." Hope you feel better soon, Pam. "

Madison Jay Hamilton wrote on Oct 25, 2009 1:06 PM:

" Actually, bicyclists DO own the road. Every bit as much as do pedestrians and drivers of automobiles.

(Public roads belong to the public.) "

Little Lord Fauntleroy wrote on Oct 25, 2009 1:15 PM:

" MarkMiwords: Great story! "

YoungNapan wrote on Oct 25, 2009 2:21 PM:

" I am really annoyed by the majority of these ignorant comments. I worked for one of the MANY balloon companies here in the valley, and we prided ourselves on the fact that we didn't disrupt or damage any property that we landed on, unlike some of the other balloon companies that make all balloon companies look bad and by everyone assuming that we are all the same. I wish the register would have reported the balloon company, because trust me, it makes a difference. We were extremely cautious and held very high safety standards. I'm afraid that mediocre journalism made enemies out of the balloon companies but lets remember the title at least - that this was a "bizarre" accident and that NO ONE is perfect!! "

outahere wrote on Oct 25, 2009 3:03 PM:

" YoungNapan, you are 100% correct. If one does a little research you may find that the appalling ballon behaviour is from 1 or 2 companies. "

Blackbeard wrote on Oct 25, 2009 3:48 PM:

" The hot air balloons that "Fly" around this valley are indeed a Nuisance. This very morning, I watched one of these things take off, float for a while, come down to earth, wait, take off again, float for a while, and finally drift to the south..This was in the area of Big Ranch road and Oak Knoll ave. Very close to overhead lines and public roads. I have called the FAA in the past to complain about their practices. I asked them if they ever actually come to Napa County to observe the Balloons during the hours that they operate.I was told that the FAA "Didn't have enough time in their day" to come here. I hope that the person injured by the Hot Air Balloon company takes legal action, and is compensated for injuries, and that the Napa County Board of Supervisors takes note of this event... "

1234reb wrote on Oct 25, 2009 3:49 PM:

" I have had it with the stupid invasive balloons! Flying over my house three to four mornings a week is no fun. They cause my animals to panick and ruins any peace in my neiborhood. I think there is enough of us that feel this way that something could be done.
It's lovely for the tourists but miserable for those of us who LIVE here! "

Cartoondogs wrote on Oct 25, 2009 4:27 PM:

" Pamela is a professional cyclist and as such she is extremely careful, courteous and safe. This was just a terrible, freak accident that happened to a really great person. Let's just all pray for her full recovery and quit the gibberish about law suits and faults. "

fishfry wrote on Oct 25, 2009 4:48 PM:

" I like seeing the balloons in our sky. It adds a beautiful touch to our valley. We are lucky to have them.

Tourism=tax dollars.
Tax dollars=better living conditions for our community.

And by the way- Giant bicycle??!! I couldn't help but laugh.

But I do hope the injured bicyclist recovers soon. "

JustMyyOpinion wrote on Oct 25, 2009 6:23 PM:

" 123reb, if you're so bothered by the balloons over your house, why don't you move away from their flight path? Pretty easy solution, no?

I've lived in my house that backs up to a vineyard for over 15 years now. I love to see the balloons come coasting toward my house and the park where they land. Yesterday the sky was full of balloons and it could not have been more beautiful! I live here and love them. It's all in your perspective.

I still can't quite understand how the rope became wrapped around the cyclists' neck, but I hope she recovers soon. "

JustAnotherManicMonday wrote on Oct 25, 2009 8:06 PM:

" That's it, ban the balloons. "

barefoot wrote on Oct 25, 2009 8:43 PM:

" I guess Giant brand bicycles don't have brakes. Maybe the group of cyclist should've stopped and offered to help get the balloon off the road. If you run into something, it's usually your fault. Was she charged with reckless driving, failure to yeild right of way, or anything? "

outahere wrote on Oct 26, 2009 4:43 PM:

" Better yet logon to www.tripadvisor.com and enter balloon company names and read the stories by customers. The "bad" stories may be "hidden" 9 or so pages back. "

dtjb1962 wrote on Oct 26, 2009 5:02 PM:

" Ten companies in the phone book with who knows how many pilots each,lets judge the whole by the actions of a few. the napa valley pilots associaton works hard with land owners, residents, and business, to further the 30+ year history of balloons in napa, and keep pleasant relations with the public. un-fortunatly not all pilots and companies belong to the association. and not all companies do "double hops" and not all chase drivers disobey traffic laws. Banning or bad mouthing a viable tourist draw to this valley is absurd. it is unfortunate that so many seem to have a hatred of mans earliest form of aviation. lets ban the wine train, the kayak/canoe business, the bicycle tour business, too. since they are not public transportation. while we are at it lets ban wine tasting too (drunk drivers) so I can have my Napa back the way it was, when I was born here..Absurd yes. "

John Richards wrote on Oct 27, 2009 2:45 PM:

" I don't have a problem with balloons, but I don't think they should be allowed to land on public roads. There is just too much danger of causing an accident with traffic that is rightfully using that road. "

napatiff wrote on Oct 28, 2009 7:16 PM:

" i am so shocked with all of the negative comments about Pam and cyclists in general. I ride with Pam on weekends and Pam is one of the most responsible and safest cyclists on the road. Why do some of you have such a negative view of cyclists? We don't feel that we "own the road". Many times we need to be more on the road than on the shoulder due to hazards on the road, like potholes and cracks. Many states create safe shoulders for cyclists to prevent accidents. Stop hating cyclists and work with us to make the roads safer so we all can enjoy the road. "

Farmer wrote on Oct 29, 2009 6:09 AM:

" It is interesting to witness the nature of mankind in matters such as this. It is sadly human nature to respond negatively about assorted peripheral issues to this topic when the point of the article had a woman injured as a result of an accident. But, I guess anything can become a forum for anything.

Secondarily, the event was poorly reported and the article poorly written. "

amazed wrote on Oct 29, 2009 12:56 PM:

" Farmer, you harp about negativity, then state that the event was poorly reported and the article poorly written.

Hmm... "

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