Garden-hose booby trap puts Qld cyclist in hospital
A 48-year-old man was attacked at a Patrick Street home in Laidley just before 10pm on Monday. Photo: Twitter
“Pranksters” who tied a garden hose across a street, clotheslining and seriously injuring a cyclist on an early morning ride, have been labelled cowards and criminals by a cycling advocacy group.
Queensland police said a 44-year-old man was riding along Goonawarra Drive in Mooloolaba about 5:40am on Sunday when he ran into a hose tied to garden stakes and trees across the street at chest height.
“He was unable to see the hazard due to low light and fell from his bike,” a police spokesman said.
The man was taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with a broken collarbone and fractured ribs.
The hose was stretched across the path and left a cyclist seriously injured. Photo: Qld Police
Bicycle Queensland CEO Anne Savage said it was a “shocking trap” and a grave violation of community standards.
“This rider could have been killed. The person who set this trap is a coward and a criminal,” Ms Savage said.
“I’m sure the whole Queensland community would join me in condemning this behaviour in the strongest terms.
“Those responsible deserve to be punished — deliberately endangering the lives of others is a serious criminal offence.”
She said all Queenslanders “should be able to walk and ride our suburbs without being afraid of death traps”.
“Shame on the person or people who set this trap.”
Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey condemned the act “in the strongest possible terms”.
“This premeditated act was designed to cause injury and trauma to road users,” Mr Bailey said.
“The road toll and crash hospitalisations are difficult enough to eliminate without deliberate acts to cause road crashes.
“I send my warmest wishes to the cyclist injured and hope sincerely our police investigators find the perpetrators and take appropriate action against them.”
Police said similar pranks had occurred in the area lately.
They are looking for witnesses and are asking local residents for any CCTV or dashcam vision depicting anything suspicious.
Earlier this year, cyclists in Brisbane believed they were the victims of “mantraps” after damaging their bikes on handfuls of thumbtacks spread out along their favourite riding spots.
