Dad of two hurt in freak buggy accident
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A DAD-OF-TWO had a lucky escape after he was pinned against a wall by an out-of-control golf buggy while on holiday.
Jim Main had been taking a picture of his two young sons, who were sitting on the buggy, when it suddenly shot forward and pinned him against a wall.
Our small snap above shows the scene just seconds before the machine surged towards the 35-year-old surveyor, who runs his own firm in Inverness.
His sons Ollie and Arlo escaped unhurt but Mr Main suffered extensive bruising and a swollen leg and since returning from Lanzarote, doctors have said he has a broken ankle.
He is now awaiting a CT scan for a more detailed diagnosis.
Mr Main said the machine had no safety lock and, apparently, no need for keys.
He had been staying at the Elba Lanzarote Royal Village Resort with his wife Lynda and father-in-law Ronnie as well as sons Ollie (3) and one-year-old Arlo, who were left shaken after seeing their dad injured.
"I just don’t want this to happen again," he said.
"If they don’t act by reinstating the machine’s original safety measures, they’re going to have another accident at some point.
"There were no keys. I thought we’d take a picture and send it to my dad. Within two seconds, it was on the go."
He said he asked a concierge why the buggy, which is used for ferrying guests’ luggage, was able to start without a key, but did not get a satisfactory response.
Mr Main said tour firm Thomas Cook was helpful but seemed reluctant to intervene initially due to "contractual reasons."
The resort has not responded to queries despite numerous calls and emails from the Highland News over several days.
A spokesman for Thomas Cook said: "We’re sorry to hear of any injury sustained by Mr Main while on holiday.
"The team in the resort did everything possible to assist Mr Main and immediately contacted the emergency services.
"We’ve since ensured that any unattended vehicle is clearly labelled to prevent future incidents of this type."
But Mr Main said the holiday firm’s actions did not go far enough.
He said: "What they’re saying is that a child could still clamber on board and press the go button and it would still work – unless a child could read the sign.
"I would be delighted if they’d fit some sort of kill switch to the machine."
"The resort itself is absolutely fantastic. But they’re still not going far enough to tackle the safety issue, I would say.
"If you’re around the pool, kids don’t just sit bone idle. And let’s face it, something like that is a huge attraction. My kids love anything that’s got a steering wheel.
"By the time they jump in and press the go button it doesn’t matter if an adult is two feet or 10 feet behind them, it’s already on the move."
