Park razor tape must go says cut boy’s mum
Tuesday 17th August 2010, 11:30AM BST.
Mum Donna Gaudion with son Pearce Le Poidevin, 3, at the tape which cut his neck as he cycled in Saumarez Park. 1010711
A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy injured his neck on tape at Saumarez Park the first time he tried to ride his bike without stabilisers.
The white tape had been put around trees in the main park and his mother said it cut like a razor into his neck, causing him to bleed.
Donna Gaudion, 39, thinks it is dangerous and wants the tape taken down.
‘Lots of children are cycling round on their bikes on their summer holidays and it could happen to them.’
The tape is due to stay up until the end of September but the Environment Department said it would review its use after it knew the full details of the accident.
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Whilst this is an unfortunate accident, the lad could just have easily crashed into a bench, the stone pillars or merely the tarmac. Will there now be calls to wrap the whole park in bubble wrap.
Crashing bikes is a privilege of childhood!
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So much for health and safety
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H&S? Hinder & Spoil?
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What about if the poor child had ridden his bike straight into the duck pond, why he could have drowned.
No doubt the mother that should have been keeping an eye on him would then have looked for someone to blame (apart from herself of course).
Accidents happen, get over it, I had far worse injuries as a kid by coming off my bike onto tarmac. Did my parents call for all tarmac to be grassed over? No, they told me that I should have learned a lesson and let me get on with it.
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Where there’s blame, there’s a claim!!
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Perhaps if Ms Gaudion had been watching her child more closely then this wouldn’t have happened – there is only one person to blame for this accident, Ms Gaudion. Please do not try to pass the buck! And anyway, accidents happen, especially to small boys. No big deal in my opinion, whoever is to “blame”.
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I looked up razor tape on Google
I think you’ll find this stuff was just .. tape
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If the Guernsey Press had written a story on me everytime I crashed my pushang, or fell out of a tree or fallen over whilst trying out my new roller skates as a kid, it would have been reporting on me practically every week. Falling into things is what happens to children when they are learning something new – if you don’t want it to happen, supervise them very, very closely and keep them indoors!
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Ms Gaudion claims not to have seen the tape. She should have gone to Specsavers.
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That’s just a really big plaster round the kids neck isn’t it? Bet he loves it, a battle scar to tell all his pre-school mates about. So if the tape hadn’t of been there and he had peddled full metel into the tree he probably would have knocked himself out, therefore the tape probably saved him from getting a worse injury!
I’m surprised the headline didn’t read “child nearly decapitated by park razor tape” as that’s what it seems to be insinuating really isn’t it. Would there have been a complaint/story if he had nicked his arm or leg?
Anyway I thought you couldn’t cycle in the park?
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Dear Mr Editor – my one year old daughter fell and bumped her head when learning to cruise around a dining chair. Any chance of an article with accompanying photo?
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And I’ve just stubbed my toe on a kerb stone. There should at least be warning signs up.
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That “tape” has an edge to it that can cut. Equally there are sharp bits on trees and like what has been said water in the pond!
But because the “tape” was placed by someone it can introduce this kind of discussion. Some comments are unfair about Mrs Gaudions skills as a parent and how ever it happened her child was hurt. It could be replaced with a rope or we could use some of the state’s savings to build a secure fence and have a security guard to patrol around it!
In the end accidents do happen and I bet that if a cow had escaped a field the previous day this story would not have as much impact.
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Donkeys Wotsits
Was it one of those new “Razor Kerb Stones” that are being installed??
If so you are lucky to still have your toe ;-)
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Im sure Ms Gaudion was watching her child learning to ride a push bike. I understand that accidents do happen but I do thing that tape around a tree should not be there. If it was your child im sure you would not be too happy.
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Donk – 1) Rope would have caused a rope burn, fence could lead to the child being impaled on the posts – there is always somewhere that a child can hurt themselves!
and 2) Yes accidents happen, but when a parent blames someone else for an incident like this, they are just trying to deflect the blame from where it actually lies – with the parent themselves, and therefore I don’t see that any of the negative comments about Ms Gaudion are unfair.
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Donk
Yes, or alternatively we could fund a GPS based warning system that monitors all the trees and if any child get too close, erects an invisible force field which stops the child getting hurt by them.
Ah buit if the force field is invisible, then its a clearly a health hazard.
Ok, we use the above force field system, but we also fund another GPS based warning system which, whenever someone gets to close to the force field, a loudspeaker says “warning invisible force field” to stop the children cycling into it.
Although we may have to put up a sign, just in case antyone of a nervous disposition is startled by the loudspeaker…….
Thanks health and safety.
Please revisit these comments in about 50 years, and they will probably be true!!!
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Wouldnt this all be solved by a sign saying
“please parent responsibly”
I mean, the tape was pink, ergo visible, and I would imagine there for a reason, if it was rope she’d be complaining of rope burn.
Fact is kids get hurt, its the parents responsibility to assess the dangers around, particularly if you are letting your child go stabiliser free for the first time.
I find it ridiculous that this complaint was even made, and even more ridiculous that it made it all the way to the paper.
A combination of the “blame someone else” and the “litigous complaining” cultures that we are sucessfully fermenting in the western world!
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Sarah
You are right, I wouldnt be happy.
If my child had cycled into the tape, I’d be upset with myself for not noticing the tape, and for not doing more to prevent my child from cycling into it.
I’d blame myself and I wouldnt be happy……. with myself!
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Ormerman – Thank you for the responsible attitude which seems to be lacking in the island at the moment! Very refreshing!
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Yes but Sarah where does it stop? Poor Jimmy got hurt, that is a shame but what about little Louise who fell down on the gravel and scraped her knee? Or silly Sally who tripped over a curb stone as it was a little higher than the rest and she wasn’t paying attention. In fact I tripped over my right foot the other day and walloped my head on the stair banister (I’m drafting my letter to God as we speak…)
It’s all very well and good that the child had injured themselves on public property however it’s the parent’s responsibility to ensure that the child is properly protected. I doubt this tape came out of no where therefore the parent should have assessed the situation and if they thought it was a danger then take the kid to the other side of the park and make sure they only cycle a short distance. Also one of the first lessons should be how to stop the bike?
Now I’m not blaming the parent here. Accidents do happen but if she really wants to blame someone then she should be pointing the finger at herself. What most likely happened was that the mother didn’t see the tape or didn’t class it as a danger. Paper has a sharp edge too and can cut, should that be banned at schools?
I wonder how many times he fell off the bike whilst learning? How many other bumps and bruises does he have?
If she continues with her complaint all this will mean is that cycling (After looking it up I realise it’s only small children who can cycle in the park as other cyclists have been banned…probably health and safety!) is banned in the park for all.
We’re turning into a nanny state with armchair lawyers, I hope the Environment Department deal with this issue firmly but sensitively otherwise we’ll have all sorts coming out of the poisoned woodwork before long….
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Ormerman, I couldn’t agree more with you.
I currently have a 5 year old who is learning to cycle without his stabilisers and I would absolutely blame myself for not having been vigilant enough with him to prevent something like that happening; although the chances are that I would have kept him well away from any taped areas or obstacles of any nature in the first place. Lets face it, there are plenty of open spaces available.
To actually pursue this via the GP (who then give it front page attention) seems ludicrous!
Any local person with kids that regularly visits the park knows that when there are any preparations going on for the shows/events etc. there are also likely to be obstacles and vehicles that are not usually there at other times of the year.
The poor boy must have been scared and hurt but the responsibility has to lie with the parents or guardian to adequately supervise kids of that age, especially in situations where they are concentrating on other things like learning to ride!!!
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Guys!
Easy cost affective solution.
Ask the child to stand still (always) and wrap them in bubble wrap. They can have fun popping it and the only thing you have to worry about is suffocation. As long as the parent wraps them up then the States will not have to worry about any claims. I also suggest Sun Cream or stand them in the shade.
Yes I know it sounds silly/sarcastic but it the way things will be in the future!
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I think it is sad for the child but really this is just the normal ‘we have no news so we will put in some none news’ story coming from the Press. Tomorrow they will probably apologise for being ‘incorrect’ about the razor tape and that it was really normal tape or that they weren’t even in the park at the time!
I wonder if they are now paying £50 a story as I can not see why anyone would call the GP in the first place, unless the reporters are hanging around A & E! If they are paying for stories then I can come up with some much more exciting ones….I saw a fish in the sea the other day!
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Rumour has it that the States have applied now for permission to set up A-boards around the park warning of the danger of the tape and along the main routes to the park we will see some colourful banners from lamp-posts warning visitors about the A-boards.
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Sorry, but all these sarcastic comments are a bit over the top. This is an area where children are playing, and as such the tape should’ve been positioned lower or higher, as it is right at the height of a toddlers neck.
If is extremely sharp stuff too. Rope would’ve been the better option, but this being the States decided to buy more expensive tape.
I do agree though, that I wouldn’t go to the Press about a cut.
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“Yes accidents happen” In mine and your worlds maybe but not in the minds of the litigious. There is no such thing as an “accident” anymore there is always someone who will have been negligent – speak to any adv/lawyer.
See the change of RTA to RTI – accident replaced by incident.
All part of the societal malaise where no one takes responsibility for anything as there’s always someone to hold responsible.
None of the above is a pop at Mrs Gaudion – just a circumspect comment. I, of course, blame the left ;-)
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GG
Which of your degrees qualifies you to make those comments??
Responsible parents shouldnt have to worry about ribbon.
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GG, I disagree. Having gone public with her complaint Ms Gaudion has invited comment, both for and against her views. That is all that has happened here and humour is often used to make serious points.
Leaving the humour for a moment, there are some serious points that have arisen from this story. There is no point in me revisiting them, as Neil Inder, Ormerman, Dave, Prostate Problems and Maz have done a pretty good job of expressing them in my opinion.
The only thing I would say is this: I do not want Guernsey to descend into a society where lawyers are waiting at A&E ready to help people get paid compensation for their own ignorance or where there is no such thing as an accident. I don’t want a society so consumed with fear and paranoia that our children are prevented from taking risks or getting hurt – part of the learning process of life.
This nonsense needs to be nipped in the bud.
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Prostate, even so who ever put up the tape could’ve made it slightly safer, as it is an area where children are playing.
I agree Paul Le Page, but surely those who put the tape up could’ve put it higher or lower, as the sole use of the park is for youngsters.
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Paul Le Page
I agree that the UK compensation culture is ridiculous but I don’t blame the weasel lawyers entirely
The gullible numpties who make up the judging panels and hand out massive awards must surely take most of the blame for the spread of this ‘disease’
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When I was young learning to ride a bike and hit things… My Mum would have pick me up and brushed me down.. wipped away the tears and put the plasters on and kissed it better…
And told me to watch where I was going next time.. Cuz this is how we learn to look after our selfs in life…
Not run to the phone to call the press.
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I don’t think that in a park where we know children will be playing even now they on there holidays. I think they could of used something else and now it has just come to light that this happened to another small child weeks earlier so why was nothing done then???? then this second boy would not of got hurt? I know we cant wrap them in cotton wool but least we would look out for danger when you know children are paying so why put tape around trees in a park??
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Oh dear.There was an earlier incident which Environment kept quiet about in the belief that mothers with young children would prefer to manage their own safety
I presume neither child was drunk
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As an ex soldier I always thought barbed wire was for use in wars.Surely there are other means of “fencing”!
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Don – it is electric fencing tape, used for keeping animals in fields etc – hardly barbed wire!
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Totally agree Ray, the easiest way to stop this culture of compensation is to stop awarding it. I wonder when we will get panels who will show enough courage?
Don – the tape is not barbed or razor wire but plastic tape. The “razor” analogy was used by Ms Gaudion.
I was at Saumarez Park last night playing football, it was gone 8pm and the tape was clearly visible from the opposite side of the main field. There is simply no excuse for not seeing it and, as the park is a pretty large area, if there was any concern, common sense would suggest taking the kids to cycle elsewhere.
As a fellow parent I understand the desire to protect your children but this is going way too far. I wonder what would happen if little Johnny rode is bike into the tree or the pond? Cut all the trees down and drain the pond? Better still, why don’t all us parents abandon all sense of risk and keep our kids indoors 24/7?
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I am sorry for the youngster,because little thought was used by the person or persons installing the tape,after all how much damage can a small child do to a tree? Perhaps they should fix a sign (with the relevant permission of course) saying “No cycling under the age of ten” !
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My what a load of ignorant nasty little people. Ms Gaudion was trying to warn others of this tape not be slated by you load of muppets. I would have not been happy if it had happened to my child. And to suggest that she should be paying more attention i happen to know her and she certainly pays attention to her children. All of the hazards that you have stated above are a bit more obvious than the tape that is put around these trees. Hopefully it doesn’t happen to any of your children whilst you are down there but if it does then you should be watching them a bit closer
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had the appropriate barrier been used in the first place then these 2 boys would not of been injured. We all know where the pond is and trees are,u dont expect to have thin tape wrapped around the trees. The high visible orange netting would of prevented these accidents happening.
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Libbyloo
What a lovely attitude…….
From your comment
“if it does then you should be watching them a bit closer”
I can only assume that are you saying Ms Gaudion should have been watching her children a bit more closely?
Which is what the rest of us “muppets” have been saying all along.
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Many thanks on filling me in on this “razor tape”,as it was easy to see then a wooden fence would have caused maybe more drastic injuries.As I remember from my youthful days I injured myself a few times,mostly through my own childish stupidity,picked myself up,and got a clip around the ear from Dad for being so daft!
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Went for a walk along the cliff paths today and was outraged by the sheer drop to the rocks below? And don’t get me on to that Millenium Walk around the resevoir – no sign warning non-swimmers to wear arm bands in the event of them falling in. No life guards and no life belts – bloody States and their initiatives,free parks, cliff paths and dangerous beaches (especially the ones where the tide rises)! Something needs to be done!!
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Totally agree with Libbyloo. Why do people have to get so personal with their comments. Get a life springs to mind.
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yes wot a load of muppets,those 2 poor boys were injured nasty on their necks by some stupid tape put up by states employees to save the trees being damaged by vehicles to the shows. They cut corners by not spending out on the correct safe barrier which should of been used in a child friendly park.
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I have just returned from a camping trip in France and it was great to be at a swimming pool without whistles blowing every 5 seconds, no signs saying “no running”, “no jumping”, “no enjoying yourself”.
My son tripped over a tree root, cut his knee, cried, we put a plaster on it and now he looks out for big trees!
There was one sign; “Parents are responsible for their children”. But then…. signs, that’s another story.
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Di – I agree some of the comments have crossed the line. I can’t speak for anyone else but my intention was not to insult Ms Gaudion; I’m sure she is a great mother – a little melodramatic, but not irresponsible.
Still, I will repeat what I said above: like it or not when people “go public” with their complaints they are inviting comment. Some of the posts might be a little abrasive but they make serious points that go way beyond this particular story.
Like many of my fellow posters I don’t want Guernsey to be a litigious society. When that happens everyone’s a loser – except the lawyers. Not only do compensation payouts increase insurance premiums but people stop thinking for themselves and children (and adults) are denied exposure to healthy risk that, in the long term, aids their development into well rounded human beings.
If we give credence to petty complaints like this, how long before taxpayers money is being used to pay compensation to people who either (a) don’t want to accept responsibility for their own lives; (b) don’t want to think for themselves or (c) cannot accept that life comes with a certain amount of risk?
So you see, it’s nothing personal against Ms Gaudion, some of us are simply not prepared to stand by and watch our island’s legal system become like the UK or USA.
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At the end of the day, the tape was around TREES which were on the GRASS.
Surely the kids on their bikes should be sticking to the tarmac/paths – you wouldn’t normally encourage them to ride on the grass as that isn’t responsible in the first place.
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Paul Le Page – I think you will find that our island has already become a litigious society ala the USA & the UK… The legal position in Guernsey in respect of negligence claims for personal injury etc is broadly similar to that in the UK. There are many “try on” injury claims circulating in this island; as well as many more wholly or partly legitimate ones. The difference is that very few of them go to trial in Guernsey. Settlements done behind closed doors are usually kept strictly confidential, so they don’t get public exposure.
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Pedro, sorry but why isn’t it responsible to ride on grass? It’s a much safer environment if the child was to fall off.
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kids are supposed to get injured, it makes em tougher as they get older. A scratch on the neck, maybe a small scar well whoopie do.
The kid rode into it, its his fault he should have been looking where he was going!
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I see from the posts to this article, the usual empty headed cynics of Guernsey have found a new target to take the mickey out of. You people are just sad. Obviously you live in a world where injury and misfortune are a daily part of your lives that you can be so callous about an unfortunate injury to a 3 year old child.
It is all well and good to make comments about parents watching their children more closely, and having them ride into trees, lakes, stone pillars etc, but what you may have forgotten is that while a 3 year child may see the obvious hazards, a line of tape may be easily missed when you are concentrating on a difficult task.
For all you cynics, and I don’t generally wish harm on people, I hope you fall down some stairs, get run over by a bus, fall off a ladder or similar, and next time you happen to be in that situation, put your post on here and we can sympathise with you…. NOT
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Unbelievable – the difference is, WE don’t run to the press whining about injuries that we, or our children sustain – for the children it is an important part of learning and growing up, and for us it is generally our own silly fault if we hurt ourselves anyway!
I stand by all of my comments, and if I fall down the stairs later, don’t worry, I won’t be complaining to the press, my employer or anyone else – I will just be embarrassed that I fell!
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Tank
firstly the child was 3 years of age, what were you like at that age, responsible were you.
I wander what the comments would be had this tape caused the child a serious injury like cut his jugular vein
Pedro
you state that it ir irresponsible for the child to be on the grass, well adults should be leading the example, how can you express this to a 3 yeart old when it is ok to have lorries, cars motor bikes etc on the grass for the shows. these all cause more damage that a little boy riding his bike.
Reading alot of your comments i can’t believe how nasty some of you people can be, where has the caring attitude of the Guernsey people gone, it seems that it no longer exists.
I don’t feel it is right to slag Ms Gaudion off for trying to warn others of the potential hazards of this tape. I think that she was right in what she did.
Why don’t you put your comments to good use and try moaning about something else such as our benefits system, rather than attacking a little boy and his mother. You should be ashamed of yourselves.
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Except, Unbelievable, if any of the above fell down the stairs, they probably wouldn’t go to the Press complaining that the risers were too steep.
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Just to clarify, the tape wasn’t installed to protect the trees from kids on bikes. It was put there to protect the trees, especially the roots, from damage during the various summer events eg. Viaer Marche, North Show etc.
If it was rope, there’d be rope burns, if it was railings, there’d be bruising. Any form of barrier is gonna cause some injury – the answer? Accept it, just as you’d accept that tarmac is gonna hurt if you plant your knee, elbow, face into it. I still have a scar from the tarmac at Castel Primary School, 30 years on. Running off to the media was unheard of, and the tarmac is still there!
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Children learn primarily by example, perhaps if Ms Gaudion was able to ride her bike alongside her child….. oh wait a minute…..
It is not possible to watch a child 24/7, parental responsibility can not however be absolved though in today’s society (whether we like it or not) H&S would surely suggest that a more child friendly fencing alternative is needed.
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Did someone say Benefits System? Surely what they meant to say was “Farce of a Benefits System”?
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Unbelievable – by the way, there is a massive difference between accepting an unfortunate accident and wishing injury upon someone.
Its a pity you seem to think there isn’t.
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Libbyloo
Firstly, I don’t see anyone attacking the boy. I am sure everyone sympathises with the little fella.
And, although I admit I’ve only skimmed the posts, I don’t see the mum being “attacked”. I just see some people who wish others would accept a) responsibility and b) the bumps of life.
And even if it was my little boy who got hurt and I thought the tape shouldn’t be there, I would have complained/contacted Culture and Leisure and/or Environment and then stood more of a chance of getting something done and improving the situation for my boy and others.
I certainly would not have called the Press. What can they do? What benefit has befallen the boy or others by the article? None.
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Billythefish
If you read the GP correctly Environment was informed by Mrs Crabb 3 weeks before the second child was injured and failed to remove the tape, it was only after both mothers stories appeared in the GP and the second mother complained to environment anything was done. The poor second child would not of been injured. How many more children would of been injured if these 2 mothers had not gone public. We should all be thanking them for being so considerate thinking of others.
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Oh yes, if the two mothers hadn’t run to the Press, it would have been carnage.
Somehow I doubt it.
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