For those that weren't at Donnington today just a quick note to let you know that James was badly burnt when one of his heater hoses let go and dumped scalding hot water into the drivers footwell. I was in the passenger seat at the time and James was right up the arse of the WLR rapidly approaching the chicane before the home straight at 115mph when the hose let go. James had no choice but to keep his right foot on the brake pedal to get us to a stop and in doing so recieved 3rd degree burns to the heel and sole of his right foot and scalds on his left. When the paramedics were finally able to get his shoe and sock off he had lost all of the skin around the heel area leaving a very nasty raw looking wound. He was admitted to Derby Royal Infimary and patched up enough to be discharged to his local hospital in Sussex. Jason Deckman collected him from hospital and drove him home. I spoke to Hicost this afternoon and the specialist told him he will probably need plastic surgery and skin grafts but he'll know more after his hospital appointment at midday tomorrow.

I'm sure we would all like to wish him luck and hope he gets well soon.

All the best from me and the family,
hope your well soon mate
Will be in touch

[Edited on 14/9/03 by bob]

was'nt able to attend donnington due to unforseen circumstances, very sorry to hear this news, as i looked at the weather during the day i was thinking what a great day you would all be having............

Speedy recovery James, all the best from a Derbyshire sheep shagger.....

really sorry to hear that james, hope all mends well. My heater hoses are in a similar area - something to look at perhaps.....

all the best

steve

OWW! That sounds bloody painful! I wondered why I didn't see him today when I was there. Give him my best for a speedy recovery.

Saw an electric demister in the main hall afterwards. food for thought.

I thought it might make a good get-well-soon present, but I don't know if his sense of humour is quite as poor as mine.

James,

All the best for a speedy recovery.

Thanks for everything you did re: DVD's, projectors etc. etc.!

Get well soon.

James

quote:

---

Originally posted by blueshift
I don't know if his sense of humour is quite as poor as mine.

---

James,

Wish you a speedy recovery. If its any concellation we didn't have a good day at snet on sunday either!

Ned.

Sorry to hear about the misfortune. I was looking for the car on track Sunday. Not much worse than foot injuries for causing pain and robbing you of mobility.

Yours, Pete.

P.S. The GT1 was another car I missed, apparently blew its sump plug out earlier.

Thoughts go out to James - not much more painful than a serious burn. Spoke to him on the way home late yesterday and he seemed in good cheer.

The MK GTI did blow a sump plug, and spun on the session b4, thinking of sending them a bill for lost track time!

Get well soon James from Hippy and his missus.

James

All the best for a speedy recovery. That hospital is one of the best in the country so you're in good hands. I turned up too late to help so well done everyone who did. Please try and make it to the Newlands meetings as i'm sure you won't be short of taxi drivers to escort you!

If you need anything just ask.....well anything except a bed bath!!!!!!

All the best

Andy

Get well soon.

I'd just pop'ed to the side of the track to have a look at the action when I saw you screech to a halt and leap out. It looked painful from 100 yards away.

Andrew

Andrew

Good luck with the recovery mate, and as for the lift back, You were more than welcome , I wish i could have done more to help
Will expect faily regular updates on the recovery at the Newlands corner meets where as 'Donut' has said, Taxis's will be arranged as required

Get well soon
Jason

[Edited on 15/9/03 by Deckman001]

Glad to see you back with us and things are being sorted. Anything needed just ask.

All the best fella, from up North

quote:

---

Originally posted by hicost
hi all,
thanks for all the support, and a big thank to jason & paul who got me and the car back last night, as well as bob, paul b, jasp and the rest for the mental support. i have been admitted to east grinstead burns hospital and i am posting on my nokia from my bed in silent mode as u can not use these things really. anyway i will be here for a few days. foot is not to clever but it should be okay. once again thanks all it means alot to me,

---

Keep your chin up mate, your in the Worlds best hands for a proper and speedy recovery. If your having to communicate covertly, just dont let Matron catch you doing it under the covers.


p.s. how you going to soup up them crutches, thier going to slow you down to much until you do !!

GET WELL SOON

Hi James, I spoke to your wife earlier to get an update on your plates of meat (quite literally) and she promised to give me a bell on Wednesday after the specialist has made a decision on what to do.
Did you manage to get your race suit off in the end?
I feel sorry for you mate, after all it's not the first time you've suffered with something raw and swollen in the past 6 weeks is it.
If only I could have predicted what was going to happen, I would have brought a teapot along and we could have had a brew whilst we were waiting for the ambulance.
Oh, and one final thing, just for the record, when you started shouting at me to get out we were still doing 80mph. I'm beggining to think you don't like me.

[Edited on 15/9/2003 by paulbeyer]

Hope your alright James, speedy recovery.

Dan.

quote:

---

Originally posted by paulbeyer
........when you started shouting at me to get out we were still doing 80mph.
[Edited on 15/9/2003 by paulbeyer]

---

all the best to james and a speedy recovery.

Tim

glad to hear you in good spirits, could have been worse, you could have dented the hicostmobile!!!!!!!!!!

see ya at newlands i am sure, i can get you if needed.

Cheers for the great MODERN weekend. You will be back behind the wheel in no time, as you are one of the crasiest people i know.

hope all is well............................ and leave the nurses alone!

Hicost

Sorry to here about the nasty incident.

Get well soon.

ATB

Dave

Hicost,
So very sorry to hear of your accident. Heres wishing you a very speedy recovery and to seeing you at Newlands.
All the very best
Fozzie

I got a text message from James tonight. He's asked for a copy of the photos the hospital took of his foot so he can post them on this site. I saw the real thing close up and personal, believe me they is going to be nasty.

And for anyone wondering about his new race suit that he put on an hour before his accident. He wouldn't let the nurse cut it off, he sat on the hospital bed and unpicked the seam. He's as mad as a box of frogs.

I told him the nurse will give you a choice, 'the race suit or the foot' The jammy bugger seams to have got both
Well done , more incentive to get back to health me thinks
Keep up the good spirits
Jason

I thought you were a 'Hotshoe ' in that mad Locost of your's , but this is ridiculous, all the best see you at Newlands...............................

Update - James is having a skin grafting op on Friday, so will be in at least another week.

[Edited on 18/9/03 by Jasper]

Ouch, ouch, ouch, and ouch again!

This all sounds FAR too painful! Best wishes for a speedy recovery...

David

BTW: This whole thing makes a very good case for boxing in all heater hoses that go into the cockpit!

quote:

---

BTW: This whole thing makes a very good case for boxing in all heater hoses that go into the cockpit!

---

Its not just heater hoses above your feet,most people place there rad expansion bottle on the front of the scuttle to get more height.

These bottles are not failsafe so more food for thought on the safety front.

anyone considered glassing the area from the scuttle to the footwell bulkhead. that way if something does go the boiling fluids just run off into the engine area.

quote:

---

Originally posted by bob
Its not just heater hoses above your feet,most people place there rad expansion bottle on the front of the scuttle to get more height.

These bottles are not failsafe so more food for thought on the safety front.

---

ned i think bob is saying that the expansion bottles have been known to go pop. usually you tend to put a tube from the overflow neck to somewhere in the engine compartment.

my mini heater matrix has its hoses just about over the side of the tranny tunnel, drivers side. Id often though that could be an issue if one blew, but hicosts accient has made the possibility real.

Im gonna get a plastic sheet which will act as a 'run off' for the water to direct it away from legs . At the least, run the hoses inside a further tube, that allows runoff of water away from the driver.

unpicking seams was ingeneous. Almost like a guy I work with. Stuck in the bog with no paper. He unpicked the cardboard roll and used that.....!


atb

steve

[Edited on 18/9/03 by stephen_gusterson]

Rather more detail than I would have liked...

DJ

I'm not going to have a heater or windscreen, solves the problem for me i guess...

Ned.

Same here!

Get well soon James. You should have seen us trying to get your car onto the dolly - talk about too many chiefs not enough indians!!

Chris

quote:

---

Originally posted by ned
I'm not going to have a heater or windscreen, solves the problem for me i guess...

Ned.

---

If you want to email James in his hospital bed use this very apt address:

immobile@uk2.net

Good to see james has not injured his sense of humour.

get well soon james

redeye

Hicost

A lesson Learned lets hope that others take a page.
All the very best for a speedy recovery



Stats

If james is having the op Friday, will he be getting a re-mould or a re-tread ??

James

Sorry to hear about your accident, came as quite a surprise, coming back from me hols
were are you at the moment ? hospital or home ??
as i think Bob and I, will pop over soon
ive got a pair of crutches if you want them
and for all the smart alecs etc, yes they are extendable !!!!
(me 5'4", james 6'4" !!)

best regards

steve

I have just spoken to mrs Hicost, (Janet)
James did have a skin graft on friday, they will know how things went on wednesday this week.
He is not too good at the moment, feeling sick, and fed up, also lack of sleep at night due other patients noise etc,
Janet has asked me to post a couple of words on their behalf as he is not able to do so himself at the moment

Both James and Janet, are very gratefull to the efforts in getting him, car, and considerable luggage home from donnington, and also for all of the concern, and good wishes that have been passed to him

just goes to show, what a great bunch of
builders we have

regards

steve

quote:

---

and fed up, also lack of sleep at night due other patients noise etc,

---

taint easy with fosils snoring and nurses partying,lack of food puts you into shutdown mode

Only just heard, (dont usually read the club section)

Get well soon james, and a speedy recovery...

eddie

From the wife and I,Get well soon!

This sure brings it home does'nt it....

Best of luck,Take of yourself.

Fletch,

Get well soon mate.

Hope tis all well in the end !