A farmer whose quadbike rolled in steep hill country yesterday morning was lucky he was able to make cellphone contact with rescuers, Clinton Chief Fire Officer Bill Harris said.
Emergency services from Clinton and Owaka and the Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter were called to a property in Hazeldale Rd, near Clinton, after a man, who Mr Harris believed was aged about 50, rolled his quadbike in steep terrain about 9.15am.
The farmer was on his own when the accident happened, on a ridge at the back of the farm, Mr Harris said.
"He was really lucky, I think.
"If he hadn't been able to get out on a cellphone, it could have been after lunch before anyone realised something was wrong.
"He was on the leeward side of the hill, so he was a bit sheltered, but there was a touch of snow on the hills. It wasn't warm."
Mr Harris said the man had been riding down a steep track on a four-wheeler, which "got away on him".
The bike rolled 50m or 60m further downhill, Mr Harris said.
"He was a bit tender around the waist area. He could have pelvic injuries."
Because of the terrain, the rescue helicopter arrived at the site before emergency crews, Mr Harris said.
"The helicopter made life easy ... We would have had a job lifting him up the hill. We were just about on our hands and knees, it was that steep," he said.
"It just shows you how vulnerable people are when they are out doing that kind of work."
