The Mission


The Peking to Paris Rally is a recreation of the 1907 challenge issued by Le Matin, "Is there anyone who will undertake to travel this summer from Peking to Paris by automobile?"
The 2016 version will follow a route of 13,695 Km (8,510 miles) and take 35 days. We are travelling in Rhubarb and Custard, a 1936 Buick. We know nothing about cars or rallying.

Wednesday 25 May 2016

First Aid

I spent today with other PTOP drivers from cars 22 and 45 on a first aid course at Brokerswood Country Park in Wiltshire.  Kyle and his team set up a series of grizzly car crash scenes around the park using members of staff with fake injuries.

Our first attempt at dealing with a crisis situation was hopeless, we even missed one victim who was underneath the crashed minibus. But during the day, with patient instruction, we got better, applying a tourniquet to a crushed leg that was spurting litres of fake blood, whilst at the same time dealing with a driver who needed his eyes bandaged.  the 'actors' were fantastic, and simulated going into shock, panic, passing out, drunkenness and various degrees of un-cooperativeness - all real world reactions from people who need help.

Despite the seriousness of the subject this hands-on way of teaching us skills was a lot of fun.

One thing we all learnt was the limits of what a first aider can do - they are holding the fort until the medics arrive. But help can't come if you can't give proper information about where you are, as Kyle explains in his 'top tip' video:


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