In a car accident at Download Festival, a disabled music fan was "pinned" under his mobility scooter, it has been revealed.
When the incident happened on June 8th, Steve, who does not want his last name used, was near an entrance.
He described how a car sped away from the scene straight into his back and over him, crushing the scooter with his legs wedged underneath.
Download claimed to be informed of the circumstance. Leicestershire Police stated that investigations were "continuing.".
Very much shocked.
In order to get food supplies, Steve told BBC Access All that he had left the Castle Donington site. The collision happened when he got back, at around 10:30 BST, just before the first band started the festival.
He claimed that I was pinned under his scooter, which was "crushed.". My shock level was extremely high.
He was attended to and taken to the site's medical center by a nearby ambulance crew.
When Steve was taken to the hospital, it was discovered that his "good leg," the one he typically uses to help him move around, had multiple broken bones. He underwent surgery a short while later "to put screws through my ankle to secure the breaks.".
Steve claimed he is "down to only one working limb" after recently suffering a shoulder injury and breaking his clavicle. He stays in the hospital until the proper treatment can be found, and his home is temporarily modified.
"I'm still in a lot of pain, and I'm taking a lot of painkillers. My doctors have given me the go-ahead to leave the hospital right now, but setting up the new equipment is delaying that process. ".
Steve reported that the festival's organizers, Live Nation, and Download Festival had gotten in touch with him to let him know they had found his mobility scooter and would be returning it. .
This incident was only one of several that led disabled ticket holders to complain to Download Festival organizers about accessibility at this year's event. Many people also voiced their concerns in emails to the Access All podcast of the BBC.
The access issues at Download Festival, according to Abi, who has a chronic illness and walks with a cane, were having a negative impact on her mental health.
We've had access problems before, but this year has been a million times worse, she claimed. "People from other camps were crammed into the access camp, and the fire lanes were blocked by tents.
"Accessible restrooms were less frequently cleaned than non-accessible restrooms and lacked grab bars or had them that were loose.
"From beginning to end, it was just a complete nightmare. " .
The festival's organizers stated in a statement that "Download Festival has received complaints from patrons regarding access on site. The appropriate teams are working to find solutions with customers because we take these issues very seriously. We are not allowed to speak about specific cases. ".
Amazing support, to quote.
The charity Attitude Is Everything keeps an eye on the music industry and works with it to make sure disabled music fans can access it. It also rates venues and festivals in its Live Events Access Charter.
Download is one of the most approachable festivals, receiving a "Gold" rating. It stated that it had received complaints about the event this year and was gathering feedback.
While he waits to be released from the hospital, Steve claims he has received a ton of support from the Download-related Facebook groups, the access volunteers at the festival, and those in the online community.
"They have been an incredible source of support — fans helping fans — and they've helped me get through this situation in a positive and caring way.
"I have gone to this festival every year since Monsters of Rock in the 1990s, and I won't let this stop me from going again next year. ".
On the, you can access information and support while listening to the podcast. Visit the All homepage.
