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Riverboat Gamblers Guitarist Recovering After Being Hit by Car

Ian MacDougall, guitarist for punk act Riverboat Gamblers, has been in the hospital since being hit by a car while riding his bike last Saturday, Oct. 17. According to the band, MacDougall suffered "a broken hip, a broken wrist and hemmoraging under the skull along with many lacerations, torn ligaments, bruises and and scrapes."

After spending two days in the ICU at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas, MacDougall is now in his own room undergoing tests and physical therapy. "The prognosis is better than we had first thought," the band wrote on a website dedicated to aiding MacDougall, which also features a picture of the guitarist in his hospital bed. "We are happy that he is going to be ok and that he is alive and with us. Unfortunately, not only is he in for a long recovery and is in a lot of pain, but he will be celebrating his birthday in bed with hospital food."

On top of the physical and emotional pain suffered by MacDougall, the guitarist for the Texas-based band will have trouble paying his medical bills. "On another unfortunate note, there are a pile of bills currently gaining a Mt. Everest-like summit from all his hospital expenses," the band said. "We set up a PayPal account for our band mate and friend to try and help him get on top of the debt and focus on his recovery. His PayPal account email is ian.gambler@gmail.com. Anything you can afford to give will be greatly appreciated by Ian and his family. Thank you all for your support and we wish Ian the speediest of recoveries."

The band asks that fans spread the word in an effort to help MacDougall. To donate, click here.

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Wow

Seriously...some of you, who feel compelled to bash this man about his accident, need to get a life.

First of all, the actual details of how and why this accident happened, are not in the story...ARE THEY??? (For all you know, he WAS wearing a helmet, he WAS in a bike lane, and the DRIVER was texting his broker.) NON OF YOU have any clue what happened. You can always count on the "IDIOTS" to show up. You want to open your mouths, but nothing comes out but verbal diarrhea. You are the first to act so high and mighty when other people are down, yet will also be the first to bitch and moan and cry when something bad happens to you.

And this man isn't a NOBODY. He's a person. He's a musician. He's a son. He's a friend. He's a brother. Just because you don't know him personally, does not lessen his value. As human beings, we are expected to have compassion for others. If you have non, I pity your pathetic existence. Either be compassionate and help another person who is hurting, or don't. But to dissect and debate a situation that you are completely ignorant about is ridiculous.

October 26 2009 at 11:24 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Wow's comment
hater

I suppose you are speaking to me mostly. I accept your criticism, I am deserving of some of it. Although I was not speaking of this particular man necessarily, it was more of a generality. I am actually speaking against riders acting as though they own the road. Please allow me to explain...there was an accident involving a bicycle and a vehicle in my community three years ago, a lady rider was killed by a car trying to pass her and her husband Bill. As the car unknowingly approached them from behind (due to a blind curve) another vehicle was approaching them from the front. The car from the rear didn't have time to stop. He swerved into the ditch on the left side of the road but clipped the woman riding in the middle of the road, causing her to fall,the front approaching car swerved into the lane to the left of them trying to avoid a head on collision with the car in their lane, thereby running over the lady lying in the road. The 19 year old boy in the car that hit her from behind was charged with involuntary manslaughter after it was determined he was exceeding the speed limit by 5-10 mph. Mind you the husband of the deceased told police he and his wife would always ride in the middle of the road as they both believed it to be their right as the law permits bicycling on most roadways. My argument is,...why not ride in an area that is safer,...such as a park or a bike lane or ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD! not the middle as though you own the darn thing. By the way, the 19 year old boy worked with my wife. He was late getting to his second job so he could pay for his schooling,..he wanted to be a doctor. With good behavior he has 1.5 years remaining on his five year sentence. So yes, I feel badly for the lady. But I feel worse for the young man trying to live with the consequences of the woman's actions. The next time you feel like attacking someone for making blind accusations, look in the mirror first.

October 26 2009 at 8:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Cantnee

Maybe he was hit by one of the new "unregistered people" now in the US that don't have to have insurance or anything else...so there was no ins. company involved...if they go to a garage to get their car fixed we will have to pay for that too.

October 26 2009 at 10:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
hater

Listen Robert, I apologize for being so crude in my posts but it is infuriating to see yet another bike/car accident. These could be avoided simply by not riding your bicycle in traffic. Try riding in your local park or other location were no cars are going to run you over. If you use your bike for transportation you should talk to your local politicians to get some bike routes/lanes put in. We have them here. The vast majority of these type accidents around here involve a rider who is out riding on a county road for pleasure, not going to work or running to the store. So I say if you take the risk you should be prepared for the inevitable and the consequences.

October 25 2009 at 9:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to hater's comment
robert

Why don't you take a risk and play Russian roulette with a fully loaded weapon. I bet you go to bed at night with visions of Rush Limbaugh making you squeal like a pig while the sound of banjos can be heard in the distance. You're a self-centered egotistical little prick who gets off by telling people how to live their lives. You're like a Dr. Phil mini-me! I can only hope that you are on the top floor of a very tall building someday and that you're not paying attention when the elevator doors open, and you don't notice there's no elevator car there and you plummet to your death. As your life flashes before your eyes, you'll get to see how you've been a total dick to people and realize that you deserve your demise as you splatter at the base of the elevator shaft. Have a nice day.

October 25 2009 at 10:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jenny

Hey lilaoshi28--

Who gives a crap about the trash you post every single chance you get? I personally will never go to that site and for damned sure won't pay to use it at all and I'll just bet that there are many, many others who won't either. We can only take so much of your inane posted babbling about the stupid site you wave around us. GET A LIFE!!!

October 25 2009 at 9:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
holdemkng

Hope he gets better.... did he ever think about getting health insurance ?? I guess we all can pay for the treatment because he had other uses for his money!

October 25 2009 at 9:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to holdemkng's comment
Amana

Hmm. Maybe he couldn't afford it? Maybe the money he earned in his band went towards paying his rent and utilities? There are a lot of starving artists out there. Not sure how well-known this band is, can't say I've ever heard of them, but even if they are well-known that doesn't mean they make a lot of money. Or maybe his insurance won't cover everything. That happens a lot, too.

In reality, the guy who hit him should be the one paying.

October 26 2009 at 12:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
cubvolleyball08

sick of ONE idiotat 10-25-2009

What in the hell is wrong with you people? The moron was riding a bicycle in the road,..a road used by two ton chunks of high speed steel! I don't know about where you people live but around here the roads are NOT designed for idiots on tiny little low speed bicycles. I think if you get hit by a car you should be responsible for the damage to the car! Did your stupid mommies teach you to play in traffic or did you learn that on your own?



um........are u stupid? bicyclists have to use the road now because of pedestrians. the sidewalks are too crowded for the bicyclists.. so here's what u do u dumbass get ur facts straightened up and read the law book because its obvious u dont know them very well

October 25 2009 at 9:08 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to cubvolleyball08's comment
hater

Sorry to see you have a learning disability. You don't seem to be able to spell some words with four or less letters.

October 25 2009 at 9:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
hater

Ok,...So you didn't answer my question. Your momma or yourself? Oh,..never mind...after looking back at the mistakes in your post its obvious you learn on your own.

October 25 2009 at 9:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to hater's comment
Tammy

Well, it is nice to see that SOME people do actually learn on their own. If it was your MOMMY that taught you how to be such a pecker head then maybe the people you talk trash about should look her up.

October 25 2009 at 10:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tired of people who don\'t follow traffic laws

I'm sorry the guy was hurt, but in my very bicycle friendly community, people on bicycles do not follow the traffic laws. They ride wherever they want....in between two lanes of traffic, don't stop at stop signs, etc. They pretty much do what they want and then cry about it when one of them gets hurt. If you are going to ride on the street instead of on the bike paths built specifically for your use, then you need to at least follow the traffic laws for everyone's safety.

October 26 2009 at 9:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
hater

What in the hell is wrong with you people? The moron was riding a bicycle in the road,..a road used by two ton chunks of high speed steel! I don't know about where you people live but around here the roads are NOT designed for idiots on tiny little low speed bicycles. I think if you get hit by a car you should be responsible for the damage to the car! Did your stupid mommies teach you to play in traffic or did you learn that on your own?

October 25 2009 at 8:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
5 replies to hater's comment
Lady Venom

Crazy

I got hit by a car last year like 6 days before my birthday.
i spent my birthday there too, well i spent like 2 weeks there.
it was horrible

broke my three bones in one arm. and bruised up head
with a bad knee. but that's it....
nothing more like this guy
poor him

October 25 2009 at 3:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Robert

He sounds like he was hit really hard. I was hit by a car too on my bicycle, broken leg in two places. broken ribs, internal bleeding etc. The guy who hit me didn't have enough insurance to cover the medical, I'm still paying it.

This guy would probably be better off filing bankruptcy if that will dismiss the hospital bills.

Get well soon man!

Myspace

Another Black Season

October 25 2009 at 12:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply