http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/snake-bites-mountain-biker/2005/12/28/1135732625073.html
A mountain bike rider who fell off his bicycle and landed on a snake on
a Yarra River trail is recovering in the Austin Hospital, thanks to the
quick thinking of his friends.
The man, who was riding on the Viewbank trail in Melbourne's north early
this morning, was bitten on the shin by what is believed to be a
venomous brown or tiger snake.
His two friends treated the wound by wrapping it in an inner tube,
winning praise from ambulance paramedics.
"It is quite unfortunate to land on a snake,'' said Liana Cross from the
Metropolitan Ambulance Service said.
"It is a bit of a freak accident.''
One of the friends had recently completed a first aid course, Ms Cross said.
"As soon as he was bitten, they wrapped the bitten man's leg in a
bicycle tube and some clothing to stop the venom spreading,'' she said.
One friend waited with him while the other rode to an area with mobile
phone reception to call an ambulance, Ms Cross said.
"It was textbook stuff, they did everything right.''
"It's a really good example of people knowing what to do when a
snakebite happens,'' Ms Cross said.