Smith St delays as car gets unexpected paint job

A Gold Coast motorist has had a brush with misfortune – after his car underwent an unexpected paint job on the morning commute.

A GOLD COAST motorist has had a brush with misfortune – after his car underwent an unexpected paint job.

The incident happened when paint fell from a passing vehicle at the junction of Smith St / Kumbari Ave shortly before nine o’clock on Monday morning.

A car splattered by paint after an incident on Smith St. Picture: Keith Woods.

A glossy white pool was left on the roadway, while the driver’s hatchback was badly splattered.

The hatchback driver examines the damage. Picture: Keith Woods.

Commuters faced delays of about ten minutes as the hapless motorist and a truck driver awaited help to clean up after the incident.

MAY 30: COMMERCIAL TANDEM SKYDIVE MAIN CHUTE ‘FAIL’

A TANDEM commercial skydive parachute has ended up in the ocean after getting twisted, leaving the jump master to resort to the emergency chute over the Gold Coast.

Emergency services had received reports a skydiver’s main parachute failed to deploy during a jump at Coolangatta on the Gold Coast.

Queensland Police Service were told the skydiver’s primary parachute “had some issues”, seemingly “failed” and “had to be cut” during a practice descent about 1.20pm on Sunday, a spokesman said.

Archie Jamieson from Gold Coast Skydive. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Gold Coast Skydive boss Archie Jamieson confirmed it was one of his instructors and a paying customer involved, saying: “It (main parachute fail) is like a flat tyre for us.

“It’s annoying but that’s why we carry emergency parachutes.”

He said the main parachute was automatically discarded by the jump master pulling a handle within seconds.

Mr Jamieson said the instructor, who had 11,000 jumps behind him and has worked for him for 12 months, could have landed with the main parachute despite the twist but decided to err on the side of caution.

“If in doubt, get the other one out.”

Police officers were told the main parachute landed in the ocean during the Kirra incident.

Mr Jamieson said fisherman retrieved the chute and within an hour the jump master involved was back in the air doing another jump.

Gold Coast Skydive would review video of the main chute twist, he said.

“It’s pretty rare - 99 per cent of the time you can get out of that but there was a westerly and he has made the decision to deploy the emergency parachute which was the right thing to do.

“Some people believe in god - I believe in my reserve parachute or I wouldn’t get out of bed in the morning.”

Mr Jamieson said reserve chutes were extremely carefully packed: “Every steam, stitch is gone over. It’s a full proper inspection.”

Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics were also called to Marine Parade about 1.20pm on Sunday.

However, they also said the skydiver landed safely and was not injured.

Paramedics were not required and were stood down.

Originally published as Smith St delays as car gets unexpected paint job