Only Her Legs Were Visible. Then Neighbours Tried To Lift A Volkswagen Beetle

What people first saw was terrifyingly simple: a pair of legs sticking out from beneath a car. Within moments, neighbours, workers and a delivery driver were trying to lift a Volkswagen Beetle to get an e-bike rider out.

Police in Prospect Park, Delaware County, said a 44-year-old woman was injured in a crash involving her e-bike on Monday morning. The collision happened at about 9:40 a.m. at the intersection of 11th Street and Lincoln Avenue.

According to police, the woman crashed into a classic Volkswagen Beetle and became pinned underneath it. As she called out for help, people nearby rushed toward the scene.

Christine Vollmer, who works at CV Signs, said the only part of the woman she could see was her legs under the car. Vollmer called 911 while others moved in to help.

Amelia Cannon, of Nolet Home Care Agency, said she heard the woman shout for help and ran outside. She tried to raise the car herself at first, then more neighbours joined in. Vollmer also began looking around for anyone else who could help, including a delivery driver she spotted nearby.

A rescue powered by whoever was there

One of the people who answered the call was FedEx driver Karl Wise. He said the group managed to get the Volkswagen Beetle up on its side enough to pull the woman free, and he told her not to move once she was out.

Police Chief Dave Madonna said what stood out was how ordinary the rescue was. There was no specialist gear and no formal training, he said. People simply stepped in and used their own strength to lift the vehicle off the victim.

The woman was taken to Lankenau Hospital with chest injuries. Police said she was in stable condition.

Officials credited the speed of the response with helping save her life. It was the kind of emergency where the difference came from who happened to be nearby and how quickly they acted when they heard someone in trouble.

Praise, thanks and a wider warning

Afterward, Madonna publicly praised the bystanders and returned to the scene to thank some of them in person, including Cannon and Vollmer. Even with that recognition, Cannon played down the attention, saying she would not call herself a hero and had simply helped someone who needed it.

Madonna also pointed to the crash as an example of the safety concerns police have about e-bikes. He said e-bikes in Pennsylvania can be operated without a license or a helmet, and argued that more action is needed.

But before any wider debate, the immediate story at that Prospect Park intersection was about a woman trapped beneath a Beetle and the people who did not wait around for someone else to act. They heard her, ran toward the noise and lifted.

Why a small car can sometimes be moved by hand

Not all cars are equally hard to shift. Smaller vehicles usually weigh less than larger family cars, vans, or SUVs, and their rounded shape can make it easier for several people to rock one from side to side. That does not mean a car is easy or safe to lift. Most of its weight still sits in the chassis, engine, battery, and suspension, and the load is not spread evenly.

Where the heaviest parts sit matters. Some cars are nose heavy, others carry more weight at the rear, and that changes which end feels harder to raise. Tyres, brakes, gear position, and whether the handbrake is on also affect how much a vehicle will move.

What to do if someone is trapped under a vehicle

Treat it as a medical emergency first. Call emergency services straight away, give a clear location, and say a person may be pinned under a vehicle. If the scene is dangerous because of traffic, smoke, fuel, or an unstable car, move bystanders back and keep the area as calm as possible.

Do not crawl underneath unless there is no safer option. A car can shift suddenly even after it seems stable. If the engine is running and it is safe to reach the controls, switch it off. If people try to raise or rock the vehicle, they need to communicate clearly and move together. As soon as there is enough space, the priority is getting the person clear without letting the vehicle drop again.

The safer way to lift or stabilise a car

Cars are designed to be lifted only at specific jacking points. These are reinforced areas under the body that can take the load. Lifting from thin floor panels, bumpers, or suspension parts can cause the car to slip or collapse.

A jack lifts a vehicle, but it is not meant to hold it safely on its own. For any planned work underneath, solid axle stands on firm, level ground are the basic protection. Wheel chocks help stop rolling. If a car has to be moved a short distance by hand, keep it in neutral only when it is safe to do so, watch the slope of the ground, and never place hands, feet, or limbs under a wheel or sill.