Ryan Balls, a 37-year-old roadside breakdown mechanic and father of four, died after being struck by a car on the A11 dual carriageway. The incident occurred on Sunday lunchtime (7 September) in broad daylight and dry conditions at Besthorpe, Norfolk. Police confirmed that the driver, a man in his late teens, was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving.
Ryan’s partner, Sophie Bailey, paid a tribute on social media, correcting a local newspaper report that had described him simply as “a man who was standing outside a vehicle.”
“Ryan was my partner, and I feel I need to say something,” Ms Bailey wrote. “He wasn’t just ‘a man standing outside a vehicle.’ Ryan was working, doing the job he was passionate about recovering a broken-down car and helping someone who was stranded on the A11. He went out that day, as he always did, to help people in need and to make the road safer for everyone.”
She highlighted the personal cost of the tragedy, stating, “On Sunday, he never came home. Our children have lost their dad, and I have lost my soulmate.”
Ms Bailey urged people to remember “the people like Ryan who put themselves in dangerous situations to keep others safe.” She encouraged drivers to “slow down, pay attention, and always think about the families behind the hi vis jackets.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Ryan’s family with funeral costs and to support his children.
Police are asking for witnesses or anyone with relevant dashcam footage to contact them, quoting reference 36/64383/25.
Source: Daily Mail
Eddie Bamber
Having done roadside breakdowns and recovery for many years, I know how dangerous the job can be. Wheel changing on a hard shoulder with lorries going past at 60 mph barely two feet away is challenging and requires the utmost concentration and awareness. The photo with this article shows a dual carriageway with no hard shoulder. Patrols from the motoring organisations will not attend breakdowns on these roads unless the Police or Highway Officers are in attendance. The Police and Highways are often far too busy and have nobody to send. That increases the waiting time for the customer along with the danger that goes with it – especially in the dark when there’s no lights on the road or the vehicle (or both). Recovery operators come under pressure to take risks and get the job done. I offer my Condolences to Ryan’s family.
anthony roe
RIP RYAN