Yarin Rosenblatt and his parents Naama Shai, Amit Deri and his mother Rotem, as well as Karmi, Nili and Dafna Rotsky – all of them joined in one moment the thousands of Israelis whose destructive consequences of the electric tools reached their doorstep. In the past year, 2,643 people were involved in scooter and electric bicycle accidents, half of them children and teenagers. 256 of the injured were seriously injured and 19 were killed – and there are still no laws, no regulation, and not enough enforcement.
About a year ago, the worst thing happened to Naama and Shai: their little son Yarin, then only 15 years old, had a car accident while riding an electric bicycle and suffered a severe head injury. In an interview that aired last night (Friday) on the HaShavu show on Kan 11, Naama said: “An entire life stopped at puberty. We knew there was a risk with this tool – we thought it wouldn’t happen to us either.” His father Shai added that his son was riding without a helmet and said: “I’m not mad at the driver, it can happen to anyone – I’m mad that I let him ride at all.”
“We knew there was a risk with this tool – we thought it wouldn’t happen to us either”
Amit Deri was on his way to the beach a year and a half ago with his friend, both riding electric bikes, and a truck that didn’t notice them ran over them both. He was mortally wounded and lay sedated and ventilated in the hospital for a whole month. Amit’s mother, Rotem, described the condition her son was in on the day of the accident: “We received him more dead than alive.” Amit tearfully told about the severe consequences of the accident on his life today: “I was very independent, I didn’t get help for anything – I liked to give. Suddenly, when you give to the whole world, you get help.”
“I was very independent, not helped by anything – I liked to give. Suddenly, from giving to the whole world, you are helped.”
Last week, a report was published by the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality Auditor’s Office, which pointed out many failures in the regulation and also in the supervision of the use of cooperative scooters and electric bicycles in the public space. The 70-year-old Karmi also fell victim to promiscuity on the city’s sidewalks: last March, Karmi went for a walk with her friend at Tel Baruch beach – suddenly an electric bicycle rider quickly appeared in front of them, hitting Karmi and seriously injuring her head. She was hospitalized in critical condition and died of her injuries three days later.
Carmi’s daughter, Dafna Rutsky, said that the accident happened five days after her mother celebrated seven decades. “Accidents happen – and it comes as a surprise and it comes at a timing that borders on cruel. When we came home from the hospital, there were balloons and flowers in the house from the birthday.”
“You can’t take back what he did, but when there’s no price for it – everyone will continue to do it”
After the funeral, Karmi’s daughters tried to get justice for the offending rider, but very quickly realized that he would not be charged with anything. “There is no organized legislation regarding riding electric bicycles, certainly not injury from electric bicycles, there is no punishment,” explained Nili Rotsky, Karmi’s wife. Dafna concluded: “You can’t take back what he did, but when there is no price for it – everyone will continue to do it.”