The errand riders are rampant, the state continues to ignore

Speeding on the sidewalks, against the direction of traffic, at a red light, at crosswalks.

The state's lack of hands in dealing with the courier companies and the problematic employment model is blowing up in our faces

Kenan Cohen

07/27/2022

Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 12:10 Updated: 12:31

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on Twitter

• Share by email

• Share in general

• Comments

  Comments

In full red, with a little less luck it would have ended very badly (photo: Or yerok)

"Nothing prepares you for something like this when you're driving on the road with a green light. The electric bike rider just hit me," is how Eran, a taxi driver, describes what happened on the streets of Bnei Brak in the afternoon in the middle of July.

The panic and helplessness of being involved in an accident that could have ended much worse was joined by another dimension - the realization that the courier's irresponsible riding was going to cost him a lot of money.

"This guy who was riding an electric scooter was slightly injured and came to me in a taxi, saw the damage and said he didn't do it. Fortunately, everything was filmed. He was slightly injured and after a short time continued his work day. This boy hurt me financially, also to repair the jump estimated at 30 thousand shekels for a taxi and also insurance premiums for the rest if I activate the deductible. I go to work every day to bring bread for my children and what happens on the road must shake the country. Every day a person is killed. I am a law-abiding person, drive slowly and safely. We will be in a situation where every I manage to avoid dozens of traffic accidents a day.

Enforcement operation against electric tool riders in Tel Aviv

On video: enforcement operation against bicycle and electric scooter offenses in Tel Aviv (photo: police spokespersons)

The boom that the corona brought to courier companies did not diminish with the return of the economy to normal and led to more friction with the public

Eli, as it turns out, is really not alone - a survey conducted by the "Mind Reservoir" company together with the Green Light Association shows that 59% of the public claim that they feel a safety hazard when they are driving or walking and see a messenger near them.

The huge boom brought about by the corona virus in the scope of work of the courier companies did not significantly decrease with the return of the economy to normal, but the friction between the riders and the pedestrians and the vehicles only continued to expand and with it an increase in the number of accidents.

57% of the survey participants answered that in the last year they see more couriers on the road.

And not only more messengers, but those who commit many more safety violations and there is no need to choose, there is everything.

We bring the results of the survey in full in order to make it easier to understand the seriousness of the situation.

58% of the respondents claimed that the couriers drive unsafely and were asked to indicate whether they had seen a courier commit one of the following traffic offenses in the past year:

· 75% of the respondents claimed that they had seen a courier using a mobile phone while driving in the past year.

· 74% of the respondents claimed that they saw a courier traveling on the sidewalk in the last year.

· 51% of the respondents claimed to have seen a courier run a red light in the last year.

· 91% of the respondents claimed to have seen a courier moving between vehicles in the last year.

· 78% of the respondents claimed that they saw a courier commit a traffic offense in the last year.

· 82% of respondents claimed to have seen a courier riding wildly in the last year.

· 83% of the respondents claimed that they saw a courier riding at an excessive speed or one that does not correspond to the road conditions in the last year.

· 85% of the respondents claimed that they had seen a courier overtaking in a dangerous way in the last year.

good to know (in advance)

The solution to knee pain is closer than ever - thanks to technology in the shoe

Submitted by Apostrophe

The exhaustion of the police and the state sends the message that there is no law and no justice (Photo: Keinan Cohen, Reuven Savio)

Attorney Yaniv Ya'akov CEO of the Green Or Association: "The video represents the daily reality that drivers face, mainly in the central region of the country. A traffic jungle, disorder and especially the rampage of messengers on electric tools while they beep the most basic traffic laws that exist A courier who runs a red light, at a busy intersection, in broad daylight, does so because he understands that the chance of someone catching him is very low and he has no problem endangering himself and other road users. Disregarding traffic laws also costs human lives and causes drivers and pedestrians to seriously damage their sense of personal security The courier companies must take responsibility and make sure that the couriers drive in a way that does not endanger all of us on the road."

This approach also has the agreement of an absolute majority of the public, 88% of the respondents say that the courier companies should be responsible for training the couriers for safe riding.

91% believe that the companies should be responsible for the safety of the messengers' vehicles, as well as with the urgent need for closer supervision of the messengers' rides (76%).

Expanding enforcement powers is a first step towards regulation (Photo: Reuven Castro)

At the end of the activity of the outgoing Knesset, a number of bills and amendments to the traffic ordinances were promoted with the aim of creating an expansion of the enforcement powers given to municipal inspectors with regard to electric vehicles.

Among other things, the Ministry of Internal Security will allow the imposition of fines for not wearing a helmet, using a cell phone while riding, riding under the legal age, and more.

In the list of increased fines, you can find NIS 1,500 for using a cell phone, NIS 1,000 for riding without a helmet on a bicycle, scooter and electric scooter (previously 250 NIS), in general this offense also includes riding with an unsecured helmet and more.

In the last 15 years, with the neglect of the state, the electric vehicles have turned from one of the gospels that could be a complementary tool for urban micromobility to a transportation gap that the chance of regaining control of it tends to zero.

Turning a blind eye at the beginning and later sloppiness led some riders to see these tools as "ex-territory" that is not bound by the traffic laws.

The price is paid by the drivers who share the road with them and the pedestrians from whom they crowd the sidewalks.

• vehicle

• car news

Tags

• delivery person

• scooter

• errands

• Electric scooter