BROOKLYN (VINnews/Sandy Eller) – Citing multiple reports of serious and even life-threatening injuries, the Central Rabbinical Congress of the U.S.A. and Canada, also known as the Hisachdus Harabonim, issued a public statement today banning the use of e-scooters.
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In their statement, the board of rabbis said that they had been approached by respected members of the medical field to discuss the ongoing hazards of electric scooters, which have become increasingly popular in recent months. After looking into the matter, the Central Rabbinical Congress determined that scooters are prohibited by Jewish law, as is any other object that poses a danger to human life.
Warning parents that allowing their children to use e-scooters is a very serious wrongdoing, the rabbis offered words of praise to those who follow their ruling, adding, “those who heed our words will live securely and be blessed with an abundance of goodness.” The rabbis also made their followers responsible to admonish e-scooters users in their communities.
State Senator Simcha Felder bemoaned the use of e-scooters last spring, as previously reported on VIN News. Felder’s words came eleven months after Revel, a ride-sharing scooter service that had been operating in New York City, suspended its local operations after two fatal crashes that took place just seven days apart.
“The streets of NYC have become the wild, wild west,” said Felder. “The de Blasio administration has allowed a growing number of completely unregulated bicycles, e-bikes, electric scooters and dirt bikes/ATVs on our city streets and the results are proving deadly. Vision Zero has become zero vision.
Felder introduced legislation in the Senate that would have required electric bicycle and scooter riders in New York City to be licensed and to have state-issued license plate on their bikes. Riders would have been required to wear helmets under the legislation, which was referred to the Senate’s Rules committee but never made it to the Senate floor for a vote.
It is scary and dangerous how these kids and even adults fly at you on the sidewalks with their e-scooters etc. Lady on my block was hit by one of these, was knocked over, and eventually needed surgery
I almost hit a man coming right at my car
And aside from the danger aspect, these boys will no longer get this minimal exercise of walking
Gotta face reality. The introduction of scooters to the sidewalks and streets in our neighborhoods takes a situation already unsafe to one that is frankly dangerous. Let’s examine a bit. A kid that swims poorly and suffers a fatal accident in a pool has endangered himself. Huge tragedy. But this has not morphed into unsafe conditions for anyone else. The scooters put everyone else at risk. Cars often cannot see them. They zip in and out of traffic, disobeying lights, and behave as if they own the roads. The danger posed to themselves might be great, but what they inflict on the public is unconscionable. The degree of danger to others is not less on sidewalks than in the streets. They should be banned, but also illegal.
Now watch. This Bum DeBlasio wants to run for governor , and the insane blue NY voters will elect him.
Driving in my Brooklyn neighborhood is hazardous and stressful , especially at night. They sneak up in your blind spots from all directions. This started with Climate Change Mikey Bikey’s bike lanes. New York , New York.
Kudos to the rabbis for their discerning approach, targeting with precision one specific new, widespread type of vehicle, the electric scooter, unlike the legislator, who painted with a broad brush and lumped together multiple types of alternative means of transportation, that can be quite different from each other.
Avreich was killed recently in Bnei Brak by an escooter. They are dangerous and children zip in and out of pedestrians and traffic. Should be licensed or outlawed.
Rabbi Bender of Yeshiva Darchei Torah previously issued such a ban for his very large yeshiva in Far Rockaway (v’Haglilos) months ago, citing such dangers to all.
I am waiting for a similar ruling for the Sephardic Community in Brooklyn. I drive home thru that area and I have seem some religious, white shirt boys that must be crazy and have crazy parents. When I blew my horn at a dangerous move a kid cut in front of me and every thing in my car went flying in my attempt to avid hitting him.
I do not want to be accused of stalking but I was tempted t follow and find his parents and his school.
My child had a mild concussion from being hit by a speeding electric scooter, saying an E scooter is safe on a busy street is just a lack of awareness.
The real issue is that e-bikes as well as bicycles are not licensed, don’t require insurance, helmets and don’t follow vehicle laws. Make e-bike get insurance and a license, then there will be accountability
“Revel, a ride-sharing scooter service”
Revel has mopeds, not flimsy scooters.
As a mom of teens, I know how desperately kids need a method of their own transportation
It used to be bikes
Now it’s electric scooters for most kids
I don’t see that bikes are significantly safer- yes they’re slower but they still ride with traffic.
Kids who aren’t careful are still a danger , and Brooklyn is a disaster to ride for anyone with any vehicle
And My nephew once had a cat run into his bike and he went flying and broke bones.
While I know all the commenters will not like my remarks , I would like to make a few points . First , it seems that when Politicians introduce legislation , it usually boils down to the Benjamin’s .As an avid electric bike rider , I realize ,& see the dangers posed by other electric bike & scooter riders , who totally disregard public safety .However , why isn’t there the same concern regarding the young drivers ,who race down Ocean Pkwy ,or in BP & blatantly go thru red lights . The Police are never around ,because they are more concerned with not getting vaccinated .I think Senator Felder should pursue his important photo ops , or try to lower the price of gasoline ,& winter natural prices , food prices ECT !!!!
Why don’t they ban cigarettes? That seems more logical.
The loshon hora spoken here is more dangerous than anything.
That said, I applaud the Rabbis for this ban
All scooters should be banned not only e-shooters
some people just are Never happy, the kids have a great time and feel free when they go and enjoy. Stop being a democrat and feel the need to control every move of every person. Get a tv or something to keep you busy m. Less time for such types of ridiculousness
But killer shots for 5 years old for a virus that has ever been isolated snd Not one Healthy child has died from they are okay?
I want to see the Kol Korea about that also!
Wow! The holy rabbis who are banning electric scooters what about cigarettes that is almost guaranteed to cause cancer. What a bunch of old farts! Go home.
E-scooters are dangerous when driven illegally (on sidewalks, etc) 50 people injured in NYC.
But 750,000 dead in US from Covid and they come out vs vaccines and masks!
Nothing better to do – There are molesters and pigs all over the place!
and exactly how many children are killed on scooters that they are just willy nilly banned?
4,000+ people drown every year in swimming pools. Let’s ban them. 50,000 people are killed in car accidents every year. Let’s ban them, or at least lower the speed limit to 5 miles per hour. Listen, even if it saves 1 life!
If you are concerned that they are dangerous for children to ride, don’t buy one for your kid. The fact is that there is no human activity or endeavor that is totally devoid of risk. If the goal is to ban “any other object that poses a danger to human life” then we need to ban life itself because living can itself be dangerous. In fact, I know someone who died on the way home from shul Friday night when a tree fell over on him and killed him. By this reasoning, we need to ban shul on Shabbos.
What a foolish psak, and one that needs to be ignored.