Beginning Sunday, May 1, 2016, police and municipality authorities will fine bicycle riders who are on sidewalks NIS 250. The new policy was implemented in response to the growing number of pedestrians hit by bicycles.

It is reported that the law is not new but it was simply not enforced in the past. Police report there will also be an increase in enforcement for numerous other traffic violations including failing to stop for a red traffic signal, speaking on one’s cellular telephone while riding, interfering with pedestrians in a crosswalk, and traveling opposite the direction of traffic. Fines will range from NIS 100 up to NIS 1,000.

If a rider of an electric bicycle is over the age of 16, authorities may take other measures including letting the air out of the tires and confiscating the battery to stop the rider from continuing.

According to the Tel Aviv Municipality 16.1% of all travel to work, school and the IDF is on bicycles as opposed to 10.6% in 2012 (According to the survey by the Center for Socioeconomic Research in November 2014). The city has paved 130 kilometers of bike lanes and has allocated NIS 30 million in the annual budget to continue developing infrastructure to accommodate bike riders.

Bike riders in the city claim the city has not done enough and it is not correct to fine riders at this point since there are simply too many areas without bike lanes and riding in the street places the rider at high risk.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo: Tel Aviv Spokesman)