Electric Bicycle, Concussion | – I thought it would be very painful

– It's not about me, it's not my fault. I want to talk about how little it takes before things go terribly wrong, says Birgitta Strobel.

Two years ago, when she visited a friend, she spontaneously rented one to save time.

She kept a low speed and felt that she was doing everything right to avoid dangerous situations.

– It really only took one small stone to go wrong. The wheel spun the other way and suddenly I hit the ground. “I had enough time to think it was going to be really painful,” says Strobel.

The impact gave her a concussion and badly bruised the entire right side of her body.

– The collarbone was broken in two and the right shoulder hung on the chest.

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Two painful years

The accident would give Strobel some painful years. The pain was not worth the spontaneous movement she took to save time.

– I had to go first to the emergency room and then to Deacon Home for surgery.

During surgery, a titanium plate with metal screws was drilled into the bone stumps of his collarbone. It holds the bony parts in place so they can grow back together in the broken shoulder.

– One year after the plate was removed, he says it has been two very painful years with head, neck and shoulder pain.

After a year of a plate and screws in the shoulder, it was time for a new operation at Diakonhjemmet.

“Finally, it had to be operated on, and a new round of weekly training with a physiotherapist began,” Strobel explains.

Even today, it is difficult to use the right hand beyond work. She can only work on the computer for short periods of time.

As a yoga teacher and artist for years, I had to find ways to live with tendon injuries.

Requested errors

– It was my own fault that I wasn't wearing a helmet, so I got a concussion, but regardless of whether I was wearing a helmet or not, my collarbone broke the day I fell.

She wants there to be a general helmet requirement, but she can still understand that few wear a helmet while riding an electric scooter in the city.

She had on April 2022.

– You don't pack a bicycle helmet in your bag or your computer folder in the morning. Also, I think the little collapsible rubber helmets on some rental electric scooters have the same effect as Grandma's shower cap. Why should they be good? They are of no use.

Strobel tried to get an answer She could drive the electric scooter the day she rented it because it only took a small pebble to topple it.

– I don't have a maximum speed and I don't drive into a ditch or get stuck in the path of a tram line. It is only a pebble. It shows that no matter how balanced you are, you have less control than you think, she says.

According to Strobel, Tire denied that there was a problem with the scooter and their insurance company in Stockholm did not agree to the following claims.

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Thoroughly inspects the vehicle

– If an accident is reported, we always thoroughly review an electric scooter that has been involved in an accident, writes Dan Neren, who is responsible for Tire Mobility's regulations, in an email to Netavisen.

They do this to detect and correct any errors, but also for insurance reasons. According to Neran, electric scooters are insured against traffic accidents and have insurance for users and third parties.

– Our staff carry out regular checks to ensure our vehicles are in road-safe condition. Any defective vehicles are immediately taken out of service, collected and repaired by our service technicians, Nerén further writes.

And stronger

After Tire denied anything was wrong with the 2022 rental Strobel electric scooter, he is now questioning the vehicle's construction itself.

– I wonder what can be done to prevent accidents if this vehicle stays here and does not require public helmets. “I think wheels should be made bigger than a pebble,” Strobel says.

In an email from Tire, Neran writes that the company has been at the forefront of electric scooter development over the past five years.

– Our latest electric scooter models are more robust and safer than their predecessors. They have larger wheels, a more stable standing platform, shock absorption, dual braking systems, lights, reflectors and turn signals.

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Reduced accident risk

Neran believes that their app has information that encourages all users to follow traffic rules, park properly and wear helmets.

– The foldable helmets we offer are safety approved and are a great alternative for those who don't have their own helmets. Unfortunately, Neren writes, these helmets aren't used as often as we'd like.

However, it remains the same increasingly secure. This has been shown in a recently published study by As Neran mentions.

– The study shows that this is due to cooperation between industry, cities and authorities. Neren explains that the risk of accidents caused by shared electric scooters has been reduced by 26 percent in Europe.

At the same time, the study showed that nearly 80 percent of fatal crashes among cyclists and e-bikers involved motor vehicles, underscoring the need for safer infrastructure for light road users and reduced speed limits for motorized vehicles.

Strobel is still amazed that such an electric scooter can't hold up before the rear wheel spins sideways and loses balance.

– When I was told that the scooter was not damaged on the rear wheel, the layer insurance plan did not cover me.

She feels completely done with electric scooters.

– He says I know many people with broken jaws, shoulders and legs and permanent head damage.