"This ruined my life": Mum still seeking justice after horror e-bike crash
<p>Sarah was crossing on George Street in Sydney's CBD on February 2023 when she was brutally struck by a Lime e-bike rider. At the time of the accident, she was three months pregnant. </p>
<p>Speaking to <em>Yahoo News</em>, Sarah explained she had been crossing the street when she heard someone yell "look out!" but before she could react, she was knocked down by the speeding vehicle. </p>
<p>She claims that the bike user was illegally riding with a companion on the handle bars at the time, and fled the scene when she cried out "my baby!" </p>
<p>Fortunately, Sarah's unborn daughter was unharmed during the incident, but she was left with lifelong injuries. </p>
<p>"My foot was crushed, I had dislocations and many broken bones, and I needed 21 screws, two plates and two pins," Sarah said. </p>
<p> "As a result of the injury, the skin on my foot began to die with fracture blisters, so I needed skin grafts as well.</p>
<p>"I required six surgeries on my foot in total. One on my elbow, which was broken. One big plate and seven screws. Six weeks of non-weight bearing on my arm, and much longer on my foot. Around 12 weeks plus altogether."</p>
<p>It took the mum six months after the accident to be able to walk again - three weeks before she gave birth. </p>
<p>"The pain was unbelievable," she recalled. </p>
<p>"The trauma was unbelievable. It was all just horrible, horrendous. It really was." </p>
<p>Her family tried to seek compensation from Lime, but they deflected any blame saying that they would only take responsibility if the accident was caused by a faulty Lime bike, but not reckless riding. </p>
<p>Since Lime e-bikes are rented by individuals, liability typically falls on the rider, not the company, they argued.</p>
<p>The family's solicitor had also obtained CCTV footage of the incident, and had tried to get police to follow up but have been hit with multiple roadblocks since. </p>
<p>"The police had their name, addresses, mobile and photos. [But] they only called one time, and went to the house one time. That's it. A high commissioner rang me to apologise, but then they still did nothing."</p>
<p>Now, Sarah and her family are calling for the total ban of e-bikes in Australia. </p>
<p>"They should be banned," Sarah said. "The government and Lime have just let loose motorised vehicles that can hurt riders and pedestrians, and have not covered anyone but themselves.</p>
<p>"There is no policing how fast they are going. This ruined my body, my life and my first pregnancy. And nobody has been held accountable."</p>
<p>While Sarah's baby was unharmed in the accident, nine months after her birth, the baby girl "was found to have tetralogy of Fallot" — a rare but serious heart defect that affects how blood flows through the heart.</p>
<p>"She needed open heart surgery and will need it every 10 years. My injuries made everything a lot harder. But hopefully I can change things," Sarah said.</p>
<p>"I'm certainly scarred for life."</p>
<p><em>Image: Yahoo News</em></p>
