Tourist slapped with a fine while in a coma
An American tourist has been slapped with a fine while fighting for his life in a coma, after being involved in a devastating collision.
Rod and Barbara Maroney, an elderly couple from Phoenix, Arizona, were holidaying in Sydney and strolling down George Street, when Rod was hit by an e-bike riding down light rail tracks.
The 64-year-old retired aerospace engineer was crossing the light rail tracks in September 2023 and did not see the electric vehicle coming, with the collision causing him to fly into the air.
Rod had to undergo emergency brain surgery from his injuries and then spent the subsequent weeks in a coma.
Even now, in the weeks after the accident, Rod is still struggling to recover.
As the 64-year-old recovered in St Vincent’s hospital, Barbara was shocked to see a fine for $86 being shoved into the letterbox of her AirBnb by NSW police.
Despite the fact that E-bikes are not permitted on the footpaths of Sydney’s CBD, and are also banned on the light rail corridors, Mr Maroney was the one who was slapped with the fine.
The letter stated that Rod had committed the offence of “moving into rider’s path”, despite the fact that riding a bike along light rail tracks is not permitted, NSW Transport confirmed.
Barbara, who is a semi-retired lawyer herself, decided to get the help from a lawyer who contested the fine, and as a result, it was withdrawn.
“Him serving me while my husband is in the hospital in a coma was outrageous,” she told 9News.
“In the US, that would not be good service of process because my husband never lived at the Airbnb.”
“If he really wanted to serve the citation, he should’ve gone to the hospital and dropped it in my husband’s unconscious lap, I guess.”
After their ordeal, the couple wants authorities to take action over e-bikes in Sydney.
“We shed a lot of tears at night together, both of us grieving for our loss of the man he was,” she said.
“Why is Sydney’s council allowing silent, deadly bikes? Given the speed of the bike, Rod could have been killed.”
“Why are e-bikes not regulated like vehicles?”
Image credits: 9News