Why Gold Coast e-bike death tragedy was preventable and must lead to reforms
Teenager Fudou Stovell died alone after his friends abandoned him following an e-bike crash. This tragedy should make us all pause for reflection and lead to reforms, writes Andrew Potts
It’s 3.07am on Saturday morning and the broken body of 15-year-old Fudou Stovell is lying on the grass next to Broadbeach Boulevard.
Just moments earlier the boy, a beloved son and friend to many, had been riding with mates when he lost control of his high-powered electric motorbike at a raised pedestrian crossing, crashing into two poles.
He suffered catastrophic injuries.
Fudou’s mates, fearing the loss of their own e-bikes, admit they left their friend to die a lonely death on the footpath, as a police officer tried in vain to save him.
As dawn broke that morning and the wreckage of Fudou’s bike was taken away, the magnitude of what occurred sank in for the city.
The death of this boy is a tragedy in every sense.
His family now must say goodbye to a child whose life was only just beginning and whose future will remain a sad “what if” which cannot be answered.
His friends, all passionate biking enthusiasts, must live with what happened on that fateful night.
The emergency services workers who had to respond and gave their all to try and save Fudou’s life will also carry the trauma of what they too witnessed.
Many questions are being fairly asked about how this situation could possibly have occurred.
Why was someone so young out at 3am riding a powerful vehicle which retails for around $10,000?
These will presumably form the basis of an inquiry into the circumstances of Fudou’s death.
Regardless, these questions do not take away from the inherent tragedy this city has witnessed.
A teenager, little more than a child, someone born in only 2009, is dead.
Many online commentators took to social media in the aftermath of his death, greeting the news with a certain cynicism and a lack of empathy.
They are too nasty to reprint – suffice to say it is hardly humanity at its finest.
This is not a defence of e-bike riders or indicating any support for the unchecked behaviour which has been evident for some time.
As a society, it should be possible to have empathy for those impacted by such a loss without condoning the actions or behaviours of those immature young boys who have been causing havoc on our roads and footpaths, particularly in recent months.
Daredevil behaviour, riding between vehicles and performing stunts on roads and footpaths, is not something to aspire to and it is indeed terrifying for all those who have witnessed such actions.
However, it is important that a carefully considered response should be undertaken to ensure that Fudou Stovell’s death is not in vain.
This should be a wake-up call, not just for political leaders but for the community as a whole.
For parents and children, this tragedy should be a totemic warning about the dangers of these vehicles and of what can go wrong in a split second.
Misusing these powerful electric bikes, like cars, can carry deadly consequences which are the sole responsibility of the person using it.
They can be used and enjoyed safely but, like cars, must be treated with respect and understanding of what can happen if things go wrong.
An honest and frank conversation could make a dramatic difference and pay dividends in the future.
Everyone has a part to play in ensuring this does not happen again.
It also raises the question of whether this city needs to revive the off-road biking clubs which existed in the past, providing both a location and supervision for young riders.
Many of these folded in the 2000s.
All eyes are now on the state government to see its response.
Premier David Crisafulli says the ongoing parliamentary inquiry won’t be rushed, with its findings due in March.
A bevy of community figures, including Mayor Tom Tate, are pleading for action, raising a series of sensible solutions to reducing the danger, both to riders and the public.
The current situation, where these powerful vehicles can be used unchecked while mobile scooters require registration appears farcical.
Granting police the power to properly enforce the laws and seize e-bikes which are being misused would also appear to be a simple solution which would ensure there are serious consequences which are a true deterrent.
But while we wait to get these much-needed reforms, it must not be forgotten that a child is dead.
There are no answers for that pain.
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