Tel Aviv Resident Sues City Over Misdelivered E-Scooter Fine and Late Fees
Mikey Levi discovered he owed Tel Aviv Municipality 1,300 shekels for a fine issued in September 2025 for riding an e-scooter without a properly fastened helmet, plus an additional 300 shekels for late payment. Levi claims he never received the original fine notice, which was sent to an outdated address where he has not lived for over six years. Despite updating his address with the Interior Ministry three years prior and paying municipal taxes at his current address, the municipality sent the fine notices to his parents' home. Levi only became aware of the fine in July 2026 when two letters arrived simultaneously at his parents' house, one from January notifying him of the fine and the other from June adding the late fee.
Levi also disputes the fine’s basis, noting inconsistent wording between the two letters: the first stated he did not fasten his helmet properly, while the second claimed he did not wear a helmet at all. He insists he always wears a helmet when riding and requested photographic evidence from the municipality, which he says was never provided. He further alleges that the quality of the camera footage would not allow clear determination of helmet fastening. Attempts to appeal the fine were rejected via automated responses, and the fine does not appear in his personal online municipal account, preventing him from tracking or contesting it digitally.
At the time of the incident, Levi was on reserve military duty and had just left home to ride an e-scooter. After unsuccessful appeals and communication with the municipality, he filed a lawsuit against Tel Aviv Municipality, with a hearing scheduled for May 2027. Levi has publicly criticized the municipality’s handling of the case, calling the fine "extortion" and encouraging others who received unjust fines to challenge them legally. He argues that the municipality relies on citizens’ inability or unwillingness to contest fines.
The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality responded that fines are sent according to official addresses from the population registry and that photographic evidence is provided upon request. They emphasized that riders must comply with the law and have the right to appeal fines. Levi’s case has sparked widespread public attention, with many reporting similar experiences of misdirected fines and delayed notifications.
