England captain Ben Stokes along with team-mates Mark Wood and Jamie Smith were out and about in Brisbane when they found themselves in a bit of trouble. The three of them were riding Lime e-scooters without wearing helmets, thus they may face some kind of action in accordance with Queensland’s stringent road rules.
After the players lost heavily in Perth, they came to Brisbane and went out for a brief city tour. It was their ride that, however, attracted the attention of the police since the use of a helmet is mandatory for every e-scooter user in Queensland.
Queensland Law and Risk of Penalties
The Queensland regulation mandates that the rider of an e-scooter has to wear a helmet. In particular, Section 256A (1) refers to penalties amounting to 166 Australian dollars. Images captured Jamie Smith with a helmet hanging on his scooter, but he was not using it while riding.
Fans also noticed Mark Wood’s injured knee, which kept him out of the Brisbane Test after he bowled just 11 overs in Perth. The Australian authorities are very vigilant, and the English players usually get more attention from the media during the tours.
Past Incidents Add to Spotlight
There have been times when the English players have been confronted by Australia for similar issues. On the 2010-11 tour, Pietersen was once caught speeding and fined. Shortly after, Agnew was given a penalty for crossing the road illegally in Adelaide. These episodes emphasize that Australia is very strict when it comes to enforcing public rules, even if it’s for the VIPs of the visiting teams.
Author’s Opinion
The dropping of the helmet may look like a small thing, but international athletes should always be on their guard. Small slips can easily turn into big stories during the pressurized tours.
