Roadblock blues

May 16, 2009 - 9:08 AM by David · Leave a Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, General, Israeliness, Life, Travel, War

spikes I don’t think this happens much in other countries, unless you drive into a parking lot through the out entrance. But it’s just another one of those things that keeps us on our toes in Israel.

A true story that happened to a neighbor this week. A bit of background – when you drive into Jerusalem from Ma’aleh Adumim, you need to pass through a three-lane checkpoint manned by soldiers, military police and/or border policemen. You slow down and get waved through – if you don’t look Arab – and clomp over a small metal barrier on the road. (If you do look Arab, then you have to produce ID.)

The barrier evidently houses those sharp spikes you find in parking lot exits, that can be ejected with the touch of a button if one of the authorities wants to stop a vehicle from passing.

Unfortunately, that’s what happened to the neighbor’s husband – or at least to the car next to his. As he was passing through the checkpoint, the checkers evidently spotted a susicious car that wasn’t stopping in another lane and activated the road spikes.

However, all three sets of spikes rose simultaneously– one in each lane- just as my husband, unluckily, was passing through. The result? two punctured tires, ruined beyond repair.
When two tires are punctured, having a single spare is of no help. My husband had to wait for a tow truck–then was towed back to the Maaleh Adumim tire repair place.

The tow truck cost NIS 242, two new tires cost NIS 700. It also cost him hours of work and, naturally, aggravation. Reporting the incident at the Ma’aleh Adumim police station today, I was told that the Border Police, not they, deal with this, to check back in a week to see if they have received my complaint. and then to wait quietly until our recompense (which hopefully covers all costs) is arranged. In the meantime, we are out nearly NIS 1,000.

Security, security, but this is ridiculous! At the very least, payments should be immediate -not entailing endless phone calls, and running from office to office. Besides–why, if a car in one lane must be stopped, do all the spikes emerge?

So friends, as you pass the roadblock, look left and right. If nearby cars look suspicious, beware. Though you are innocent, you may reap their punishment with them.

After reading that, working at home seems like a viable option.

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