Interesting Psak from Rav Ezriel Auerbach: The Bike Brigade

The Hatzala organization has developed a unit of bike riders to respond to calls. This unit is very beneficial in some cities, some neighborhoods, where access by car is very difficult - narrow streets, alleyways, etc. This helps them respond even quicker in those areas.

They have now considered increasing the usage of the bike brigade. The biek brigade would respond to a higher percentage of the calls on shabbos, thus minimizing the use of cars.

They brought the bikes to the Rabbinic Committee of Hatzala to discuss the possibilities. Rav Ezriel Auerbach - the son for Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt"l and son-in-law of Rav Elyashiv and a gaon in his own right, approved of the use of the bike brigade, but warned them that it should be made clear to all the medics that in any situation where using the bike will provide the care not as fast as it would be provided by car, the bicke brigade should not be used and a car should be used.

So the Bike Brigade is a good solution for certain situations, but it is not a replacement for cars. In any situation where a car will provide faster care, the car should be used.