By Carol Tannenhauser
Four Upper West Side legislators shared a Zoom screen Tuesday night to discuss e-bike safety (or the lack of it), but on at least one issue they were not all on the same page.
In an online forum sponsored by the UWS Coalition of Block Associations & Community Groups, Upper West Side City Councilmember Shaun Abreu stood apart from Councilmember Gale Brewer when he said in his opening statement that he had agreed to co-sponsor Councilmember Robert Holden’s bill, requiring the registration and licensing of all e-bikes, e-scooters, and other legal motorized vehicles with the city’s Department of Transportation.
Abreu acknowledged that “it’s not a perfect bill by any means,” which is why he held off on sponsoring it for as long as he did, he said. “But I had many conversations with constituents and realized there wasn’t a lot of opportunity for the Council to have a serious conversation about e-bike safety, and a hearing for this bill would be our chance. You need 34 sponsors to just get a bill heard. I got on this bill because, at a minimum, we should be having this conversation.”
The other three politicians on the coalition’s Zoom call — City Councilmember Gale Brewer, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal — support a less comprehensive registration requirement, contained in a package of state bills. The package, being put together by Hoylman-Sigal, would apply statewide, but require registration and licensing only for e-bikes used for commercial purposes. Licensing would be done by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. As far as mopeds, all must already be registered and licensed, but there are bills pending on both the city and state level requiring registration to occur at the point of sale.
Hoylman-Sigal said his package would also increase penalties for hit-and-run incidents and require delivery companies to provide insurance for all delivery workers. It would also regulate algorithms used by food delivery apps, which currently “incentivize speed and recklessness on the part of the drivers,” Holylman-Sigal said. “If the workers fail to deliver the food quickly, they can be locked out of the app.”
“…you got to get on it up there in Albany and make it happen, not chat about it.”
Holyman admitted that the requirements in the package of bills he is working on is something of a wish list. “Not every one of these bills is going to see the light of day,” he said. “Anyone who knows anything about Albany knows that we give each bill our best shot.”
Steve Anderson, president of the UWS Coalition and moderator for the session, stressed a sense of urgency in the community. “This is not an issue that people are patient about,” he said. “People are scared who are walking on the streets and sidewalks, and the numbers of people injured is significant and undercounted. Action is being called for by the public from the people they rely on to do things. So, you got to get on it up there in Albany and make it happen, not chat about it.”
Pamela Grietzer-Manasse, a member of the audience at the online forum, expressed impatience with the lack of action thus far. Grietzer-Manasse was hit by a man on a moped at West 65th Street 18 months ago and remains partially paralyzed. She is co-founder of the E-Vehicle Safety Alliance (EVSA), which is strongly behind registration and licensing of all e-bikes and related personal mobility vehicles. “The mayor, police, Ydannis Rodriguez [commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation], and some [City] Council members are all talk and no action,” she said, in an email to the Rag.
Other news that emerged from the forum came from Councilmember Brewer, who gave the clearest indication to date that the city’s plans will not move forward to put a deliverista e-bike charging hub at West 71st Street and Broadway.
“I don’t think [71st Street] is going to happen. I can’t say for sure, I’m not the mayor, but that’s the most up-to-date information I can give you,” said Brewer, citing arguments made by opponents of the hub that the locale is too congested. “That is not a good location,” she said. “But we do need charging stations.”
Thank goodness that 71st Charging Station Hub is not going to happen. That was about the worst place they could have chosen to put it.
We should put a police kiosk there manned by officers 24/7. Wouldn’t it be great to know where to get a cop when you need one?
Please….. pick up your own food.
BE THE CHANGE!!!!
Just the idea that former newsstands should be used is absurd. Yes, they have electricity. But newsstands were put in locations that had heavy pedestrian traffic. Putting an eBike charging station in a spot like that is a recipe for injury.
It’s a testament to how out of touch decision makers are that the idea was even floated. It would be asinine.
I agree! This would create terrible congestion on that plaza, which is useful for pedestrians who want to get across Broadway over to Amsterdam safely and quickly. I say keep it as it is.
I guess the logic of these bought and paid for politicans is that e bikes not being used for commercial purposes never speed, never hit anyone and never leave the scene of an accident.
Safety is clearly never a real concern. The concern is always how can we have more and more people ride e bikes and do nothing to hinder adoption of this mode of transport.
Some of the worst offenders are people who rent Citi bike ebikes. I can’t tell you how many times I have almost been hit by one going the wrong way against the light or are on a sidewalk.
Just this morning, guy on Citibike ebike.
He was on his phone and going through a red light and hit a pedestrian.
Luckily seemed to be graze and pedestrian seemed Ok.
But this is normal behavior for Citibikers.
I don’t appreciate the hedging going on with the clear and unmistakable need for licensing, registration and insurance of what are motor vehicles better known as e-vehicles often riding 40 miles per hour on our streets and sidewalks. How a city could delay as they have is simply remarkable. We have people injured every day of the week. We have people killed by e-bikes more often than is accurately reported. And to make a distinction between a commercial and non-commercial e-bike is like saying taxis need to be licensed and insured but private cars don’t. This flies in the face of common sense and reason.
The community has been having this discussion for more than 2 years now. And we get lip service and no action. That’s inexcusable.
Thank you to Council member Shaun Abreu for doing the right thing and trying to make protecting the health and safety of his community a priority over politics and wealthy lobbyists. Shout out to all you who keep our residents from having the safety and quality of life they should have-the next victim of lawless e-bikes could be you!
They should ticket and incarcerate the jaywalkers … the ones crossing against the light or not in the crosswalk. Let’s not forget the menace to society of all those pedestrians walking in the middle of the bike lane.
They should also ticket and fine the wrong way bikers on Columbus and Amsterdam. It is dangerous to cross the bike lanes on both streets including at intersections.
Two-way bike lanes exist throughout the City and pedestrians somehow manage to cross the street. They also exist extensively in Europe at sidewalk level alongside pedestrians and they cope, too. Maybe people need to relearn how to cross a street at the crosswalk with the pedestrian signal in their favor. It also helps to not stand in the street but wait on the sidewalk. Errant pedestrian behavior distracts cyclists and puts them in dangerous situations.
Boris, you are right, two way bike lanes work. I think every single one of our bike lanes should be two way. The problem is: they are not, yet bikers go both ways on them. Do you get why that puts pedestrians in danger?
Problem is bikers don’t understand what to do when there is a red light!
But Mike’s comment, and my reply, primarily addressed the danger when crossing the bike lanes due to wrong way bikers on Columbus & Amsterdam Aves. Nothing about red lights.
This is a bizarre argument. You talked about how pedestrians should wait for the walk signal in their favor. The response was that bikers don’t respect the walk signal, blowing through red lights when they don’t have right-of-way. You then say no no, we’re talking about wrong way bikers…but it’s the same thing – wrong way bikers don’t ever see a red light.
Two-way bike lanes are wider than standard bike lanes (10-11 feet) and have a dotted yellow line between them. That indicates to cyclists and pedestrians to expect traffic in both directions. There’s nothing indicating this on the UWS roads. Just giving bikers full ability to invent a two-way lane whenever they want is a bad idea.
Sure, pedestrians have bad behavior, but that’ doesn’t make wrong way bikers (or those that run red lights) right.
You’re being incredibly picayune about the conceptual traits of bike lanes. The gist of what I’m saying is that one has to always look both ways when crossing both bike and vehicular lanes. To pontificate about pedestrians’ expectations doesn’t reflect the reality that bad cyclist behavior will never be completely eliminated. And that’s why pedestrians have to not put themselves in dangerous situations by not standing in the street and jaywalking. When the pedestrian signal is in their favor, crossing is a lot more manageable.
As a pedestrian, when I find myself in the street waiting to cross it is because there is a large SUV or a dining shed blocking my view of oncoming traffic.
Please consider signing a petition to require daylighting at intersections: https://act.transalt.org/a/daylighting
Most people can see with cars, but not dining sheds.
Perhaps Ebikers need to learn to go the right way on a street and follow traffic signals. Oh and to not ride on sidewalks.
Best thing:
Use bus and subway – not bikes
We get it. You love your bike and pedestrians should re-learn to get out of your way.
Your constant preaching about “errant pedestrian behavior “ is condescending and out-of-touch. “Re-learn how to cross a street”?!!
I agree with your comments 99% of the time but labelling my comments as you did is kind of preachy itself. It’s a fact of NYC life that pedestrians do not respect the laws that apply to them, and many (especially kids) do need to relearn how their crossing behavior contributes to the mayhem. Dismissing these concerns is just a justification of one type of bad behavior by pointing to other bad behavior.
I’ve been to Europe and bicyclists follow the rules! In NYC, Bikes run red lights. Bikes go the wrong way and on to side walks . Stop with the claim that it is all the pedestrians fault!
Registration and licensing is not the answer.
Electronic speed limitation to 10MPH and traffic law enforcement by the NYPD (something which is not occurring) is.
For cars too obviously. Since they are the ones that actually kill people?
Actually, e-bikes kill people.
Cars/trucks run reds at nowhere near the rate (both as a percentage of vehicles on the road and numbers perday) that throttle e-bike drivers do.
Throttle e-bike drivers also drive the wrong way vastly more frequently.
The problem with your propsal is one of civil liberities, it would mean real time tracking of every car/truck in the City.
Requiring insurance should be mandatory.
Does “traffic law enforcement” include enforcing the speed limits (if any) for bikes on sidewalks? Or doe that come under “jay biking?”
electronic speed limitation takes care of speeding, but not running reds or driving the wrong way.
Like any of these e-riders is going to pay the slightest attention to a 10MPH speed limit? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha…. oops I almost fell off the chair laughing.
“Electronic speed limitation” means preventing the bikes themselves from exceeding a certain speed.
Can we start with police stopping cars from going thru red lights. I see that every day. If you want to stop e bikes and scooters from flying down the bike lanes just put in speed bulbs by the crosswalk. And pave the streets too!!!
No, that’s a separate issue. Cars/trucks run red lights much less than e-bike drivers.
Your speed bump solution would not work, because e-bikes hardly only use “bike” lanes.
Charging stations and associated costs are the responsibility of the food apps for whom the individuals on e-bikes are working. It is not a public responsibility — whether locale, cost, build, or upkeep.
If these companies can afford to buy our politicians, they can afford to rent a storefront for their employees to take breaks and charge their bikes in.
As a person still recovering from multiple injuries and surgeries and continued therapy from an e-bike hit and run in January this is just not acceptable. Nothing short of a ban on e-bikes and the closure of the bike lanes will help end this nightmare.
It’s not going to happen….too drastic a response.
Please. Only ENFORCABLE laws. Most “quality of life” laws are not enforced. Let’s not kid ourselves.
So true. Just look at the West Side Highway. Loaded with trucks and busses. No enforcement of anything.
On a related topic, unless New Yorkers are disabled, homebound or ill, they should get off the couch and fetch their own takeout food. It’s a tiny bit of exercise to counteract the probably unhealthy dishes they’ve ordered. It’ll also save them money on delivery fees and tips.
Amen. This will keep the streets safe and is also a better way to support your local businesses.
I long for the good old days when restaurants had very limited delivery ranges, and/or charged a premium for longer deliveries.
But everyone is entitled today and wants what they want (notice I said want, not need). Heaven forbid they make minor sacrifices for the greater good!
How about if the delivery people are made to follow the rules/laws and face the consequences if they break them? It’s that simple.
Exactly. I don’t understand people diverting the issue. Should we also stop using taxis and Uber because some of them are bad drivers?
Live your own life and stop preaching to others how they should live theirs.
Yeah, right. Great philosophy, except for the point at which two lives collide, one on a heavy e-bike, and another just walking. Then what do you do?
They are just trying to minimize the chances of that happening, and holding the responsible person accountable for their intrusion into that other person’s life.
Wow! The same “Boris” who, in an earlier comment to this article, claimed than those annoying pedestrians “need to relearn how to cross a street”—this same “Boris” now lectures that others should “stop preaching”.
This would be comedy gold, but for the mounting numbers dead and crippled pedestrians.
Related to that to “get off the couch and fetch their own food,” my husband and I have floated the idea that “drive-thru” windows should be outlawed nationwide. How much gasoline would be saved…and how much healthier would people be if they had to get out of their cars. That’s just the suburban form of “get off the couch and fetch their own food.”
These people have there heads in the sand. How about rules that they stop at lights. that they go the same direction as traffic and keep off the sidewalks as well . If they don’t they can get tickets too
Those rules already exist.
You are assuming there are police or traffic officers available to enforce such ticketing. Dream on.
The tickets would pay for themselves. More revenue, more headcount for the Traffic division.
If the bikes had license plates they could be ticketed by mail. Just like cars.
I support a requirement for registration at point of sale for all legal e-mobility devices and a requirement that those used for commercial purposes be insured. I would also like to see the NYPD get much more aggressive about seizing unregistered mopeds and motorcycles.
There MUST BE REGISTRATION & LICENSING FOR TRACKING & TO HELP KEEP ALL PEOPLE USING PUBLIC SPACE SAFE WITH A WAY OF ASSIGNING RESPONSIBILITY!
It’s beyond belief after so many accidents and deaths that our pols are still not behind licensing and registration for e-bikes—-taking care of the people in the city whose best interests should be their reason for being in office. A shout-out to Shaun Abreu for his support of Bill Hayden’s bill.
I wish someone was concerned about pedestrian safety. We have e-bikes wizzing around and regular bikes breaking all the rules . Now we will have bike trucks on the side walks juggling with sidewalk cafes and street dining sheds. NYC use to be a walking paradise but now we are told that we should shut up and sit down because bikes are holy.
I want everyone safe but I’m tired of the answer to rule breaking is do away with the rules!
For a silly moment I thought that a few hundred people protesting outside Brewer’s office might change her mind, and then I realized that the “compromise” for registering commercial e-bikes is something the lobbyists at the Hospitality Alliance can support, because they know there will be zero enforcement. And Brewer and most of the City Council are in their pocket.
Registration only says we agree to have all
these dangerous bikes in our streets
We DO NOT agree.
EBikes be gone. Is it SO hard for our Mayor
to ban these bikes???
Under what authority? The City Council makes the laws.
Registration and licensing will do nothing to stop these speeding careless e bikers. The only thing that will work is holding them accountable for their actions. Just like criminals….. the simple solution to these problems is to hold people accountable.
So glad city isn’t paying for private delivery companies to charge their bikes. Just make it a pedestrian park.
Councilmember Brewer & others have dodged the issue for far too long. They don’t respond to communications about the chaos & danger caused by e-bikes, e-scooters, & mopeds on our streets – they act as though the don’t live among us.
Time for licensure, requiring insurance, & traffic enforcement! And to vote for others if they remain deaf to our concerns.
Gail, Brad, and Linda, its pretty simple E-bikes are motorized vehicles. Either they need license plates or they don’t. It doesn’t matter what they are used for.
I am glad that Council Member Abreu is going forward toward some regulation of the E-bike craze.
We need a solution that addresses not only the problem but the system of catching violators and levying penalties. We already have too many quality of life and “low-level crime” laws that are laxly enforced, if at all.
What’s interesting is that before the pandemic, all these vehicles were deemed not roadworthy and were illegal in NYC. The roads didn’t change, and the vehicles didn’t change. The only thing that changed were the restaurants.
Glad the deliveristas charging hub isn’t happening (hopefully) at the “ribbon of death” – still a very dangerous intersection. In the afternoon, the whole area by MacDonalds is packed with dozens of delivery bikes of all types riding on the sidewalk, students getting out of school and congregating in packs, Amazon delivery people with large package carts, and pedestrians like me, just trying to navigate that whole area and not get hit by cars and/or bikes. It’s already a nightmare and we don’t need to add any more congestion here.