By Maya Mau
A Community Board 7 committee voted to ban electric bikes from bike lanes at its meeting Tuesday night, citing crashes and near-misses involving e-bikes in the neighborhood.
The move comes after Hing Chung, manager of Upper West Side restaurant Jing Fong, was killed after being struck by an e-bike in the bike lane on Amsterdam Avenue in April.
E-bikes, many of which are used by delivery workers, have become a flashpoint in recent months. Workers — many of them immigrants — have begun organizing for more rights, including for better pay from delivery apps, protection from police and even for the right to use restaurant bathrooms. A Community Board 7 committee was previously criticized for not being sympathetic enough to their concerns.
A Department of Transportation rep who came to the meeting shared that it has educational campaigns and communicates with precincts about these issues with the hopes of minimizing the number of accidents. Nevertheless, the rep noted that bikers still often ride through red lights.
Several community board members expressed their concern about pedestrian safety, with some citing their own experience with bikers – both human-powered and electric – who are negligent about street rules.
Under New York State law, e-bikes are now classified in the same category as regular bicycles. Some board members thought that the law is appropriate, while others believe that non-electric bicycles should be treated differently. E-bikes are currently permitted to travel up to 25 miles per hour, the same as the speed limit for cars in New York City.
Committee member Jay Adolf introduced the resolution, highlighting the two things he thinks can and should be done. The first is keeping e-bikes out of bike lanes. The second is calling for more enforcement of vehicle and traffic laws.
He also recommended a study into other issues including the potential impact of helmet requirements and age restrictions for e-bike riders. Members also discussed whether they should have to register the bikes, and issues of financial liability.
Committee members then debated the resolution. Many cited anecdotal evidence, while others emphasized the need for a data-driven approach. Some disagreed with parts of the resolution, arguing that removing e-bikes from bike lanes could encourage e-bike riders to ride on the sidewalk and lead to more accidents in vehicle lanes. In addition, some expressed concern that the transportation committee’s energy could be better spent if focused on cars and trucks.
Ken Coughlin, a committee member, believes that the resolution passed is misguided and proposed an amendment to widen bike lanes in an attempt to accommodate bikes going at different speeds.
“I understand that [the original resolution’s] objective is to make the streets safer but it would have the opposite effect,” Couglin wrote in response to emailed questions after the meeting. “It would banish any rider of an electric bicycle, including Citi Bike riders, from bike lanes and force them to mix with traffic. This is clearly more dangerous for these street users and it would be more dangerous for pedestrians and motorists as well because e-bikes and e-scooters would be all over the road in unpredictable ways.”
Committee member Richard Robbins also said that the resolution targets delivery workers, and will result in fatalities if they are forced into vehicle traffic.
First, the board conducted a vote on Coughlin’s amendment to widen bike lanes so that slow and fast bikes could ride separately, but that resolution failed.
Then, the board conducted a vote on an alternative amendment to recall the removal of e-bikes from bike lanes and hold third-party delivery services responsible for their delivery drivers. Adolf pointed out several times that this may not be legal. Again, among both committee members and non-committee members, more people voted against than in favor, so it failed to pass.
Lastly, the board conducted a vote on the original resolution, with some amendments. Seven committee members voted in favor while three voted against. Four non-committee members voted in favor and three voted against so Adolf’s original resolution passed. We have asked for a copy of the resolution with the amendments, and were told it is likely to be posted on the community board website in the coming days.
The full Community Board is expected to vote on the resolution on July 6.
While I am concerned about the speed & weight of e-bikes in the bike lane (and e-scooters, e-boards, e-???), they are still just as vulnerable to cars as a cyclist. Also, if you cant keep then out of HH bike path or central park, how realistic is it to police a bike lane other than a weekly ticketing blitz.
And the police will enforce this?
This makes no sense. E-bikes are bikes, duh. The speed limit is 25 mph for bikes, e-bikes and all other vehicles.
And all other vehicles are required to be licensed and insured, and their operators are required to be licensed as well. Frankly, requiring this of bicycle riders would go a long way to reducing accidents, since there would be accountability. If you get hit by a bike or e-bike, you’re looking at potentially life-long injuries and thousands in medical bills, with no financial recourse.
Since the bike lanes precede the legality of the ebike it follows that these lanes were not built for ebikes.
As a mere pedal bike rider I feel much safer without them.
Ebike operators can pedal in bike lanes, and use their thumbs to power the bike when out of them (which they are, routinely).
And, for what it’s worth, I would agree that e-assist pedaled bikes (like Citibikes) should be allowed in the bike lanes.
How would this even be enforced?
What it will result in are that law-abiding citizens will follow the rules while others do as they please – penalizing those who are the most cautious to begin with.
Great clarification on e-bikes vs. e-assist Citibikes. There is no way the e-assist citibikes get fast enough to warrant riding on the streets.
So we deem that having e-bikes swerve between traffic in general traffic is a safer and better alternative than widening bike lanes?
In what world?
How do you proposes widening bike lanes? Get rid of sidewalk?
Get rid of a travel lane or parking lanes
less than 1/4 people have cars on the Upper West Side, not to mention the presence of garages in the neighborhood.
Amsterdam and Columbus both have 3 travel lanes and two parking lanes. Put a permanent bus lane on the right side, remove a travel lane, widen the bike lane and block it off to cars, and while we’re at it, widen the sidewalk too.
Sure, that’ll be coming right up…
Most days there is only one travel lane as commercial traffic double parks and uber drivers and cabs stopped on other side or vise versa.
Travel lanes have been reduced in this neighborhood already, and ‘parking lanes, on Broadway, Amsterdam and Columbus are gone in favor of expanded outdoor seating for restaurants (the seating isn’t continuous but the restaurant use makes these “lanes” useless for travel because they’d only be useful for travel if they’re continuous).
The neighborhood needs travel lanes for emergency vehicles and the city needs these lanes for commercial traffic to and from the central business district.
So no, the idea of getting rid of even more traffic lanes is a non starter.
There needs to be better enforcement of bike speeds, both e-bike and regular. Maybe have a lower speed limit for the bike lanes and allow e-bike riders in the lanes if they are willing to stick to that limit. If they want to go faster, they must go in regular traffic.
I’m not a huge fan of bikers or bike lanes but pedestrians also need to be more aware when crossing these lanes. I always look both ways, even though theoretically bikes should only be going in one direction.
E-bikes are motor vehicles, they even accelerate to 25-30mph faster than cars. They should be treated the same as cars by travelling in the motor vehicle lanes. Many people don’t realize that e-bikes weigh about triple a pedal bike’s weight but generally have inferior brakes and inferior maneuverability.
Amen!
With that logic the 400 lb. bike rider will have a much larger impact than the 100 lb rider. How should we regulate that?
Just lower the speed limit in the bike lane for all bikes. I don’t see electric bikers riding faster than no-e assist bikers. Those tour de France wannabees are a major safety hazard.
Speed limits, registration and licenses.
This is issue has become even more complicated since e-bikes are becoming more popular and beginning to get affordable for recreational consumers. While I tend to agree that treating e-bikes as motor vehicles makes sense, the city must pass new laws and be serious about enforce them (then bike lanes should be limited to non e-bikes).
It’s not just that, it’s more the fact that the kinetic energy generated by a moving object is its mass (“m”) times an exponential function of its speed (“v”).
(K.E. = 1/2 m vSquared).
That’s why a person hit by a car at 30 MPH is 50% more likely to die than at 25 (v squared of 30 is 900, v squared of 25 is 625).
So yes, they’re far more dangerous.
@Paul — yes! And remember that e-bikes have that structure/aparatus that supports the e power — making these bikes heavier as well.
They’ll eventually lower the speed limit for passenger cars to 15 mph and put tolls on bike lanes. Liberals destroyed this city.
I beg to differ. Liberals MADE this city. Feel free to move to Texas.
Amen to that.
This is insane. Forcing e-bike riders into traffic isn’t going to make anyone safer. Why does Gale Brewer keep appointing Jay Adolph to this committee?
forcing e bikes into vehicular traffic lanes will most certainly make most people safer…MUCH safer, especially pedestrians…the largest demographic of all…and non motorized bicyclists. If e bikers simply followed traffic regulations, paid attention, and showed basic courtesy to others, they would be much safer too. It’s way past time for our elected officials to kowtow to the vocal, selfish minority. As a regular bicycle rider and pedestrian for 40 years, I have seen a depressing decline in pedestrian safety….and not from cars.
You mean they should all be in the pocket of Transportation Alternatives and the Streetsblog conglomerate?
One good thing about this vote is the indication that the Board is tired of being led around by this group.
Yeah, it’s awful that the Board has been “led around” by people who care about safety and quality (and quantity) of life. People love to bash groups that advocate for better walking and biking, but…we are also people who live in the neighborhood, have kids navigating these streets, and care about the safety of all. Sadly, it seems that drivers don’t have that level of empathy for those on e-bikes.
Your claiming a monopoly on the issue of concern for safety and quality of like and I can assure you that this is pure horse flop.
Bad driving is the enemy of everyone and your neighbors who own cars agree.
Contrariwise the bike lobby on the Board, led by the same people quoted here, often defend bike and ebike riders who flaunt the law and endanger your neighbors on the streets and in the parks.
FLOUT the law, not FLAUNT the law. Sigh🙄
The first sentence above should read:
You are claiming a monopoly on the issue of concern for safety and quality of life…
Apologies for the typos.
“… e-bikes and e-scooters would be all over the road in unpredictable ways.”
This is already the case, to an outrageous and extremely dangerous degree
And to be clear, while delivery drivers are part of the problem, they are only PART of the problem.
If the NYPD can waste who-know$-how-much in resource$ guarding a statue of Columbus on Poets’ Walk (for more than a year now and counting), why do they refuse to protect the health and safety of countless pedestrians?
Hing Chung’s life and Lisa Bane’s health were infinitely more valuable than a statue.
If bicyclists, scooterists & anyone else on wheels was simply held to the same “rules of the road” standard as everyone else, none of this would be necessary.
This is a good start but who’s going to enforce this? The police? At a precinct meeting they even admitted they don’t have time to deal with bikers…
We could use a special bike patrol if you ask me.
In combination with cameras and accountability, that idea sounds like it would be a good job for some teens, post High School. Necessity is…
Who knows…for sad reasons, they may end up wanting to train as an EMT or paramedic.
Make the restaurants employing them, either directly or indirectly, legally liable for crashes and injuries and deaths.
This will mean the restaurants (throw in the likes of Grub Hub too) will have to carry significant liability insurance, in addition to whatever they carry for liability in the space.
This requirement will make sure that restaurants (and services like Grub hub) that choose to allow workers to use throttle e-bikes will have a big incentive to make sure the drivers know the laws of the road and obey them. Because more than a few claims against the liability policies, will result in cancelled liability insurance–and lack of the capacity to carry liability insurance would mean significant risks to the restaurants and Grub Hub type operations.
I don’t disagree with you but restaurants operate on slim margins, so they will need to pass this additional expense through. So I don’t want to hear complaining about the cost of takeout going up a lot.
@Carlos:
Well, then restaurants and the likes of Grub Hub will have motivation to employ (or contract out to) safe throttle e-bike drivers. Unsafe driving, including when the drivers are arrested for running red lights more than once, will result in higher liability insurance costs, which will drive the price of a delivery order up.
The real problem is not e-bikes. It’s throttle bikes. What delivery drivers use. How often have you seen a delivery driver pedal? If he’s not pedaling, it’s a throttle bike. In other words – a motorcycle.
Throttle bikes used to be be illegal in the city but NYS passed a law to make them legal subject to local regulation.
NYC should make throttle bikes illegal in the bike lanes.
I am sympathetic to delivery workers despite not using their services myself. But I am completely unsympathetic to their behavior on throttle bikes. There is simply no excuse for breaking the law on a throttle bike. You are not exerting any effort (pedaling) to speed yourself along. Bike lanes are one way with stop lights. No excuse not to stop and use the correct street for your direction of travel! You are a motor vehicle!
We simply cannot expect enforcement to work unless we hire a whole new force for that. I sadly suggest we start calling individuals out for their behavior. When I am riding in the lanes I often yell out “one way!” at people breaking the law (regardless of whether they are delivery drivers or not). If people had to face a barrage of yells when they were breaking the law, I think most of them would stop. Not sure what the best call out is. But I’m sick and tired of this anti-social behavior that is going to start killing people.
Agreed.
Can we also clarify the sin of “running red lights”? As a biker and e-scooter user I “run red lights”. When I do, I slow down as I approach, scan for pedestrians, and yield to them if they are there. You know, like how you would if you were turning onto another street while driving a car. It’s not F$&@ rocket science.
Also, my little e-scooter tops out at 18 mph. In Central Park on my way to work I routinely get passed by those non e-bike Tour de France whatever’s. And this is around Bethesda fountain and Shepard’s field. Extremely crowded areas! Like why are you going so fast??????????
Finally, safety is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone needs to follow the rules. Pedestrians, cyclists, e-whatever users, drivers. Always looks before you move, always yield when you are supposed to, and follow traffic laws. It’s SO SIMPLE.
Seriously, the number of times I have almost hit a pedestrian because they literally stepped into the street/bike lane without looking (and no, my light wasn’t red).
This is perhaps the first reasonable discussion of the issue I’ve seen on this blog. Thoughtful civic engagement ftw!
The length of this response is more than 2x the community standards. I want the pass this writer has.
Best response so far.
Extremely well thought out and well written. No problem with people pedaling citi bikes – even their electric versions are limited to 18mph – but it is insane to mix the 25-30mph throttle bikes with ~10mph pedal bikes.
I’m sure many of the throttle bikes go faster than the 25mph limit, all it takes is a wrench, an hour of time and $20 to change one of the sprockets to get another 5+ mph.
Thank you Mark!
Most people (like our elected officials, apparently) don’t recognize the difference between throttle bikes (like the ones delivery people use) and electric-assist bikes. Electric-assist bikes must be pedaled; the motor provides a boost. They are godsend for those who have trouble tackling hills, or want to arrive at their destination (like work) without being covered in sweat.
Electric-assist bikes are a game-changer for increasing bike use, and no more dangerous than any other pedaled bike.
City council mad a serious error in approving all e-bike types. But the real problem is law-breaking, whatever the vehicle. And that goes for pedestrians, too.
@Lizzie:
“City council mad a serious error in approving all e-bike types.”
The City Council really didn’t have a choice, throttle e-bikes (which meet some ill defined “industry standard”) were legalized by the state legislature and Andrew Cuomo.
Of course the governor and the state legislature utterly ignored the fact that throttle e-bike drivers breaking the laws, like running reds, and driving against traffic, was a huge problem that legalization did nothing to address.
Do you know why they go so fast?
Because they are gig workers. Their pay and their tips depend on how many deliveries they can make. So they are structurally encouraged to go as fast as possible.
We should first address the problem of their pay, and then enforce driving rules.
Do you know why Wall Street takes extraordinary risks? Because, ahem, $10 million a year is more than $1 million a year. I suppose we should just make sure they all get paid at the top rate to address excessive risk-taking.
Someone’s desire to make more money / live better / stroke their ego, etc. is not a “structural” issue. None of that gives them the right to endanger lives by violating broader societal rules created to protect everyone’s safety.
Or does the UWS local community board also need to be addressing the structural issue of pay in Mexico, Guatemala, etc.?
This. The issue is the throttle bikes which are simply motorcycles that look like bikes. Pedal assist bikes (or bikes being used in pedal assist mode) should be separated out from this conversation.
Also, I am seeing a lot of people ride those Revel electric mopeds in the bike lane and sometimes against traffic. That seems like a huge safety issue for everyone.
The bike lanes were built for pedal bikes, and nobody is prevented from pedaling an ebike in a bike lane.
If you want to use the bike lane, pedal.
That makes the lane safer for everyone using it and crossing it.
Queens Woman Fatally Struck by E-Bike at Astoria Intersection
https://jacksonheightspost.com/queens-woman-fatally-struck-by-e-bike-at-astoria-intersection
please. more bans that will not be enforced, just like the existing gun laws. banning e-bikes from the bike lanes will simply move more of them onto the sidewalks where many already ride. and what about the regular bike riders who already ride on the sidewalk which happens to be “against the law”. just more machinations on issues that can’t be managed. the reality is that it has been chaos on the streets and sidewalks, an obstacle course for pedestrians for years. as my mom taught me 60 years ago, “look both ways”, get your faces out of your cellphones while walking and stop dragging the granny carts behind you rather than pushing them in front of you so when you stop short, the person behind you doesn’t go flying.
The problem is not where these motorized vehicles drive but that they do not obey traffic rules. They blow through red lights and stop signs.
Nor do any bikes. Bikers constantly run red lights, ride against traffic, and endanger pedestrians, but no one does anything about it. It’s scary. Bikers stop only to make way for CARS so they don’t get run over. Nobody seems to even care about pedestrians. I don’t understand this lawlessness, lack of respect, and selfishness.
You said it. It is what it is: “Lawlessness, lack of respect, and selfishness.” Now what?! The “pedestrian city” I used to know has slowly been replaced by aggressive folks who think dragging a “granny cart” is part of the problem. 🤷🏽♀️
The commenters suggesting e-bikes be forced into ordinary traffic have clearly never driven in NYC nor have they traveled in the bike lanes on the UWS. Oh, E-bikes are heavy? So are Citi bikes, but we aren’t banning them from the bike lane.
As other commenters have stated, there is really only one issue — a lack of enforcement of the current laws against cars, bikes, e-bikes, scooters.
E-bike riders (particularly delivery riders) going the opposite direction in the bike lane is the #1 issue. Requiring e-bike riders to drive with traffic WILL NOT keep them from using the bike lanes.
The city can not even enforce rules with regular bikes. So nothing will change as the bike lanes are the new wild west. Cross the street at your own pearl.
Really, the solution is obvious—ban all bikists from the bike lanes. The bike lanes need to be free to cross for pedestrians. I’ve been nearly killed or maimed many times even in the past month by bikists riding IN the bike lane carrying their groceries from Trader Joe’s while at the same time drinking an ice coffee and texting on their phones, going at least 20 miles an hour.
Also, we burned down the village in order to save it.
What is the point of new laws and regulations? We no longer enforce those we already have. When the are no penalties for crimes, only fools expect compliance.
Thoughtless ruling from an inept community board. Here’s why:
Forcing ebikes into traffic is far more dangerous than having them contained in the bike lanes.
Most ebikes top out at 25 mph, and regular cyclists can—and do—go faster than that.
Enforcement will only come after a collision.
It’s all pointless anyway because cyclists refuse to follow the rules of the road, whether e-cyclists or just regular cyclists. They are a nuisance and great cause of tension throughout the city.
“Most ebikes top out at 25 mph, and regular cyclists can—and do—go faster than that.”
Most cars top out at a bit over 100 but don’t ever go nearly so fast.
If I can power my bike at 25 (which I can no longer do, I’m not 30 any more) and the prudent speed around me is 12, then as a prudent person guess what speed I ride at?
Bike lanes were meant for bikes you peddle. E-bikes are just mopeds disguised as bikes. Maybe we should take some ideas from Europe. So many wanted NYC to become this idyllic city for bike riding like the Netherlands. Well, the Netherlands view e-bikes as mopeds. Here’s what you need to ride an e-bike in the Netherlands:
– be at least 16 years of age
– have a moped license
– have liability insurance for high speed e-bike
– have a moped license plate (blue plate).
The whole of the Netherlands is only around 17 million people. NYC, yes just the city, is around half that. They’ll never be the same because they are nothing alike.
Today a cyclist on a non-ebike came speeding down the (Carnegie) hill on Madison against traffic and hit a pedestrian near 86th and left the scene. I won’t go into detail but the FD and EMT were there with a clean-up crew. I’m so completely disgusted by all of this rhetoric. How many times does this have to happen before people are held accountable for their actions?!
👍
Not only do these ebike and mopeds not observe the rules, they ride in opposing directions, passing unexpectedly on whatever side of they want and I feel I’m dodging left and right. And when I say something to them I get the common “FU”.
I have come across motorbikes on the Hudson River Greenway as well.
“Some disagreed with parts of the resolution, arguing that removing e-bikes from bike lanes could encourage e-bike riders to ride on the sidewalk and lead to more accidents in vehicle lanes.”
Seriously? It’s called ENFORCEMENT! For the life of me, I cannot understand why the 20th precinct can’t simply put some officers around the area writing up these scofflaws. With no consequences, of course they’re going to continue to break the law. Do we not have enough money in the budget to assign some cops to some intersections around the neighborhood? Why is this so freaking difficult to enforce?????
More and better enforcement of vehicle and traffic laws. ✅👍✅👍👍
a first yesterday: an Ebike – no, an actual
scooter – on the #1 train. Cop on the platform said they had no authority to ban
these from the subway!! What’s going on?!!
If e-bikes are classified as bicycles under NYS law, the resolution— requiring different treatment for the former — contravenes the law. The ONLY solution is vigorous (and if necessary punitive) enforcement of the existing rules of the road.
Let me know when you get run over by one of these motorized bikes. He sped through a red light, I was in the pedestrian walk way with the white walk sign. Hit me and kept on going. Recovering from a left sprained elbow and arm.
74th/Amsterdam. A woman got hit the same way the day before at 64th/Amsterdam.
The police will do nothing. Courts can’t process a ticket if it’s:
Hit and Run.
Today a cyclist on a non-ebike came speeding down the (Carnegie) hill on Madison against traffic and hit a pedestrian near 86th and left the scene. I won’t go into detail but the FD and EMT were there with a clean-up crew. I’m so completely disgusted by all of this rhetoric. How many times does this have to happen before people are held accountable for their actions?!
Here’s a thought: While they are traveling around on $2,000 e-bikes, why do so few riders put on a reflective vest at night? I’ve had so many near misses as a driver (knowing they are not following traffic laws) because it’s just so hard to see them whizzing by after dark. I’d like some input on this.
Just follow the rules! Bikers and pedestrians alike. Red means stop Green means go. Bike lanes are a great thing for our city but rules must be followed. Again Red means stop Green means go
Nearly run over the other day by an e-bike on the SIDEWALK: an adult male and child on the bike together, weaving in and out among pedestrians. Came within inches of knocking me over and just kept going.
Treat the bikes like vehicles give them a plate and issue them tickets.
Throttle bikes should be treated as motorcycles as they operate the same way. Drivers should be required to wear a helmet and follow traffic rules. WHY HAS CITI BIKE ADDED AN ELECTRIC MOTOR TO IT’S BIKES??? Bikes are for exercise not just getting around the city. The citibike with the electric boost doesn’t give the biker an option. I’m 71 and do not want the electric boost. I want to pedal and get around. Get a turn off switch for the CITI BIKE electric boost, set speed limits, require helmets, and keep the throttle bikes with the cars, requiring helmets and following traffic lights and signs. Biggest danger is the bikers who blast through red lights, weave in and out of traffic. We’ve all seen it or almost been hit. Get all electric vehicles off the sidewalk. Seniors, children, carriages and strollers need a safe place to move. It is no longer safe to venture out when there is no control over the sidewalk or bike lane traffic. Disgusting.
I have always wondered about “sidewalks” that are on the side of parks, the “sidewalk” on the top of Riverside Park, west of Riverside Park, for instance?
Who could have foreseen such problems? Oh, anyone with a functioning brain. The e-cyclist says, “why should I, with my superior judgement and visual acuity be held to the same rules as cars.” News flash, your judgement and your vision, not so good. As far as the risks e-bikes face in the streets; it’s not so different than a motorcycle faces. It’s NYC baby. You makes your picks and you takes your chances.
It all comes down to the user and the conditions. Most ebike users are fine. Ebikes enable people who wouldn’t otherwise ride a bike to be able to. Regular bikes sometimes hit pedestrians or other cyclists. Try to improve conditions, put out cameras, and use spot enforcement.
I believe that London restricts electric powered bicycles and scooters, etc. to 15 miles per hour which seems logical to me and would reduce the seriousness of the inevitable accidents that are bound to happen with the growing popularity of these vehicles. E-bikes are very heavy and should be classified differently than human powered bicycles and scooters.
As an avid cyclist I applaud the vote to keep ebikes out of the bike lanes. Ebikes are motorcycles and should be on the streets along with the rest of the motor vehicles. I would make an exception for pedal-assist bikes, which includes the electric Citi Bikes.
Don’t forget that motor vehicles, e-bikes included, should have liability insurance and license plates. In fact all bikes should have the same!
All motorized conveyances should be restricted from bike paths and sidewalks, including paths in Central Park.
I commute on my pedal bike about 5 miles each way. It takes me about 40 minutes, so average speed of 7 or 8 mph. Maybe I hit 10 or 12 mph in short sections but also go 4 or 5 mph in places. Sharing the bike lane with throttle e-bikes that can and do go 25 mph is dangerous and occasionally frightening. Add to that the electric piaggio type scooters, those one wheel contraptions and gas powered vehicles and it is a mess. Citibikers with the pedal assist bikes limited to 18 mph are generally OK but get the throttle bikes licensed and onto the main roadway.
First- who would enforce any of this?
Second-on the West side, West ST bike lane, e scooters and e bikes are clearly prohibited-as several large signs specify.But- that is ignored-just go and see for yourself.
Third- These e bikes and motor cycles must get registration and insurance-as of now- a person can be killed and the biker could just ride off and there is no liscence plate to ID him, and no insurance.
If you check the regulations on these e bikes, motor cycles and so on, you will note that they are not to ride in regular lanes.
So where are they to go.
What about their obeying traffic rules- you can easily see an unlicensed small motorcycle going against traffic, passing light, and there is NO enforcement.
E bikes need to be regulated like a car and banned from bike lanes, period.
These vehicles can reach 30 miles and hour, and typically are ridden by a food delivery person in a hurry, with no lights, not respecting traffic laws, and with little regard for others using the lanes or public safety.
Any business with an employee or a delivery person working for them operating a ebike, should be held directly responsible for any damages or person injuries they cause. That will put a quick end to this outrageous situation.
Not only e-bikes which I think should be limited to approx. 15m/hrs, but electric scooters on the sidewalk. I have now twice had a run-in on the sidewalk with “children” using el-scooters fortunately although 84 years old it was the child who ended up on the sidewalk.
it appears the bikes and related vehicles are rapidly
getting out of control the accident and death toll increasing
We hope our new Mayor will ban these vehicles!!
BAN ALL BIKES
If a person is getting out of a car and an e-bike is racing along the person exiting the car could be killed. Do people who ride e-bikes have licencenses to ride them?
Banning is not the solution.
Speed bumps would go a long way to slowing down eBikes; a one-way bumps mid-street would deter riders from going the wrong way.
Delivery drivers – be it one dedicated to a restaurant or a delivery service – should be required to wear vests with unique identifiable numbers that ties them back to their employer and citizens should be allowed to log complaints via 311.
Revel and other rental providers should have clear identifiable ID plates in the front or rear and be required to have an infraction hotline. Last summer I tried calling Revel because riders were heading down the wrong way, only to on hold for half an hour.
Pedestrians need to be aware that bike lanes are traffic lanes. Most of us act as if the bike lanes are mere extensions of the sidewalks.
When I’m riding my bike, I’m amazed at how often pedestrians don’t bother to look in the right direction as they enter bike lanes, how delivery drivers place their packages down on them.
Not only should they not be permitted in bike lanes, they should not be permitted to ride on the sidewalk. I was almost injured by an ebike riding rapidly behind me as I was walking toward my building. The rider shouted “watch out”. Thankfully, I wasn’t wearing headphones.
It is illegal to ride on the sidewalk. The law is being ignored and not being enforced.
Hey You NY Dummies: e-bikes are speed limited at the factory to TWENTY MPH. That 20 you idiots. Put them in with 25 mph cars (that frequently go faster than the speed limit BECAUSE THEY CAN) I bikes can’t keep up, and are basically invisible to drivers who have all trained themselves to watch out for CAR SIZED OBJECTS. Many e- bike operators will die.
The fact that an ebike can go 20 doesn’t mean it has to go 20.
If an ebike operator chooses to ride in a bike lane, where the presence of pedaled bikes and passing pedestrians mean that 20 is too fast, they should slow the &*%# down.
You’re concerned about Dummies? So are we. Dummies operate motor vehicles at speeds beyond what’s prudent for the circumstances, and even bigger Dummies defend that.
As a cyclist, I find the electric bikes and electric scooters in the bike lanes DANGEROUS. You can’t hear them. I glance behind myself to see if there’s anyone coming before I move out of the lane, only to find something electric and silent starting to pass me. I have seen Revel motorcycles in the bike lanes on CPW and the bike path by the Hudson. Please get rid of them!
I simply cannot understand this common refrain… you cannot hear normal bikes either. The only way I know the Lance Armstrong wannabes are in the vicinity is when they pass me at high speed or insult me for stopping for pedestrians. This is not a problem of the kind of vehicle so much as a lot of extremely anti-social behavior.
I am a bicyclist,and have always felt less safe in bike lanes. Especially on Amsterdam, where the meters are separated from the parking spots by the bike lane, and a person must cross the street 3 time to legally park their car. I think the city must enforce the law as it is, with speed and direction. Riding the wrong way in a bike lane is so dangerous. Why is it being ignored by police?
Police need to enforce bikes going in the right direction in bike lanes. E-bikes and assisted pedal bikes need some kind of audible signal, and should be more than cautious.