Mopeds and e-bikes speeding in NYC bike lanes

[bikesrfun]

Electric 'bikes' should be registered, plated, and insured like motorcycles/mopeds. They're 'bikes' in name only.

[Mr B]

It seems the NYPD and the Mayor's office will continue to occasionally wipe out people's livelihoods in the name of public safety by trashing a truck full of bikes and scooters (livestreamed on YT of course), all while local Princeton grads sit in NY coffee shops cooking up the next instant-delivery street menace that depends on the same vehicles.

If they could somehow meet in the middle with a scheme like AB-60 and get these vehicles plated and into road traffic, I think we might all be better off. I did actually see a cop at the end of the MB bike path reading a rider the specification of his e-scooter and saying, "you know, if you had a driver's license and a plate on this thing you could have ridden it over this bridge in traffic, and I wouldn't be writing you five tickets right now."

The above would of course depend on this city rethinking its parking and actually considering the needs of the people by providing at least one designated loading/unloading bay for USPS/FedEx/UPS on every block, and marking safe drop-off points for eBike delivery riders.
I guess that might come along in about twenty years, shortly after they've learned how to clean the dog mess off the sidewalks.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by bikesrfun

Electric 'bikes' should be registered, plated, and insured like motorcycles/mopeds. They're 'bikes' in name only.

'cept here in Colorado, less than 50cc(maybe something similar to 'E' scooter), no requirement to plate them nor have a license.

Saw one yesterday, hauling arse down the sidewalk on 28th street, e-moped 'bike', 2 up, two giggling teenagers...

[desertoracle]

queensboro bridge is totally insane- that is a sense of actual reckless danger I had not experienced in a long time when I was up in nyc a few weeks ago

[BobbyJones]

Didn’t read the thread… and rarely comment on politics but we now have the worst mayor ever in NYC. Bike lanes are the least of our worries.

Hate to say it, but it’s going to take another Giuliani to clean up this mess.

[Turkle]

Originally Posted by BobbyJones

Didn’t read the thread… and rarely comment on politics but we now have the worst mayor ever in NYC. Bike lanes are the least of our worries.

Hate to say it, but it’s going to take another Giuliani to clean up this mess.

*Staten Island has entered the chat*

[fredd]

Originally Posted by Turkle

*Staten Island has entered the chat*

lmao

[Robot870]

My wife and I got taken out head on last week (GWB). Luckily we were alright and the bikes got limited damage - Its definitely worse than ever right now with nobody following rules...... Not just E bikers either. So many new cyclists etc.

Its a madhouse but that's we why we love it!

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by BobbyJones

Hate to say it, but it’s going to take another Giuliani to clean up this mess.

There's two parallel entries in wikipedia for "Giuliani." One has to do with hair dye, the other is something about piling **** six feet high. Maybe the two are related...

[BobbyJones]

Originally Posted by Robot870

My wife and I got taken out head on last week (GWB). Luckily we were alright and the bikes got limited damage - Its definitely worse than ever right now with nobody following rules...... Not just E bikers either. So many new cyclists etc.

Its a madhouse but that's we why we love it!

That’s because on the GWB, everyone has the right of way except you!

[unterhausen]

Originally Posted by Mr B

I did actually see a cop at the end of the MB bike path reading a rider the specification of his e-scooter and saying, "you know, if you had a driver's license and a plate on this thing you could have ridden it over this bridge in traffic, and I wouldn't be writing you five tickets right now."

It's good to hear that some cops are actually paying attention to specs. I'm worried that they will go after all ebikes instead of just the illegal ones. I feel like the real problem is too much car infrastructure and not enough bike/ebike infrastructure. Demand pricing should fix some of these problems.

[fredd]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

I feel like the real problem is too much car infrastructure and not enough bike/ebike infrastructure.

Bingo. Dumb **** gets extra sketchy when cyclists are fighting for scraps with each other + pedestrians while cars get multiple lanes.

[GregL]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

It's good to hear that some cops are actually paying attention to specs.

I had a similar reaction to e-bike signage during a visit to Acadia National Park last week. Signs noting that class 2 and 3 e-bikes were prohibited have been installed at most of the major carriage road entry points. Even better, I didn't see any e-bikes operating at unreasonable speeds.



Greg

[daughterofgirl]

Originally Posted by zzy

Ebikes (which are really electric scooters) and unlicensed pocket gas scooters are (not mobility ones) the worst thing to ever happen to NYC's bike lanes. I absolutely hate riding in protected lanes in Manhattan because I'm trapped with assholes on their phone not paying attention as they go 30+ and full throttle out of each red light, if they stop at all. The Queensboro bridge is a total nightmare these days. Sadly, app based delivery jobs seem to be the preferred choice of undocumented workers, most of whom are just doing their deliveries as fast as possible without much regard for the people with whom they share the road.

The other day this poor girl got taken out on the Queensboro by an ebiker:
When he saw he trashed her bike and likely seriously injured her he ran off.

I also think that e-bikes is a nightmare. I hope it will be regulated strictly by the law soon

[RobbieTunes]

Originally Posted by verticaldoug

We have had like 9 deaths and 70 injuries from e-bike scooter battery fires in the last 18 mo in NYC.

Because NYCHA doesn't charge for electricity, some enterprising residents have started bulk e-bike battery charging businesses.

Wait till one of those goes up in flames and causes some real casualities... It will be like Grenfell in London all over again.

You’d think if your e-bike was on fire, you’d get off of it.
From the same place with thousands of ER visits due to bagel slicing.