It's not often that cyclists and motorists agree on something, at least here in New York.
Then again, lots of other people who are neither motorists nor cyclists agree with us, at least when it comes to one thing.
I am talking about motorized bicycles. Like many other New Yorkers, I have had a close encounters with them--including a time when a rider grazed my elbow when I was walking on a sidewalk around the corner from my apartment.
The rider was, like most motorized bikers, making a delivery for a restaurant. Just after my encounter with him, he parked the bike. I tried to talk to him, but we didn't speak any of the same languages. So I went to the owner of the restaurant, who promised to talk to the guy and the rest of his delivery crew.
That the driver parked so soon after the near-miss, and that I therefore knew for whom he was working, made me more fortunate than others who've had similar encounters with motorized bikes. So is the fact that I sometimes patronize the restaurant and the owner recognized me. And, of course, the fact that I wasn't hurt.
Others, though, haven't been so lucky. And I nearly crashed on my bike once when a motorized biker made a sudden turn in front of me.
More than a few stories like mine, and worse, have no doubt reached the Mayor's office during the past few years. Perhaps as a response, Bill de Blasio recently announced a crackdown on motorized bikes. When police officers have stopped motorized biker, in some cases, the biker has received a ticket. Henceforth, said the Mayor, the city will fine owners of restaurants whose delivery workers use the bikes.
Now, I'm not a lawyer, but I have to wonder how that mandate is carried out. You see, while it's illegal to operate such bikes in the five boroughs of New York--get this--it's not illegal to own one. I would guess that some delivery workers own their wheels, but the vast majority of bikes are owned by the owners of the restaurants and other businesses who employ the delivery workers. So, I have to wonder what will be the charge(s) against the business owners who are fined.
Does that mean the burden of penalties will fall to the riders, most of whom are eking out a living?
Also, it's been pointed out that some delivery workers, mainly the older ones, can't pedal through an entire shift because of injuries or other debilitating conditions. De Blasio expressed hope that such workers "could find some other kind of work with that restaurant or business." There are two problems with that: 1.) Most of the restaurants and businesses are small and have few, if any, other jobs, and 2.) Most of the delivery workers are immigrants, many of whom don't speak English, lack other skills or don't have the documentation necessary to get other employment.
That said, I certainly think motorized bikes should not be allowed on sidewalks and bike lanes. Ideally, I'd like to see them barred from the streets, too, but implementing such a ban might prove more difficult than the Mayor realizes.
Then again, lots of other people who are neither motorists nor cyclists agree with us, at least when it comes to one thing.
I am talking about motorized bicycles. Like many other New Yorkers, I have had a close encounters with them--including a time when a rider grazed my elbow when I was walking on a sidewalk around the corner from my apartment.
The rider was, like most motorized bikers, making a delivery for a restaurant. Just after my encounter with him, he parked the bike. I tried to talk to him, but we didn't speak any of the same languages. So I went to the owner of the restaurant, who promised to talk to the guy and the rest of his delivery crew.
That the driver parked so soon after the near-miss, and that I therefore knew for whom he was working, made me more fortunate than others who've had similar encounters with motorized bikes. So is the fact that I sometimes patronize the restaurant and the owner recognized me. And, of course, the fact that I wasn't hurt.
Others, though, haven't been so lucky. And I nearly crashed on my bike once when a motorized biker made a sudden turn in front of me.
More than a few stories like mine, and worse, have no doubt reached the Mayor's office during the past few years. Perhaps as a response, Bill de Blasio recently announced a crackdown on motorized bikes. When police officers have stopped motorized biker, in some cases, the biker has received a ticket. Henceforth, said the Mayor, the city will fine owners of restaurants whose delivery workers use the bikes.
Now, I'm not a lawyer, but I have to wonder how that mandate is carried out. You see, while it's illegal to operate such bikes in the five boroughs of New York--get this--it's not illegal to own one. I would guess that some delivery workers own their wheels, but the vast majority of bikes are owned by the owners of the restaurants and other businesses who employ the delivery workers. So, I have to wonder what will be the charge(s) against the business owners who are fined.
Does that mean the burden of penalties will fall to the riders, most of whom are eking out a living?
Also, it's been pointed out that some delivery workers, mainly the older ones, can't pedal through an entire shift because of injuries or other debilitating conditions. De Blasio expressed hope that such workers "could find some other kind of work with that restaurant or business." There are two problems with that: 1.) Most of the restaurants and businesses are small and have few, if any, other jobs, and 2.) Most of the delivery workers are immigrants, many of whom don't speak English, lack other skills or don't have the documentation necessary to get other employment.
That said, I certainly think motorized bikes should not be allowed on sidewalks and bike lanes. Ideally, I'd like to see them barred from the streets, too, but implementing such a ban might prove more difficult than the Mayor realizes.
I'll believe it when I see it, it's somewhat complicated as you eluded to, and there's a distinction between electric bikes with or without pedals, the latter I believe is legal to operate, but to my mind is no less of a hazard. I feel for these delivery people, but also find they are often the least conscientious and courteous of two-wheel operators. WNYC interviewed a restaurant owner who said they would offload any penalty to their delivery workers in a clear effort to thwart the mayor's enforcement.
ReplyDeletei agree that motor "assisted" bikes ought to be more tightly regulated. Enforcing bans from operating on sidewalks and bike and multi-use lanes is a good start. However the mayor's reaction is a typical politician's knee-jerk reaction- ill considered, not thought through. Such reactions too often lead to bad laws that get tied up in courts for years,
ReplyDeleteMonkey and Mike--I agree that the Mayor's action was nothing more than a political move and that it won't make anybody safer.
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