Q&A
Council Member Marmorato questions DOT officials on e-bike and e-scooter regulations and safety
1:31:32
·
3 min
Council Member Kristy Marmorato engages in a Q&A session with DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and other officials regarding e-bike and e-scooter regulations, safety concerns, and data sharing with law enforcement. The discussion covers the legality of riding on sidewalks, the process of obtaining rider information for crime investigations, and the need for better data access for law enforcement.
- Marmorato raises concerns about the lengthy process for NYPD to obtain rider information from e-scooter companies during crime investigations
- Rodriguez confirms that riding e-bikes on sidewalks is illegal for adults but legal for children
- DOT officials note they haven't been informed of recent crimes involving shared e-scooters in the Bronx, as mentioned by Marmorato
Kristy Marmorato
1:31:32
Thank you.
1:31:32
And I promise that this time I actually will be short.
1:31:36
So the 5 crimes that I've mentioned in my community in the last 28 days that involve scooters, in order for the NYPD to work with the scooter, companies, in order to help find out who the rider is and try to figure it out, they need a subpoena.
1:31:55
If we were to have these evicles registered, wouldn't that take that whole process away?
1:32:00
Wouldn't they be able to go into their own database and shorten the time to find out who these, you know, vigilantes are?
1:32:08
Could you agree to that?
Ydanis Rodriguez
1:32:09
Well, you as you heard, what we say is about in her testimony, we do believe that we need to work those company that they also providing good services.
1:32:19
They are the one who come out creating the those food app applications.
1:32:23
So at the end, they're making a lot of money.
1:32:24
So what we're saying is about definitely we do believe on how it's not only going after those who use the buy ebike to deliver the food, but it's about for those company also to report those data.
1:32:36
So they had the data.
1:32:37
We do believe that we need to work together to be sure that those company report those data.
Kristy Marmorato
1:32:41
But I think it shouldn't take more than I should they should have, like, direct access.
1:32:44
If somebody gets very hurt, because of a scooter, the NYPD should have direct access to that information.
1:32:51
It shouldn't just go on and have a subpoena and have to wait for, the companies to get back to them.
1:32:56
Now I just wanna ask you one question as far as, is riding on the sidewalk legal?
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
1:33:07
Sergeant, if you've observed someone with the outburst, please remove them now.
Ydanis Rodriguez
1:33:11
It's not legal.
Kristy Marmorato
1:33:12
It's not legal.
Ydanis Rodriguez
1:33:13
It's not legal.
1:33:14
And I can tell you that when I get out from my building with my 2 daughters, I always take the lead for me, the first the first for me to be the first one that walk from my building to the sidewalk because we also share that concern of a percentage of reckless.
1:33:28
However, it is legal only for children to ride the bike in the sidewalk, but for the adults, in those cases, it's not legal.
Shannon Phipps
1:33:35
Okay.
1:33:36
Okay.
Will Carry
1:33:37
Council member, just a
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
1:33:39
Pause the hearing, please.
Will Carry
1:33:42
Council member, just a a a quick note.
1:33:44
The NYPD normally makes us aware of crimes committed on shared e scooters.
1:33:49
We haven't heard from them.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
1:33:50
Excuse me.
1:33:51
We've paused the hearing.
1:33:53
Sorry.
1:33:55
Excuse me.
1:33:56
We have paused the hearing, sir.
Will Carry
1:33:58
Oh, apologies, chair.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
1:34:03
Again, I ask that everyone please do not have outbursts.
1:34:07
Everyone will get a turn to be heard today.
1:34:17
You may proceed.
Will Carry
1:34:18
Thank you, chair.
1:34:19
Thank you, council member.
1:34:21
In any case, the NYPD normally informs us when they're doing investigations that relate to our shared mobility services, and we are not currently aware of any, in in the Bronx.
1:34:30
If you have information, please share it with us and we'd be happy to coordinate.
Joan Marie Zimmerman
1:34:33
Because it's just a hassle for them to do
Kristy Marmorato
1:34:36
it and they try to figure it out on their own.
1:34:38
But if they ever really needed any of that information, they have to go through a long lengthy process.
1:34:42
The these companies are not quick to share any information.
1:34:46
They will not release it to the NYPD.
1:34:49
So alright.
1:34:50
Thank you so much, chair.
1:34:51
I appreciate the time.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
1:34:53
Thank you.
1:34:54
Going back to the legislation, just wanna spend a little bit of time on council member Holden's bill, intro number 606.
