PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kenneth Lay, Brooklyn Resident
7:21:56
·
118 sec
Kenneth Lay, a Brooklyn resident and daily cyclist, testified about the benefits of biking in New York City and shared his views on improving street safety. He emphasized the need for redesigning roads for all users' safety rather than implementing licensing measures for e-bikes.
- Supported increasing education for bike riders and fair enforcement by NYPD
- Questioned the effectiveness and cost of licensing e-bikes
- Called for focus on proven safety measures and implementation of the 2019 streets plan
Kenneth Lay
7:21:56
Hi.
7:21:56
Good evening.
7:21:57
Thanks for hanging in.
7:21:59
Thanks for the opportunity to speak.
7:22:00
I'm Kenneth Lay.
7:22:01
I'm a Brooklyn resident.
7:22:02
I bike nearly every day, and, it's transformed my ability to move efficiently and sustainably through New York for work and for leisure.
7:22:10
It's greatly improved my ability to get around, especially in areas with less robust public transit.
7:22:15
It's also better for my health.
7:22:16
It's better the environment, and it's way faster than driving.
7:22:21
I know everybody is recognized throughout the day that we have a problem, and I think people getting hit by you guys is a huge concern.
7:22:27
But and clearly, the status quo is not safe.
7:22:30
So I think we should be trying to maximize safety as much as quickly as possible, and I think it's very clear that redesigning roads for safety for all users is the best way to do this.
7:22:39
I know the council recognized this 5 years ago and passing streets plan.
7:22:42
And that other cities have taken that approach.
7:22:45
Street safety is hugely improved for everyone, much more so than trying other measures like the licensing.
7:22:51
I think we can increase education bike riders.
7:22:53
I think an increase in fair enforcement by the NYPD would be good.
7:22:57
I do see cops ignoring reckless behavior all the time by bikers and also by drivers.
7:23:02
I don't really understand why they would license.
7:23:04
They already have the ability to enforce without a license.
7:23:08
And I'd also actually be interested in seeing NYPD officers on bikes.
7:23:11
I don't see how an officer sitting in an SUV is gonna be able to enforce someone on an e bike.
7:23:18
But in any event, it sounds like this approach should be very expensive to set up and manage.
7:23:23
I don't think we should spend any more public money and approaches that others have tried and sounds like didn't work out and didn't really improve safety.
7:23:30
And so, I think that, I think we should have focused more on accommodating these modes of transportation, like biking, e biking that are cleaner and that with proven measures that improves safety rather than approaches that are expensive and only minimally effective for safety.
7:23:47
And finally, I think Mayor Adams needs to stop violating the 2019 streets plan and get those streets.
7:23:51
Safety redesigns implemented now instead of this.
7:23:53
Thank you.
