PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Kevin Siegel, Civil Rights Attorney, on Intro 606
6:46:18
·
120 sec
Kevin Siegel, a civil rights attorney and e-bike rider, testifies in opposition to Intro 606, arguing that it would decrease e-bike usage and push people towards using cars. He expresses concerns about the potential disparate impact of enforcement and challenges the effectiveness of license plates for accountability.
- Siegel argues that Intro 606 is unworkable and would create confusion among consumers and the industry.
- He shares a personal anecdote about an incident where having a license plate did not lead to accountability or police action.
- Siegel emphasizes that e-bike riders are often socially responsible people, contrary to impressions that may have been given during the hearing.
Kevin Siegel
6:46:18
Good evening, council member Brooks Powers.
6:46:20
I'm a civil rights attorney.
6:46:22
I took off work here, and I guess that was necessary.
6:46:25
I'm here to speak, in opposition to intro 606.
6:46:29
I am an ebike rider, as are many of my friends, especially, those with children.
6:46:34
We are kind people.
6:46:35
I think we are also socially responsible people, which may not be the impression, that you can get of our of our community of cyclists from this hearing.
6:46:43
Intro 606 is unworkable.
6:46:46
It will, through the confusion that it will create among consumers and among the industry, it will decrease e bike usage, and it will push people into cars who would otherwise be getting around by e bikes.
6:46:57
And that is a public policy outcome that New York City and the council and this committee should militate against.
6:47:03
In addition, there would there will be a disparate impact because NYPD will likely not be, enforcing against affluent riders on, on fancy ebikes.
6:47:13
They'll be enforcing against delivery workers on bikes that they can easily identify, and on riders whom they can easily identify.
6:47:20
There's been a lot said today about, how license plates, create accountability.
6:47:25
I do want to share my own little anecdote about license plates and accountability and the cops.
6:47:30
This, earlier this year, I, car veered into a bike lane.
6:47:35
I yelled.
6:47:35
The driver got out of the car, called me a homophobic slur, and put his arms around my, my neck.
6:47:43
I was able to take a picture of his license plate as he left.
6:47:46
Several officers pulled up.
6:47:49
They were sort of a few blocks behind.
6:47:51
I tried to get them to help me.
6:47:53
I told them I had a picture of the license plate, and they said, are you okay?
6:47:57
Are you okay?
6:47:57
And nothing happened.
6:47:59
So if the issue is NYPD, not enforcing and issues with NYPD in general, we know that those are that those issues, run across crimes and run across offenses and issues in the city, and this licensing program is not going to, prevent that harm, and it certainly didn't prevent the trauma that I experienced that day.
6:48:17
Thank you.
