PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Raul Rivera, TLC Driver and Advocate
3:53:49
·
117 sec
Raul Rivera, a TLC driver and advocate, strongly supports Intro 606 and urges the City Council to pass the bill quickly. He shares a personal experience of an e-bike accident and criticizes the TLC commissioner's opposition to the bill.
- Rivera emphasizes the need for accountability measures for e-bike riders, citing his own accident where an e-biker caused over $1,000 in damage to his car.
- He expresses frustration with the slow progress of the bill, noting that some bills pass in as little as 6 months.
- Rivera criticizes the TLC commissioner for opposing the bill to put plates on e-bikes while having numerous camera tickets on his own family vehicle.
- He also touches on broader issues, such as the monetization of the city by companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash, and suggests removing City Bike stations to create more space.
Raul Rivera
3:53:49
Good afternoon.
3:53:50
My name is Raul Rivera.
3:53:51
I'm a TLC driver and a TLC driver advocate.
3:53:53
We wanna say thank you to, council member Bob Holden for intro 606.
3:53:58
We support it strongly.
3:53:59
It needs to pass.
3:54:01
We ask the council member to, to step up and, pass this bill.
3:54:05
We know that I mean, personally, I've seen bills passed in 6 months, so I don't know why it's taking so long.
3:54:11
I want to mention that as a driver working in Park Slope going down 6th Street, a e biker ran the light and smashed my car.
3:54:21
I thought it was another car that hit me.
3:54:22
The explosion was so, so loud.
3:54:24
So I pulled over to see what was going on and turns out it was like a ghost.
3:54:29
I never saw him.
3:54:30
If it wasn't for the dash cam, you would not see it.
3:54:34
I had damages over $1,000 I had to pay out of pocket and I did the right thing, and I called the police and I filed my police report.
3:54:42
I have no points on my licenses.
3:54:44
We have a petition to reform the tax and limousine commission that the the commissioner himself signed.
3:54:49
This commissioner and his family vehicle, I I don't know if you know, he's got 66 camera tickets.
3:54:54
You know that?
3:54:55
He has 66 camera tickets, and, this guy's opposing a bill to put plates on on on e bikes.
3:55:04
It's ridiculous, you know?
3:55:05
You know, personally, I think he's a filthy person.
3:55:08
He's a filthy rat.
3:55:09
We don't have nothing personal against him, but that's how we feel, you know?
3:55:13
And one thing that's not being mentioned here in this city, which is very important, and remember, you guys took an oath, council member, chair, you took an oath.
3:55:23
Our city is being sold out.
3:55:25
It's being monetized by Uber, Lyft, DoorDash.
3:55:29
They don't have the right to monetize our city the way it's happening.
3:55:33
You know, when it comes to the city, yes, they want to remove parking to build housing, how about removing City Bike?
3:55:39
Remove them.
3:55:40
They're just sitting there taking up space.
3:55:42
We urge that you pass this bill and we thank you again, mister Holden.
