PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ryan Chrisman, Crown Heights resident, on Intro 606
8:18:43
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99 sec
Ryan Chrisman, a Crown Heights resident, testifies in opposition to Intro 606, arguing that it would hamper the ability of parents to use e-bikes for transporting their children to school and discourage e-bike usage overall. He particularly criticizes the bill's vagueness and its treatment of Class 1 e-bikes.
- Chrisman volunteers with Bergen Bike Bus, helping adults and children ride to school together
- He emphasizes that cargo e-bikes are crucial for parents who can't use regular bicycles
- Chrisman urges the council to oppose the bill and suggests getting community input before producing another e-bike regulation bill
Ryan Chrisman
8:18:43
Hi.
8:18:43
My name is Ryan Christman, and I'm a Crown Heights resident and a person who gets around mostly on my feet, human powered bike, and on the train.
8:18:51
And I am here to speak in opposition to intro 606.
8:18:56
On Wednesday mornings, I volunteer with Bergen Bike Bus, a group of caring folks who enable adults and children to ride to school by riding with them together.
8:19:05
Parents and others who cannot power their own pedal bikes often arrive on cargo e bikes.
8:19:10
These bikes are usually slow and the parents have recently found them to be very, very helpful in order to get them and their children to school.
8:19:19
Enter 606 would really, really hamper their ability to do this and, discourage the use of e bikes and, use by parents.
8:19:29
I'm very, very against that, obviously, because I believe that, this is a really, really positive way for parents and their children to ride to school together.
8:19:40
Parents often have jobs to go to or they often have other children who are on these bikes as well with them and may not be comfortable pedaling their own bike.
8:19:49
Particularly appalling about this bill is the vagueness of the bill and the, demonization of class 1 ebikes, which are relatively slow and do not pose much danger to all people, who are walking and biking.
8:20:07
Therefore, I encourage, opposition to this bill.
8:20:11
And if, if the council would like to regulate e bikes, I encourage them to go back to the drawing board and get community input before producing another bill.
8:20:21
Thank you.
