PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Samir Lavingia, Member of the Public
7:57:08
·
128 sec
Samir Lavingia, a resident of Midtown Manhattan, expresses opposition to Intro 606, arguing that requiring licenses for e-bikes would lead to unintended consequences and not improve safety. He advocates for better infrastructure as a more effective solution to street safety concerns.
- Lavingia distinguishes between e-bikes and more dangerous vehicles like mopeds and "super scooters", which he believes should be the focus of enforcement.
- He warns that licensing requirements could be used by NYPD to indiscriminately stop all cyclists, as e-bikes are often indistinguishable from regular bikes.
- The speaker emphasizes the need for improved cycling infrastructure to encourage safe riding practices and make biking a more attractive transportation option.
Samir Lavingia
7:57:08
Hello.
7:57:09
Thank you so much for having us speak.
7:57:12
My name is Sameer Lavinia.
7:57:13
I live in Midtown Manhattan.
7:57:15
I wanted to say thank you for for having us here, and I don't know, council member is still there, but thank you for, not cosponsoring the bill.
7:57:24
She's my council member.
7:57:26
I'm opposed to intro 606.
7:57:28
I've been volunteering, for Safe Streets advocacy work for years.
7:57:31
I wanna start out by saying that I'm against mopeds and super scooters and these one wheeled unicycles where people are wearing motorcycle helmets, but those are already illegal.
7:57:40
And I have seen those acting the most recklessly, and we need to find a way to get some more accountability for those.
7:57:45
However, if we require licenses for all e bikes, it will simply be used by the NYPD to pull out ebike and all bike users whenever they want.
7:57:53
With newer e bikes, you can't really tell until you get really close-up if it's an e bike or not.
7:57:58
So the truth is that the NYPD will have full discretion to pull anyone over because any bike could be an ebike.
7:58:05
Recently, my friend was debating getting a Vespa or an ebike and ended up picking an ebike because it was easier.
7:58:10
But if he had to get a license, he probably would have gotten the Vespa.
7:58:13
We need to make it easier for people to get on bikes, not mopeds.
7:58:17
I want the streets to be safe for me and my family to get around.
7:58:20
My parents are seniors, and my dad just had surgery.
7:58:22
It's a little slower than usual.
7:58:23
His reaction time is slower, and I want him to be safe.
7:58:26
But this bill will not make him or anyone else safer.
7:58:30
This bill is simply reactionary and retributionary.
7:58:33
It would allow me to get revenge if someone hits him, but that's not what I want.
7:58:36
I want him to not get hit, and I want us all to be safer.
7:58:39
To do that, we need better infrastructure.
7:58:42
We need to build better infrastructure so people ride where there should be.
7:58:46
My friends who ride on the sidewalk do so because they don't feel safe on the street, so let's add a bike lane.
7:58:50
I see city bikes ride on the sidewalk to get on the docks because the docks are on the sidewalk.
7:58:54
Let's move those onto the street.
7:58:55
Bikes and city bike or bikes in Central Park go too fast, and they're redoing the drives to make it safer for everyone.
7:59:01
And that's what we need everywhere in New York.
7:59:04
We need to make biking the best option for people to go where they need to go, on a bike or an ebike, instead of a
UNKNOWN
7:59:10
gas scooter in
Karen Chagru
7:59:10
a car.
Samir Lavingia
7:59:11
There are some
UNKNOWN
7:59:12
Thank you.
7:59:12
Your time has expired.
Samir Lavingia
7:59:13
Places, but this bill is not it.
7:59:15
It.
7:59:15
Thank you.
