PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Eric McClure, Executive Director of StreetsPAC, on Intro 193
2:28:34
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Eric McClure, Executive Director of StreetsPAC, testified in strong support of Intro 193, which would require taxis and for-hire vehicles to display decals reminding passengers to look for cyclists before opening doors. He emphasized the dangers of "dooring" incidents and the potential benefits of the legislation in saving lives and reducing liability for passengers.
- McClure cited recent fatalities due to dooring incidents in NYC
- He mentioned that the TLC has provided free anti-dooring decals since 2012, but their display is not currently required
- McClure shared a personal experience of nearly dooring a cyclist, highlighting the importance of such reminders
UNKNOWN
2:28:34
Good afternoon, madam chair.
2:28:36
My name is Eric McClure.
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I'm the executive director of Streetspac.
2:28:39
I'm here to speak, about intro one ninety three, which we strongly support.
2:28:44
It would require taxis and other for hire vehicles to just display a decal reminding passengers to look for people on bicycles before opening the door when exiting the vehicle.
2:28:52
New York state vehicle and traffic law prohibits the opening of the car door into the path of moving traffic, which includes bicycles and other micro mobility devices.
2:28:59
And New York City's administrative code prohibits the opening of a car door into the path of a cyclist.
2:29:05
Yet despite these prohibitions, dooring, as it's known colloquially, is an all too common occurrence in New York City.
2:29:10
Dooring can cause serious injury and in the worst case is death, most often when the victim is knocked into the path of a moving vehicle.
2:29:17
At least one New Yorker has been killed in a during incident in each of the past three years, Kwok Kwan in Man in Manhattan in 2022, Aziz Bexolive in Queens in 2023, and John Policelli in Brooklyn in 2024.
2:29:30
The TLC has provided free anti dooring decals for four hire vehicles since 2012, but their display is not required.
2:29:37
While the TLC believes their use is widespread, there's absolutely no good reason that their display shouldn't be mandated.
2:29:43
While the safety of the person outside the vehicle is paramount, there's also a significant benefit to people inside the cab and that liability enduring incidents is almost always found to be completely the fault of the person opening the door and awards to victims can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
2:29:57
This bill can both save lives and save taxi and FHV passengers money.
2:30:02
On a personal note, several years ago, I nearly dored a cyclist when getting out of a cab near my home in Brooklyn.
2:30:07
Luckily, the person on the bike was able to stop quickly, and I apologize profusely as someone who, profusely as someone who, given my work and advocacy, know better than the check before opening the door.
2:30:16
Had there been a reminder decal on the door, luck wouldn't have been required to avoid a potentially catastrophic incident.
2:30:22
We're grateful to council member Gutierrez and her senior adviser, Anya Lerer, for introducing this legislation, bike New York for conceiving the bill and working with us to advocate for it.
2:30:33
We strongly urge the council to pass intel one ninety three as soon as possible.
2:30:37
Thank you.