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Q&A
Concerns about e-bike safety and protection for senior pedestrians
1:08:00
·
114 sec
Council Member Rita C. Joseph expresses concerns about e-bikes on sidewalks and the safety of senior pedestrians. She inquires about NYPD's outreach and education efforts, particularly for older adults.
- Joseph highlights the lack of enforcement for e-bikes on sidewalks
- Discussion on the importance of reaching out to senior centers for education and outreach
- NYPD confirms they conduct sessions in senior centers and provide multilingual pamphlets
- Emphasis on the need for both education and enforcement to address the issue
- NYPD reports a 208% increase in summonses written for e-bike violations
Rita C. Joseph
1:08:00
The e bikes are all over the sidewalk and still no enforcement.
1:08:03
We need to do that.
1:08:04
Are you reaching out to older adult centers also?
1:08:06
As you said, you're doing your education and your outreach.
1:08:09
I think it should also start in your older adult centers to make sure that the providers also, you know, educating the staffers, but older adults like I have a mom who's older adult, she had me late, she should be able to feel safe to go outside and cross the street without having to get out the way on the sidewalk.
1:08:27
I see bikes on the sidewalk, I see them violating all traffic rules, so our older adults need to be protected because that's the call I get the most from older adults who are like, weigh a hundred and thirty pounds.
1:08:39
If I get hit by one of these bikes, it's over for me council member.
1:08:43
So how do I how can I make my older adults feel safe?
1:08:46
I think the outreach and the education is great, but are you reaching the people on the ground that really needs to hear that message?
Olufunmilola "Lola" Obe
1:08:53
Yeah, we actually do.
1:08:54
So again going back to the 109 Precinct, a lot of good work again, but the criticism, like I said, is always, you know, that it's reactive, but we do have the sessions in our senior centers.
1:09:06
And of course, the pamphlets we also give out are also in different languages too.
Rita C. Joseph
1:09:12
So I hope to see you at one of my many seniors older adult centers that I have in my district making sure that we keep our older adults safe.
Olufunmilola "Lola" Obe
1:09:22
We'll have to Just
Josh Levin
1:09:24
one thing.
1:09:24
I just wanted to talk about how do we do it.
1:09:26
Right?
1:09:27
It's not just the education.
1:09:28
There has to be an enforcement component.
1:09:30
There must be an enforcement.
Rita C. Joseph
1:09:31
Absolutely.
Josh Levin
1:09:32
So the number of summons as we've written up for e bikes has gone up 208%.
1:09:39
So we hear it.
1:09:40
It's never enough.
1:09:41
We know.
1:09:42
Right?
1:09:42
And we're trying to do the things that need to be done to keep people safe.
1:09:45
I can't imagine, you know, my mother walking, she's 75, right, and getting hit
Rita C. Joseph
1:09:49
by Mine is 90.
Josh Levin
1:09:51
Hurt.
1:09:52
So I can't imagine.
Rita C. Joseph
1:09:53
So So what happens to repeat offenders?