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Commissioner Tisch explains e-bike enforcement policy

2:21:04

·

171 sec

Commissioner Jessica Tisch explains the NYPD's policy decision to shift towards criminal summonses for e-bike safety enforcement. She argues that the previous civil summons system was ineffective due to the unlicensed nature of e-bikes in New York City.

  • Tisch states that civil summonses (B summonses) were virtually meaningless for unlicensed e-bikes
  • She explains that criminal summonses (C summonses) are the only meaningful enforcement option available under current law
  • Tisch reports anecdotal evidence of improved compliance, such as e-bikes stopping at red lights more frequently
Jessica Tisch
2:21:04
The the policy decision that was made under my tenure so far at the police department to go towards criminal summonses is specific to bike safety and and more specifically e bike safety.
2:21:21
And as I have both testified as I've testified here today, my thought is that the B Summons paradigm did not was not working in New York City for very obvious reasons.
2:21:40
That these e bikes in New York City are not licensed and therefore there is no bite.
2:21:46
There is nothing behind the B Summons.
2:21:50
Because when you get a B Summons when you're driving a vehicle, the concern is you'll either get points on your license or if you don't respond you will lose your license or have it suspended.
2:22:03
When you talk about a mode of transportation that is not licensed, the B summons is meaningless.
2:22:10
Certainly virtually meaningless.
2:22:13
And so if we were going to kick up enforcement around e bikes in New York City which many of you on the council have asked us to do, it would literally be burning resources to have more cops out there issuing B summonses.
2:22:34
The only other option that we have available to us under the law as it currently exists is cease summonses.
2:22:43
And so for that reason and to address what I have heard from so many people in so many different parts of the city to address their concerns around safety as it relates to e bikes hitting people, pulling their kids out of the way of a e bike careening down the street.
2:23:05
We needed to do meaningful enforcement.
2:23:07
And so this is that meaningful enforcement.
2:23:10
I wanna tell you that anecdotally I think it's working.
2:23:14
I'm seeing e bikes stopping at red lights not a % of the time but certainly more than they used to do which was like virtually never.
2:23:24
And I will look forward to working with this council to create a more tailored, meaningful, viable approach to, e bike enforcement and to working on what laws will govern it.
2:23:44
But as the law stands now, the sea summons is the only meaningful enforcement that we can do.
2:23:52
And we have to address the public safety concerns that people are raising.
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