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Q&A
Discussion on e-bike regulations and enforcement policy changes
1:36:17
·
4 min
Council Member Diana I. Ayala and Commissioner Jessica Tisch engage in a discussion about recent changes in e-bike violation policies, enforcement challenges, and the need for updated regulations. They explore the shift from B summonses to C summonses for e-bike violations and the broader context of transportation safety in New York City.
- Commissioner Tisch emphasizes the need for a new regulatory framework to address the proliferation of e-bikes in the city.
- Council Member Ayala expresses concerns about potential criminalization of certain individuals while acknowledging the need for accountability.
- Both agree on the importance of working together to develop more effective e-bike regulations that ensure safer streets for all users.
Diana I. Ayala
1:36:17
Regarding the the change in policy from c to b bike violations for e bike riders, you mentioned that you would welcome a change in the law and better I guess, interactions with the council.
1:36:32
But I I I'm curious.
1:36:34
Had there been any conversations prior to the change in policy?
Jessica Tisch
1:36:37
I'm so sorry.
1:36:38
I didn't mean better interactions with the council.
1:36:40
Have always worked very well with the council.
1:36:45
My point was that the current framework for regulating the use, the safe use of e bikes doesn't make sense.
1:36:57
It doesn't work.
1:36:59
And we've had the proliferation of e bikes in New York City without an accompanying change in the regulatory framework for it.
1:37:09
And so I believe that something has to change in the law and I am interested in working directly with the council, with the Department of Transportation to chart the future for creating the new to chart the future for e bikes in New York City.
Diana I. Ayala
1:37:28
Yes.
1:37:28
I mean I think, you know, I myself have almost been run down by a biker.
1:37:33
I would say it's a biker because it wasn't an e bike, but on a bike lane ironically enough.
1:37:39
So I get it.
1:37:40
You know I believe that there needs to be you know some level of accountability.
1:37:43
I think you know the concern that you're hearing from the body today and have been hearing probably you know via social media and you know every other form of communications that we have is that we have a very different administration that is spending a lot of resources deporting individuals that you know are not even on the list of you know dangerous individuals and we don't want to further complicate matters by criminalizing folks that would be more susceptible to that type of behavior if if that's understood.
1:38:23
However, I am open to having a conversation with the NYPD about exploring ways that make sense to clarify what those consequences should be.
1:38:34
I'm not aware of any conversations happening before the change in the policy.
1:38:39
Have there been?
1:38:40
I'm just looking for clarity on that.
Jessica Tisch
1:38:43
So I think that, you know, I'm new to the department, but my sense is that the department and frankly New Yorkers have felt for a long time that the current that the enforcement use the use of b summonses as the enforcement paradigm was virtually futile.
1:39:03
That our officers were out there writing tickets and that it wasn't causing or creating any changes of behavior.
1:39:13
To the contrary, because people on e bikes generally felt like they lived in a consequence free environment, we were all seeing widespread mass flouting of the very basic rules that we have in New York City around transportation safety.
1:39:35
And so under the current law the only other option was to write sea summons which we are doing now in greater numbers than we had previously.
1:39:47
But just again to put this in context, it is several thousand, summonses for e bikes this year compared to over 250,000 summonses for cars.
1:40:04
And that doesn't include the red light cameras and all that other stuff.
1:40:07
Just that the NYPD has has given out.
1:40:10
But yes, I think we agree.
1:40:12
I look forward to working with the council to come up with a framework for safe e bike or bicycle use in New York City that meets the current magnitude of the problem.
Diana I. Ayala
1:40:25
We welcome that.
1:40:26
I think we all agree, right, we want safer streets and we want even bikers to feel free and safe on road.
1:40:34
And so we welcome that.
1:40:37
I just wanted to clarify because I wasn't aware of any conversations that had occurred prior to today regarding any legislative fixes to this problem.