New York City mayor Bill De Blasio previously had a big problem with horse drawn carriages, which allowed the proletariat to make money to eat and shelter. Now he sets his sights on something else
(UK Guardian) Cheap, electric bicycles have made life a lot easier for New York City’s legions of restaurant delivery workers, but the party may be over in the New Year.
City officials are promising a crackdown on e-bikes, which may be loved by environmentalists and the often poor, immigrant workforce that relies on them, but are loathed by many drivers and pedestrians who think they are a menace.
Under city law, the bikes are legal to own and sell, but riding them on the street can lead to a fine of up to $500. Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio announced this fall that starting in 2018, businesses that have employees use the bikes are also subject to a fine of $100 for a first offense and $200 for each subsequent offense.
“Electric bikes are illegal to operate on city streets and those at the top of the food chain need to be held accountable,†city spokesman Austin Finan said. “Instead of merely targeting riders, we’re going after businesses that look the other way and leave their workers to shoulder the fine.â€
You have a mode a transportation that is good for the environment, and good for the low wage workers. Glad Bill and the city elders care about these things.
“It’s not fair because people like me do depend on them,†said Martinez through a translator. The 44-year-old from Puebla, Mexico, came to the United States almost 15 years ago and has been working as a delivery person almost all that time, buying his electric bicycle almost three years ago. “We’re using this as something that lets us work and support our families.â€
See? Bad for low wage workers (BTW, here 15 years and needs a translator? This is why many complain about illegal and legal immigration)
Police enforcement against the bicycles has already been on the upswing, with almost 1,000 of them confiscated by police in 2017, an increase of several hundred from the year before.
Wait a minute: de Blasio’s law enforcement is confiscating people’s property, property which is legal to own (but not, apparently, use) in NYC and New York State (state law takes precedence over local law)? They’re taking property away that could have cost a minimum of $500, and often in the thousands? How Progressive of Bill.
Fascists like Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska etc that also regulate motorized bicycles, requiring licenses?
But don’t worry, Mr. tRump will eliminate all regulations, including those at the state level.
Jeff,
Why would you say such a thing? You know that it isn’t true. Aren’t you intelligent enough to tell the difference between cutting SOME regulation and cutting ALL regulation?
Prof,
You do realize the little guy
…types a lot of senseless things.
Typical liberal elitist move.
Now, if the poor immigrants only drove $100K electric Teslas and had a $1000/mo NY parking spot, or had a $500,000 government taxi medallion, they wouldn’t get their property confiscated.
Jeffery’s little diatribe is a mere deflection of the issue and a bad one at that.
First, notice that the topic of the post is electric bikes yet all of the states he lists as regulating “motorized” bikes (except for Kentucky) don’t regulate electric bikes – only bikes with engines. Wonder why he would shift the subject matter like that?
New York state, according to the source (which was easy to find but Jeffery did not identify) does not allow registration of the electric bikes on state owned roads, but individual municipalities can allow them on roads they control.
But Teach’s point is dead on. The New York City government is willing to allow the bikes to be sold (and collect the sales tax and business taxes) but not used.
It can be argued that states have the right to regulate the use of legal products, but a ban on the use of a legally sold product is seldom upheld.
Furthermore, Teach is right that this is an attack on the ability of workers to make a living. Instead of banning the bikes and illegally confiscating them, if the city has a legitimate concern, it can regulate their use and even require licenses.
J Glanton is right. This is elitism which liberals support.
So much for encouraging low-pollution energy efficient transportation in crowded urban centers. You’d think small nimble bikes would be preferable to full sized internal combustion vehicles. Guess that goal and the related environmental benefits aren’t enough to offset trying to keep the NYC streets open for de Blasio’s limo.
That Mexican fellow has been her 15 years and needed a translator.