This story is part of a WNYC multimedia project called The People’s Guide to Power, which came out of the wave of activism that followed the 2016 presidential election. Get a closer look at how government works in our region – and how it doesn’t. See video and hear the stories of people who chose to get involved — some with more luck than others. And learn how you can take some first steps into the fray.
Mayor de Blasio says he's drafting new legislation that will strengthen regulation of electric bikes after WNYC reported that police are cracking down on individual delivery people instead of the businesses for whom they work.
The NYPD has issued more than 700 summonses to riders this year, but, according to a WNYC investigation, the police are not enforcing another part of the law that allows them to ticket the businesses. The NYPD says enforcement of that provision is not practical because of the way the law is written.
"I want tougher legislation," de Blasio said Friday, speaking on the Brian Lehrer Show. "I want a law that makes enforcement easier and more straightforward, and directs the enforcement at the businesses that employ the delivery cyclists."
The mayor wants to change the law to allow the NYPD to mail a summons to the owner of the business, like other city agencies do, according to an aide. Right now, police are required to track down the official agent and personally serve the summons, which the agency has said is too cumbersome.
The issue came to light when WNYC profiled a citizen activist on the Upper West Side, where restaurant deliveries by electric bike have proliferated in recent years.
The city passed a law allowing police to ticket electric bikes in 2013. Since then, the NYPD has issued more than 1,400 summons to individuals, and 29 to businesses.
City Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, who represents the Upper West Side, is also drafting new legislation in response to the WNYC report. She said her bill would force businesses to affirm that they will not use illegal electric bikes.
"Once that's on record, if it becomes clear, through, for example, the mayor's idea of NYPD having to issue a summons, that could play into the amount of the summons, (and) it could play into how hard the issue is pursued," she said.
Her constituent, Matthew Shefler, the citizen activist profiled by WNYC, said both bills are good proposals. But he had another suggestion.
"A sitting duck approach. Most of these bike are parked right outside the restaurants that are using them. So maybe start with a warning, a couple of warnings," he said. "But then I think wiping out, the wipe-out idea: Remove all the bikes at once as a way to really send a message. Perhaps if it's done at one or two restaurants maybe word will get around."
The mayor is expecting his legislation to come out "in the near term." Rosenthal said she expects hers to come up in the City Council in the next 30 days.