Op-Ed | E-Bike chaos: A call for accountability to restore safety on NYC streets | amNewYork

Over the past decade and half, we have witnessed, factually and empirically, the precipitous presence of e-bikes, moped, scooters, and other 2-wheeled battery fueled devices on New York City streets. 

Seniors and other vulnerable pedestrians are confronted with an ever present danger posed by these speed limit breaking, traffic light and stop-sign abusing, and one-way street ignoring vehicles. Chaos prevails, and on-foot sidewalk and street navigation has become perilous.

Unfortunately, I experienced this street havoc first hand. On Tuesday, May 21st, returning by subway from an inaugural and inspirational Dept. of Education Jewish Heritage event to my Upper East Side apartment, I exited at the 77th Street #6 train station and walked east. Having the light to cross Third Avenue, a northbound thoroughfare, I checked that oncoming traffic was stopped at the intersection. When I stepped from the sidewalk into the street, an electric bike, traveling southbound against traffic at high speed, smashed into me.

I crumpled to the asphalt, saw what appeared to be a delivery biker for a few seconds before he sped off, hit-and-run style, and peered at my right leg which was clearly and grotesquely broken. A good Samaritan woman called 911 and an ambulance arrived to take me to the hospital for surgery to repair the tibia bone, broken in three places, with the permanent insertion of a titanium rod. I spent a week in the hospital and six weeks in a rehab learning how to walk again. I also discovered that I lost some sight in my right eye. 

But I was the lucky e-bike victim. Yes, I suffered a crushing trauma but, thank G-d, I was still alive without a severe brain or head injury. The number of people who have been killed by electric assisted two wheel vehicles is staggeringly high and dozens more are left with debilitating injuries.

Virtually a day doesn’t go by without someone telling me about a “close call” of almost being hit by one of these reckless 2-wheeled e-vehicles. Many have thanked me for raising awareness through my unfortunate and painful experience and how they now look both ways before crossing a City street. But that defensive tactic is far from sufficient to address the problem.

So what needs to be done?

We can readily get in the blame game and target delivery workers who are speeding around town to chase a dollar and scratch out a living. But we, as consumers, are the ones who insatiably demand near instant gratification with everything at our doorstep in an unreasonable amount of time.

And who is feeding this demand that we’ve imposed? Bottom line, the business model rewarding speed above all else was fashioned by the app companies. 

There is no panacea here. No wave of a magic wand. But ultimately, there needs to be accountability for what is happening on our streets.

This past week I testified at a City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing on integrating micromobility options. I strongly suggested that the City Council explore and act on a comprehensive approach both at the corporate and at the individual levels.

For the corporations that are generating the bulk of the trips on City streets, why can the City not license the app companies like what the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) has done with For Hired Vehicles? When Uber/Lyft first came to New York City, it added a huge volume of vehicles to the streets. The City then moved to regulate the industry, create standards, data tracking, and accountability for companies that want to do business here. 

Why not create and implement a similar accountability framework with the delivery app companies as they dispatch all these trips and 2-wheel riders on city streets?

For individuals, licensing should be regulated through the New York State DMV that already has the infrastructure and jurisdiction to issue licenses. But local New York City enforcement is key to ensuring the accountability of all e-bike riders and the altering of law-breaking behavior patterns. 

Should the City Council enact Intro 1131 and establish a Task Force to make recommendations to the Mayor and Council Speaker for legislation and policy regarding the “increased use of electric bikes and related collisions in New York City”, there should absolutely be no delay in presenting and acting upon their findings well within the proposed 270-day mandate.

The need and the imperative is now and the TLC model for delivery apps is a proven first step.

This compelling social justice issue needs to be addressed expeditiously, establishing accountability standards, restoring public safety to our City’s streets, and eliminating the palpable fear factor from our pedestrian population.

Rabbi Michael S. Miller is the former longtime CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.