Time to crack down on lawless e-bikers sowing mayhem on NYC’s streets
By Council Member Robert Holden
New York Post Opinion
December 11, 2024
In 2020, the City Council rushed to legalize e-mobility devices like e-bikes and scooters without waiting for state-level regulations.
At the time, the idea was to introduce a modern transportation option for the city’s busy streets.
Almost five years later, we are living with the consequences of that haste: rising injuries, fatalities and a surge in reckless rider behavior.
Pedestrians and riders themselves are suffering as a result of the lack of oversight.
Furthermore, these devices have contributed to a troubling number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.
It’s time to act — exactly what Priscilla’s Law seeks to do.
The tragic 2023 death of Priscilla Loke, a Chinatown advocate and longtime resident, is a painful reminder of why this law is needed.
Loke was struck and killed by an e-bike rider who then fled the scene of the accident.
This was not an isolated incident, but just one in a growing trend of deadly crashes involving e-mobility devices.
Riders, many of them working under pressure for food-delivery apps, are speeding, violating traffic laws and ignoring basic safety precautions — and too often fleeing the scene when accidents occur.
This reckless behavior is putting lives at risk.
According to a report by state Assemblyman Alex Bores, e-bike collisions and injuries are twice as common as those involving traditional bicycles.
Bores found that e-bikes are 19 times as deadly as regular bicycles.
From 2020 to 2023, New York City logged 2,254 total collisions, 2,172 injuries and 22 deaths involving e-bikes.
Fires caused by uncertified e-bike batteries are also on the rise.
Since 2019, lithium-ion batteries have started over 730 fires, killing 30 New Yorkers and injuring nearly 500.
Despite these growing dangers, Transportation Alternatives (TransAlt), a group that claims to advocate for safer streets, is actively fighting against any regulation that would increase accountability for riders.
Their position, cloaked under the guise of protecting New Yorkers from a “costly” and “harmful” bill, is not only misguided but hypocritical.
TransAlt has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from companies with a direct financial interest in keeping these e-mobility devices unregulated, including Lyft, Uber, Lime and DoorDash — all of which profit from the proliferation of e-bikes and scooters.
The group’s opposition to Priscilla’s Law makes it clear that it prioritizes the interests of private corporations over the safety and well-being of everyday New Yorkers.
The argument for Priscilla’s Law is simple: We need to hold these riders accountable.
The bill requires all e-mobility devices to be registered with the City’s Department of Transportation — helping to stamp out uncertified batteries — and carry a license plate. This straightforward measure will ensure that riders follow traffic laws.
We’ve already seen how effective license plates can be in curbing dangerous behavior.
In the five months since Albany tightened rules on moped registration, I’ve noticed a marked improvement in the behavior of moped riders who now obey traffic signals because their license plates are visible.
The same can and should apply to e-bikes.
In fact, the city already uses license plates as an accountability tool for other industries.
The Business Integrity Commission requires private carters to display an orange license plate, and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protections mandates license plates for food carts.
These systems are proof that the city has the capacity to implement similar requirements for e-mobility devices — it’s being done, and it can be done.
If a rider runs a red light or strikes a pedestrian while riding on the sidewalk, the cameras on our streets will capture the license plate, making it possible for law enforcement to identify the perpetrator and hold reckless riders accountable for their actions.
The bottom line: License plates ensure that people who break traffic laws cannot get away with it.
But it’s not just about holding riders accountable; it’s also about making companies that rent out these devices take responsibility for their users.
Delivery services like Uber Eats, Grubhub and others that benefit from the rise in e-mobility vehicles must educate their riders on traffic laws and the risks involved in using these devices.
Companies must be held accountable for riders who repeatedly break the rules.
When riders are caught violating traffic laws, these companies should de-platform them, just as they would for any other serious infraction.
Priscilla’s Law is a simple, effective step that would help bring order to our chaotic streets.
By requiring e-mobility devices to be registered and licensed, we can create a safer environment for all road users — cyclists, drivers and pedestrians alike.
This bill is a vital tool in the fight for accountability and safety on our streets.
Let’s pass it for Priscilla Loke.
Council Member Robert Holden (D) represents District 30 in Queens.
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