The People's Money (2024-2025)
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- Do you have specific Neighborhood(s) in mind?
- All neighborhoods
- Which group(s) does your idea focus on? Select as many as apply.
- All New Yorkers
- Describe the challenge you want to address:
- I am VERY concerned about bicycle safety in NYC. As a lifelong New Yorker and cyclist, I have seen a dramatic and alarming shift in traffic violations and overall bike safety and an equally dramatic and alarming shift in lack of policing of these violations. While the plethora of bike lanes has been a positive change and allows many of us to ride more safely, there is an overwhelming number of violations by bikers, ebikes, and motor scooters that makes cycling extremely dangerous. I ride daily, and for every 10 bikers going the right way, with traffic, there are usually 5 (and many times more) riders going against traffic. In addition, ebikes, scooters, and motor bikes chronically ride in the bike lanes; they are vehicles and do not belong side by side with cyclists. Often, these electronic and motor vehicles are also traveling the wrong way in the bike lanes. In the 80s and 90s, and even the early 2000s, I regularly saw police officers flag down and pull riders over when they ran a light or rode on the sidewalk. They didn't have to ticket riders going against traffic, because that notion was unfathomable! In contrast, since the many bike lanes have been built, Citibikes have been implemented, and bike ridership is up in the city, I have not seen a single police officer enforce a single rule, despite the multiple flagrant and dangerous violations. I continue to ride because of the so many positive reasons to ride a bike, but I am increasingly fearful and upset that NYC riding has become so dangerous and hope that you will do something.
- What is the solution to the challenge?
- 1. Officers pull over and ticket all violators. 2. The government enforces payment of tickets. If necessary, create a license system for all cyclists, ebikers, and scooter riders. This will not be necessary however if officers simply enforce traffic rules and ticket anyone in violation. After a painful period of learning and payment for tickets, people will fall into step and the streets will be safer. Rules are important, but it's also important for there to be accountability; the point of law enforcement is to enforce the law, including cycling laws.
- Please provide your Zip Code
- 10023
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