From the Times Ledger:Officers from the 112th Precinct are serious about cracking down on two-wheeled vehicles in Forest Hills and Rego Park, but one variety remains out of their jurisdiction: There are still no laws governing the use of electric bicycles in New York City.
At a Community Board 6 meeting earlier this month, Capt. Ralph Forgione announced that officers have been vigilant in ensuring that motorcyclists and moped drivers who ride in the 112th Precinct have the proper documentation.
But one area where police cannot write tickets for lacking insurance or a valid license is with electric-assisted bicycles.
Instead, the 112th has to write tickets for infractions it would normally give to cyclists, like riding against traffic or riding on the sidewalk.
Residents have long complained that the bikes, which are powered by electric batteries, quietly zip around the neighborhood and pose hazards for pedestrians.
The law regarding the bikes is unclear in Queens, since the city and state do not regulate the vehicles.
But a bill is currently in the state Senate that would bring the electric-assisted bikes in line with federal regulations, and those regulations would treat the vehicles like normal bikes as long as they go under 20 mph and use less than 1,000 watts of power.
Unlike bicyclists, riders of the vehicles would need to be 16 years or younger and wear a helmet.
But Goldberg said the law should regulate the machines instead, many of which he said operate on less than 700 watts but can reach speeds of up to 50 mph.
9 comments:
It's time to crack down on these motorized bikes. I was nearly hit by one and I almost hit one with my car. The biker was riding against traffic and had just gone through a red light. It's high time that our elected officials do something now!
Unlike bicyclists, riders of the vehicles would need to be 16 years or younger and wear a helmet.
Did they mean 16 years or OLDER?
"as they go under 20 mph and use less than 1,000 watts of power"
What a joke.
Since when is torque and horsepower strictly calculated by watts (amps X voltage) .
Is that the Mayors new Ohms Law for calculating horsepower and speed?
All it takes is changing 1 resistor in the regulator and these bikes can do 35-40 MPH depending if you swap the drive gear...Ive done it.
On gas powered mopeds you simply drill out the governor ring in the carburetor intake manafold.
I had a 50CC Pacer Moped in 76 I drive down to cross bay for fishing 5AM
They sell these joints in the New World Order Mall (formely caldors) on the second floor.
I saw a collision between one of these and a car. I don't know if the bicycle rider was killed. The rider has exaggerated idea of the ability of cars around him to maneuver around him or for a car to react to him getting two feet in front of cars moving in traffic. This was a bike swerving into fast-moving traffic around a double-parked car. I don't think a human-powered bicyclist would have been so aggressive or stupid.
deleting more posts crappy? They sell the fucking things at best buy. Big fucking deal.
deleting more posts crappy? They sell the fucking things at best buy. Big fucking deal.
My bad, I posted that in a different thread. So you didn't delete THIS one.
A high number of these motorbikes are driven by illegals as delivery folks. They typically drive on sidewalks or drive in the wrong direction in streets and do not obey traffic laws. There should be standards for these bikes and the drivers must be licensed as motorists are currently.
Hey, I defend bikers here (esp vs road hogs forcing them into illegalities), but motor bikes are motor vehicles, under DMV.
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