Saturday, June 2, 2012

Council targeting delivery bikes


From Metro:

The city is stepping up its fight against delivery cyclists who break traffic laws — and the restaurant owners who employ them.

The City Council is mulling ways to curb dangerous delivery bikers, some of whom careen down crowded sidewalks, run a red light or zoom the wrong way down a one-way street in their rush to deliver food to hungry New Yorkers.

Council members are considering giving Department of Transportation agents, for the first time ever, the power to issue tickets to restaurants owners who employ the deliverymen. Delivery bikers are often under pressure to quickly deliver hot food, but Council members want to make sure there is equal pressure on their employers to follow the rules of the road.

Right now, the NYPD hands out tickets for bike traffic violations, but rarely tickets restaurant owners. Under legislation being drafted, DOT agents could ticket restaurants if they did not provide reflective vests, helmets and lights for their bikers.

At a Council hearing Tuesday, Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan said she sees a need for restaurant owners to be better educated about traffic laws.

The idea to give the DOT enforcement power is part of legislation Councilman Jimmy Vacca is building, which would also increase the fine for biking on the sidewalk. The current fine is $100, his spokeswoman Andrea Bender told Metro.

That increased fine would apply to everyone, Bender said. They hope to present the legislation in June.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

What exactly is a DOT agent? I've never seen one.

Anonymous said...

IT'S ABOUT TIME!

Anonymous said...

Maspeth Mom says....

Yesterday crossing the street in front of my house a delivery man on a motorized bike nearly slammed into me..I dodged out of the way in the nick of time... I shuddred to think about the injuries I might have had if he hit me. I have also seen them on the sidewalk on Grand Avenue..dodging senior citizens and baby carriages. What are they waiting for...A tradgedy as usual has to happen before government acts...Oh year but limit the size soda we can purchase....Now thats important....FOOLS!!!!

Anonymous said...

They targeted them around fifteen years ago as well, for about a week. Then they all went crying to the news, holding up their tickets with sad faces for the photographers, and the NYPD was told to back off. Hopefully, this initiative has more longevity.

Anonymous said...

They go through red lights and you can't see them at all . MAKE them wear Hi-VIS vests!

Anonymous said...

They are dangerous for not only pedestrians but drivers as well, they sneak up on you on your right side,
one must look in their right side mirror
before making a right turn otherwise they will cut you off.

Anonymous said...

Another scam by the city to collect money by claiming an elimination of a public safety threat. The DOT agents will just use it as a revenue building activity. Seriously there is no threat, itll just be used against regular cyclist (like you and me) to collect money.

Anonymous said...

from this photo, it appears that doomsberg is providing N.Y.P.D. escort service for this SANCTUARY CITY invader from the FAR EAST.

Anonymous said...

Delivery bikes are abusive. But leave ordinary riders alone.