Brewer Backs E-bike Registration–Prefers Hoylman-Sigal State Plan to City Council Proposal

If it’s a day of the week ending in “-day,” there’s someone—usually many someones— angrily decrying about the dangers of e-bikes in Manhattan.

This is as it must be: a popular protest against the street-level anarchy resulting from a number of overlapping trends, mostly, if not entirely, in the service of “app”-based food delivery racket.

Better late than never, the City Council has taken notice.

Fiery Council Member Bob Holden of Queens has led a charge for licensing all e-bikes and scooters, a plan—known as Intro. 606— some oppose as too strict and burdensome, most notably by the restaurant lobby. While many objections to the Holden plan are transparently specious—the anti-car activists of course blame cars for the e-bike madness; while the Department of Transportation, doesn’t want to be made the watchdog of registering e-bikes.

Enter District 6 Council Member Gale Brewer, resolute but gifted in the art of political compromise and unlike some of her colleagues, capable of nuanced conversation.

Speaking to Brian Lehrer on WNYC on December 16, Brewer affirmed her belief that e-bikes should be licensed. Her concern with the Holden plan is that it would be under the aegis of the DOT, when she believes—as does State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal—that the licensing should be done at the state level, as with cars. “I’d like to have it done right,” said Brewer.

The Hoylman-Sigal bill, co-sponsored by fellow State Senator Liz Krueger is Senate Bill S7587.

Before any agitated listeners at home could yell at their radio, “Brian, it’s not just about e-bikes!! It’s illegal scooters, unregistered mopeds—the moped maniac who killed Florian Oltmann!!” Lehrer himself asked Brewer to explain the so-called “micromobility” movement. What other vehicles would be covered?

“Certainly scooters is an example,” Brewer averred. “I think people also would put mopeds in there. We never had this before. We had bicycles that we powered with our feet and there are not included is pedal assist. They’re separate. Everything else that you see flying by you on the streets would be considered micromobility. Speed is an issue.”

“CitiBikes, the ones that have the batteries,” Brewer continued. “They’re considered micromobility. There are an awful lot. There are perhaps somewhere between 65,000 and 75,000 delivery people. I don’t know how many CitiBikes and I don’t know how many scooters, but they’re all part of the same micromobility.”

This was a good answer, but before any furious listeners could dial WNYC to yell about the rapacious and parasitical delivery “app” companies that were the catalyst for and prime beneficiary of so much street chaos, Brewer herself addressed the issue.

“Two things,” the solon with the organized thoughts began.

“One is, I just want to mention other things that need to get done and I’ll answer your question. The first is those apps. I didn’t realize how much control they have. If you are a delivery person and you don’t deliver fast enough, you can be cut off the platform. That’s terrible.”

“We want the apps to be much more involved. One suggestion, although we have to be careful as you suggested about immigration, but when Revel existed, they were able, they mandated to give their data to the city. The apps, I don’t care whether it’s Uber Eats, DoorDash, etcetera. They know where me, as a delivery person, is. Am I on the sidewalk. which is illegal? That data needs to be turned over to the Department of Transportation.”

Brewer further suggested that delivery drivers riding on the sidewalk aren’t necessarily to blame but rather it rather reflects their lack of training. “Data is a big issue for all of this,” she emphasized.

“The second, they’re going too fast. Even the e-bikes, you can go 18 miles an hour. I think they should all be 15 miles an hour maximum for all of the micromobility. I think that would help a lot.”

As any sentient street reporter can confirm, Brewer isn’t wrong.

The problem is even bigger than apps, data and driver training, however. One significant issue Brewer didn’t mention is that in many cases, nobody knows who these drivers are—literally.

Because both documented asylum seekers and undocumented are unable to legally work, they “rent” their app accounts from citizens and other with legal working papers. While this opportunity can be an economic lifeline, it’s also a gross exploitation of labor that only increases the likelihood of reckless speeding, as many delivery drivers have to work more for less because a portion of their wages goes to the legal account holder.

Persons sensitive to questions of “immigration status” have danced gingerly around this issue—a fact which has only emboldened the app companies further.

Likewise on the streets, e-bike and scooters merchants have shown little enthusiasm for complying with even extant laws. Numerous e-bike shops openly advertise their ability to make throttle-limited e-bikes faster.

Visit nearly any migrant hotel and note all the Fly Wing mopeds and scooters parked outside. A few might have New York state license plates but most will not.

Despite the city’s efforts to date, lawlessness has prevailed, with only the delivery app companies profiting.

The result? Pedestrian safety, and their perception of safety, is perilously low.

While Brewer hopes that increased driver training is part of the solution, she admitted “I think in the past I didn’t realize what a big issue this is.”

“I just came from talking to 2nd graders this morning. Guess what? They’re concerned about getting hit by e-bikes. We hear about the hits that adults get. I couldn’t believe how many hands raised when I said, has anybody ever heard of an e-bike issue? They all raise their hands. Close calls. This is a massive issue in our city right now.”