The NYC Park Police has a checkpoint in the bike path (or they did around noon today). They were stopping all electric vehicles and telling the riders that it is illegal to ride them on bike paths in NYC. I was told to either ride in the street or on the sidewalk, but get off the bike path.
Posted Oct 16, 2019, 5:37 PM UTC · edited
Stupid as fuck. Yes, time to organize and advocate. Anybody start a petition?
I’m not even sure if they were correct. I haven’t seen the actual rule/law...and these days I trust the police about as far as I’m legally allowed to throw them.
Technically they are illegal everywhere in New York because Cuomo hasn't signed the legislation passed by the Senate in June. However, the bill specifically prohibits ebikes/escooters on the Hudson River Greenway.
Well, that is disappointing; on both counts. I guess I’ll need to look for a more dangerous route.
Too bad the police are spending so much effort “protecting” a dedicated, isolated bike path as opposed to the areas where trucks and cars are killing cyclists at historic highs or blocking the painted paths, thus forcing the most vulnerable into traffic.
Unreal. Everyone that I have seen on this bike path has been riding safely and respectfully, now throw us to the wolves.
Scooter enthusiast tend to be more mindful because they are aware their actions reflect on other riders. Cyclists aren’t held to the same accountability because laws and public acceptance is currently on their side.
That's crazy! I thought there was that law in the process of formally legalizing the scooters and e-vehicles. I ride every day, usually on the streets but also on the bike lanes where they exist. I guess the "super busy" bike lanes are too full of people and bikes to let faster e-vehicles use it too (in their eyes).
I think if they're even going to consider doing this dumb thing, they should at least equally crack down on all the idiot bikers / pedestrians out there that...
Everyone should print this out and carry it with them, it might help. https://www.ada.gov/opdmd.htm
Damn, do you think the government likes Segway?
I’m glad the ADA makes those protections clear, but it doesn’t apply to this situation in that I’m not disabled.
I’ll see, however, if I can find some applicable NY law or ordnance.
Great
They have to prove you are not disabled. Maybe you just had surgery on your ankle and it’s hard to walk. Just saying.....
I work in a profession where I have to sometimes enforce certain rules. When someone pulls the ADA card or claims a disability, I say “ok” and walk away. It’s not worth the headache.
True. Your word is as good as proof. If you read the website you’ll see that verbal proof is enough. You don’t have to prove or specifically talk about your disability.
Thanks for that link. I actually have a prescription for a knee brace for my arthritis in my knee. This is exactly what I need in case I get confronted.
This is one thing I love about living in Philadelphia. The cops here literally don’t give a shit about anything at all. And I mean anything. Unless you are about to kill someone, they look the other way on EVERYTHING. Even driving a car, you’d have to drive your car through the wall of a public building to even begin to fear getting some sort of ticket.
I rode my REV by an officer on the Schuylkil River Trail (similar to West Side Highway Path, but combined ped/bike space). I was moving pretty fast, but I slowed down a bit as I passed him out of respect. He watched me go by, but could care less.
New York has way too many pointless nanny rules.
I take this path every day to get to work. It would be so annoying if they stopped me because riding on the streets would take forever with all of the lights.
Amen to that
That is absolute bullshit
I've ridden the Westside bike path about 6 times with the Rev and have never seen any police officers on it. I guess I have been really lucky. It really is such bullshit that they enforced this today.
I’ve been riding it twice a day, three times a week for the past 5 or 6 weeks. This was a first for me.
It happened before this past July. They set up about 20 or so officers in pairs from Chelsea on to downtown. It was a 2 day affair and then they went away. I guess they can’t police the entire path 24 7. They didn’t issue tickets. Just kicked people off.
I commute around 8:30 and again about 5:30. I didn’t see them today (Thursday)
Where did they set up?
It was at Houston. They had two parks police at each light (North and South). They were directing all escooter and ebike traffic to exit the bike path.
I got back in a few blocks north and didn’t see any other the rest of my ride up to 34th.
Sounds like a good reason for pev riders to organize and advocate for equal treatment to cyclists. Cyclists themselves have problems with current infrastructure when it comes to safety and convenience. Limiting pev riders even further makes it that much harder.
Cyclists also hate scooters for some reason. Even though our shit goes the same damn speed as them and we have exactly the same issues and same needs. But scooters are new and different, so it’s all fuck you man get off MY bike path
There’s different reasons but their arguments are built on fallacy when you consider anything scooter riders can do wrong cyclists already do in excess (such as breaking speed limits, being uncourteous to fellow riders/pedestrians, not obeying traffic laws).
Scooter enthusiast (not tourists/renters) tend to be more mindful of their behavior since they’re aware how their actions reflect on the pev community.
As a cyclist (faintness and former commuter) and new scooter rider I absolutely agree with statement. Many of the cyclists I pass will blow past me while I wait for a red light to turn. They ride three abreast down the dedicated bike paths and chat; giving the stink eye when you try and pass.
I’m a very avid cyclist. I ride my bike all over Philly and NYC constantly. I don’t understand the scooter hate. We all want less traffic, and less cars. It’s in all of our best interests to join forces.
The fitness cyclists are the worst. They are another level of arrogant. The cyclists who ride their bike for basic transportation, like myself, seem to be on the same level as scooter riders.