Felder: “NYC is the Wild, Wild West!”

Senator Simcha Felder introduced a package of legislation in the NYS Senate today to improve safety on New York City streets through education and regulation of bicycles, e-bikes and e-scooters.

"The streets of NYC have become the wild, wild west,” said Senator Felder. “The de Blasio administration has allowed a growing number of completely unregulated bicycles, ebikes, electric scooters and dirt bikes/ATV's on our city streets and the results are proving deadly! Vision Zero has become Zero Vision. New York has a process in place to earn the privilege and responsibility of operating a motor vehicle on our streets. It includes education, licensure, registration and enforceable safety regulations. These bills expand the system currently in place to provide education, responsibility and accountability for everyone using NYC streets."

The Vision 2.0 package of bills includes the following:

• (S7203) Requires every person operating a bicycle, electric bicycle or electric scooter in NYC to wear a helmet.
• (S7204) Establishes a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Bicycle and Electric Scooter Education Course that leads to licensure.
• (S7205) Requires DMV to add bicycle and e-scooter awareness to Drivers Education and the pre-licensing learners permit exam
• (S7206) Requires bicycle, electric bicycle and electric scooter owners to register their vehicle and conspicuously display a DMV license plate.
• (S7294) Requires liability insurance for bicycles/e-vehicles.