NYC wants to license and register ebikes and scooters

dblhelix

dblhelix

Well-Known Member
This is sponsored by a councilman in response to the pedestrian death in Chinatown last year. It is not supported by DOT or lobbying groups like People for Bikes. The latter seems obvious. I do think other jurisdictions would rapidly follow for the revenue. Insurance will follow. I do think these measures would blunt adoption of micromobility.

bicycleretailer.com

NYC proposing licensing and registration for e-bikes, e-scooters

NEW YORK (BRAIN) — The City Council discussed on Wednesday a proposed law requiring all e-bikes and e-scooters to be licensed and registered with the Department of Transportation to crack down on dangerous riding in the city that led to a pedestrian's death last year.
bicycleretailer.com bicycleretailer.com
 
Freedom can be difficult to hold up high, especially when the victim is a loved one, but if we legislate every risk, then the end game is banning being born.
 
If everyone rode and drove safely we wouldn’t have s*it like this, but assholes and idiots are everywhere, so……

IMG_5222.jpeg
 
NY City would benefit from more ebike and scooter regulation, and I hate most forms of regulation, and all over-regulation. The problem in NYC is that there are too many scofflaws riding around the city (mostly couriers and delivery ebikes) that have no regard for pedestrians, vehicular traffic, and rules of the road. They are bringing it upon themselves. I had no fear of NYC car drivers, and the occaisional tourist on a Citi-Bike, but I definitely worried for mine and my wife's safety due to reckless delivery drivers on ebikes.
 
Last edited:
NYC should require license plate and insurance for delivery riders. They are the problem. It is fairly obvious that prepared food deliveries come in a insulated pack. Individual riders not carrying large quantities of prepared food or merchandise should be exempt. Grocery shoppers (like me) with refrigerated frozen or packaged food should be exempt. License plate could provide indentification of riders that caused injury or accidents. Delivery without license plate should cause bicycle impound.
 
Last edited:
I love the Freedom my eBike gives me but hate to say there are just as many problem Bike & eBike Riders as there are problem Car, Truck and Automobile Drivers. Only difference is Bikes and eBikes so far dont display a Licence Plate but I wont be surprised if that requiremen plus Insurance will be introduced soon.
 
In the Netherlands there used to be a license plate and road-tax for bicycles.... Prior to WWII. For a Cargo bike or vending bike there was a tariff cut as it a was a commercial vehicle for farmers, bakers etc.

And if you needed a bike for your work duties but could not pay for the road-tax, they could give you one at a special rate. They did cut a part of the plate of so that every body could see you got it at a special rate

Roadtax plate:

1746428080237.png


1746428113374.png


Special rate tax plate, one with a hole in it, so this one was free for a person who was on a social unemployment benefit.

1746428142121.png



since those are regional, also the Belgium's had those tax plates, example for Antwerpen

1746428355079.png
 
Last edited:
Base said:
In the Netherlands there used to be a locense plate and road-tax for bicycles.... Prior to WWII. For a Cargo bike or vending bike theire was a tarif cut as it a was a commercial vehicule for farmers, bakers etc.

And if you needed a bike for your work duties but could not pay for the road-tax, they could give you one at a special rate. They did cut a part of the plate of so that every body could see you got it at a special rate

Roadtax plate:

View attachment 193065

View attachment 193066

Special rate tax plate, one with a hole in it, so this one was free for a person who was on a social unemployment benefit.

View attachment 193067


since those are regional, also the Belgium's had those tax plates, example for Antwerpen

View attachment 193068
Click to expand...
So interesting, thank you! Special rate = freeloaders, lol.
 
If one jurisdiction requires registration what happens to visitors bringing bikes from other places that don't require registration?
 
I started studying law at college and I had to pack it in because I was getting so wound up.
Its just a complete mess, pulled apart by grift, greed, ideology, spite, revenge, snobbery and corruption.
All of the above could just be described as the failings of man, but the eons have corroded a path thought it called...
You cant afford it or just admit it and we'll be easy on you.
I would like to think AI could clear it out, but it will be handed over to the firm to keep the grift going.
 
Jeremy McCreary said:
Same as with motor vehicles?
Click to expand...
No, that's the problem... I can drive my CT registered car in NY, but if I can't register my ebike in CT what happens when I bring it to NY? I can't register it in NY because I'm not a NY resident.

We ran into this when my wife was looking into a Vespa-style scooter. No registration required in CT but in NJ where she frequently visits it's considered a moped requiring registration. The workaround for that one is to register it in VT, where you don't have to be a resident. But she got a Zugo instead.
 
Biplaneguy said:
No, that's the problem... I can drive my CT registered car in NY, but if I can't register my ebike in CT what happens when I bring it to NY? I can't register it in NY because I'm not a NY resident.

We ran into this when my wife was looking into a Vespa-style scooter. No registration required in CT but in NJ where she frequently visits it's considered a moped requiring registration. The workaround for that one is to register it in VT, where you don't have to be a resident. But she got a Zugo instead.
Click to expand...
True, a motor vehicle has to be registered in some state (A), and the state (B) you're visiting honors that till you do something that makes you a State B resident under State B law.

What if you got stopped for not displaying a State B registration but could demonstrate that you're a State A resident — say, with a driver's license or other ID?

I support registration, licensing, and insurance requirements for all electric two-wheelers falling outside the bounds of a legal ebike. That adds a sense of accountability that many teen Surron and Super73 riders around here clearly lack. (If you go by the videos they put on YouTube, many bring an outlaw mentality to their riding and dress accordingly.)

But there has to be a clear way to get the registration, licensing, and insuring done with reasonable effort. I've read on EBR that that's not always the case.
 
Last edited:
At least the "get off my roads, you don't pay for them" crowd will shut up, until they find their next hate-based argument against road bikes.
 
I don't see how these laws will reduce e-bike accidents, unless they reduce the number of people riding them. It would be interesting to see just how Denmark arrived at those published safety statistics.
The "outlaw" riders are just that, and will largely ignore the laws. Most have little to lose should they get caught, fined, and/or sued.
Then there is the enforcement. In reality, how will it be accomplished, who will do it, and how will it be financed? The ideas in the proposed legislation seem impractical to me considering the size of NYC.

IMO, the only ones who will gain from these laws are the lawyers, the taxing authority, the insurance companies and the groups paid to do the studies.
 
seems like a tough sell, i'm seeing more e-bikes out on the path's this year which is a good thing overall. don't see how it would be very feasible to license/insure these things at all but i'm sure someone will try. i saw another article the NYC is trying to ban e-bikes in central park but i think a speed limit is more sensible. i've been passed often by manual cyclists who are cruising faster than me on my e-bike. feels like this problem won't be easily solved in the near future and ban's seem to miss the big picture.
 
just happy to see folks out getting fresh air and some movement. for what it's worth, a lot of the folks ive talked to riding e-bikes say they cant quite ride a non-electric bike anymore for a variety of reasons so i think that's a positive overall if they are on an e-bike as opposed to not moving. walking is always good and a lot of folks i talk to are pretty intimated by jogging/running.

i still think a speed limit would make more sense, on the scottsdale greenbelt i was passed constantly by riders who appeared to be training. speeds were way too fast to be considered safe. last time i was in chicago riding on the lake, i did think it was pretty cool that they had separate bike lanes from walking/jogging lanes. first time i'd seen that.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back