NYPD begins massive crackdown on unlawful e-bike riders
The NYPD has begun a massive crackdown on e-bike riders caught speeding and violating traffic laws, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Friday.
Since the operation began on April 28, cops have handed out 916 criminal court summonses against wayward e-bikers — nearly double the amount that was given out all last year, the NYPD said.
'We are cracking down on e-bikes largely because we have gotten so many community complaints,' Tisch said during an appearance on Fox 5's 'Good Day NY' Friday. 'Every New York has had the experience of jumping out of the way or getting their kids out of the way of these e-bike riders.'
The enforcement was first reported on StreetsBlog NYC. Biking advocates say that the draconian crackdown was done without any public notice and that pedal bike riders are being swept up in this unprecedented dragnet.
Cops began by focusing on heavily traveled bike routes like Second Ave. in Manhattan and Flatbush Ave. in downtown Brooklyn, Tisch said in an op-ed released Thursday.
'We are cracking down and doing enforcement on the basic rules of the road — going too fast, running lights, going the wrong way,' Tisch explained. 'Bikes are an important transportation method, but it doesn't work without meaningful enforcement so they follow the basic safety rules.'
Instead of the traditional traffic ticket, the e-bike riders caught violating vehicle traffic laws are being given a criminal court summons.
Bicycling advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, which has said the NYPD is unfairly targeting cyclists 'where the punishment in no way equals the crime,' slammed the move on Friday.
'It's alarming that a policy change that was snuck in without public notice has already escalated to become a massive crackdown,' said Ben Furnas, the group's executive director.' Giving criminal summonses to hundreds of cyclists every week does nothing to make our streets safer. Drivers are still getting tickets for the same offenses, despite putting pedestrians at much more risk than cyclists ever could. This policy is an egregious overreach, and we call on elected officials to demand the NYPD reverse it immediately.'
Tisch said the NYPD switched to criminal court summonses because the traffic tickets — which can lead to one losing their driver's license if they're ignored — just weren't effective on e-bike riders.
'They were nonsense and meaningless to e-bike riders, so we are now giving them criminal summonses for the reckless driving of e-bikes,' she said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
Home invasion and robbery rocks quiet Queens neighborhood. Here's the latest on the investigation.
Police are searching for two suspects who forced their way into a Queens home, tied up a family and robbed them. The brazen home invasion happened on Monday morning on a stretch of 12th Avenue in Whitestone, across the street from an elementary school. The NYPD said two men barged into the home around 9 a.m., one of them wearing an Amazon vest, and led the victims, a 42-year-old man, a 39-year-old woman, and three children, down to the basement and bound them with duct tape and zip ties. They then stole money and jewelry before taking off in the family's car, which detectives said was found less than a half a mile from the house. Neighbors unnerved by home invasion A neighbor said he was on his way to work when he saw a man pleading for help. "I just see this man come running out of his house with duct tape on him," he said. "He was definitely disheveled. He was definitely, like, scared, and he probably didn't know what just happened, himself." A school being is close proximity to such a violent crime struck a nerve as well. "All the kids are here. That's, like, really scary for, like, even the children," a woman said. Police are now looking into who the two suspects are and why they chose the house. Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man punched multiple times in subway station in the Bronx, suspect sought
THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — Police are searching for a suspect accused of assaulting a 54-year-old man inside a subway station in the Bronx on June 3. The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. at the 170 Street station. More Local News Police say the victim was on the northbound 4 platform when a dispute ensued. The suspect allegedly punched the victim multiple times in the body before fleeing. The suspect, shown on video surveillance below, was last seen wearing a blue shirt, black pants, and brown shoes. Anyone with information is asked to contact the NYPD. Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Violent protests will not be tolerated, NYC officials warn
NEW YORK (PIX11) — All eyes are on Los Angeles as the Marines and the National Guard have been deployed in response to protests against President Trump's immigration crackdown. Protests turned violent, as Los Angeles police arrested over 20 individuals on Sunday for charges ranging from murder with a Molotov cocktail to assault on a police officer, according to the Associated Press. More Local News The police department also has confirmed in a news release that it used tear gas and more than 600 rubber bullets and other less-than-lethal munitions over the weekend, according to the AP. The department says five officers sustained minor injuries. Meanwhile, in New York City, protesters were taken into custody over the weekend for interfering with immigration enforcement, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The NYPD noted multiple arrests had been made, and numerous others have been taken into police custody, authorities said. Protests continued into Monday, with one being held at Foley Square to oppose the Trump administration's travel ban, and another inside Trump Tower, protesting against ICE. Over 20 people were taken into custody at Trump Tower, according to police and sources. On Tuesday, another protest is planned for Foley Square in Manhattan to address ICE raids in New York City and Los Angeles. New York City officials, including Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, issued statements on X in response to the protests in Los Angeles. Both officials reassured New Yorkers that local law enforcement is committed to upholding the right to peacefully protest, but made it clear that any form of violence will not be tolerated. 'Two wrongs do not make a right. New York City will always be a place to peacefully protest, but we will not allow violence and lawlessness,' Adams posted on X. 'The escalation of protests in Los Angeles over the last couple of days is unacceptable and will not be tolerated if attempted in our city.' Tisch echoed the sentiment, posting on X: 'But let me be crystal clear — we have no tolerance for violence, property damage, or for people blocking cars, driveways, or entrances to buildings. Any attack against law enforcement will be met with a swift and decisive response from the NYPD.' Tisch noted that the NYPD has plans in place to 'respond to any potential civil unrest.' 'The NYPD knows how to police protests in a manner that maintains public safety and upholds the law, and we'll continue to do so.' Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
