Mayor Mamdani Must Rein in Illegal E-Motos After Queensboro Bridge Tragedy: Experts - Streetsblog New York City

A fatal head-on collision on the Queensboro Bridge involved a rider on an illegal high-speed stand-up electric scooter and a cyclist. The scooter was reportedly capable of reaching 50 miles per hour, and both riders died. The incident drew attention to the city’s repeated failure to curb widespread use of high-speed electric vehicles that are legal to buy but illegal to ride on streets. Experts said the city can act by enforcing existing laws, increasing street-level enforcement and rider education, and banning the sale of illegal e-motos across the five boroughs. They emphasized directing NYPD to confiscate illegal vehicles and using technology to help distinguish between device types.

"Mayor Mamdani must crack down on illegal stand-up electric scooters and other devices, safe streets watchdogs said on Thursday after a man riding on one of the illicit vehicles collided head-on with a cyclist on the Queensboro Bridge, killing them both."

"Francis Delball, 39, was headed west up the bridge's bike path on an illegal e-scooter with a top speed of 50 miles per hour when struck cyclist Dmytro Stechenko, 35, as he rode downhill towards Queens. Neither man survived."

"Stand-up electric scooters capable of going over 15 mph and e-bikes capable of going over 25 mph are illegal to ride on New York City streets. The most important thing Mayor Mamdani can do today? Direct NYPD to confiscate those illegal vehicles, said Jon Orcutt, a former DOT official and longtime city cycling advocate. (Currently, the NYPD effort has focused on electric mobility devices that have been used in crimes as well as legal mopeds that owners have failed to register.)"

"For starters, the mayor can increase street-level enforcement and rider education, and take steps to ban the sale of illegal e-motos in the five boroughs. Experts said the city is not powerless to stop the vehicles, which many people call "e-bikes" even though they are very different than legal electric bicycles."

Read at Streetsblog New York City