Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bicycling

Why You Should Care About de Blasio’s E-Bike Crackdown

As of the first of this month, Mayor de Blasio's e-bike crackdown is officially underway.

E-bikes are legal to own but not to operate on city streets. Prompted mainly by complaints about e-bike riders aired on WNYC, de Blasio decided last year to make a show of getting tough, supposedly by fining the restaurants that employ workers on e-bikes.

But since most delivery workers operate as independent contractors and own their bikes, the stops are expected to cost individuals hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars in fines and lost property. For undocumented immigrant workers, the arrests could even lead to deportation.

De Blasio's decision to create a spectacle of penalizing delivery workers is getting attention in the national press. Now, an installment of "Why You Should Care" from YouTuber Rina Krack succinctly conveys what's wrong in a five-minute explainer:

Krack doesn't mince words. "Cars are the number one cause of injury and death on the streets of New York, not immigrants trying to deliver your Tom Yum," she says. "In a notoriously-congested city like New York, encouraging e-bike use and protected cycling infrastructure is absolutely essential."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

NYPD’s Push To Criminalize Cycling Spells Trouble For Immigrant Workers

Safety for the community? Great. But aren't delivery workers part of the community, too?

May 9, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Habemus Knicksum Edition

It was a big day yesterday, but we're not on the sports or the religion desk, so let's get to our news.

May 9, 2025

Friday Video: Who Ruined Outdoor Dining?

We sent our own video team to find out.

May 9, 2025

Decision 2025: Mayoral Hopefuls Discuss E-Bikes … With Joy and Concern

E-bikes are a vital tool for delivery workers and for people seeking to reduce their use of private cars. What would you do to both expand e-bike use and make streets safer? And the answers are...

Live from Albany: Hochul’s ‘Safety’ Measures Stripped from Budget

Lawmakers dropped three initiatives that Gov. Hochul said would have made roadways safer (though, as we'll see, that's very much in question). Let's review them.

May 9, 2025
See all posts