I have written many articles in past issues of the Juniper Berry promoting bicycling in various parks and along greenways in Queens, and I have always stressed safety when riding and warned of the “Wild West” that was coming with the legalization of all forms of battery- assisted vehicles, from the proliferation of the CitiBike & Lime Scooters that have been placed on many streets & sidewalks in all neighborhoods of the city, to all the various kinds of e-bikes & scooters, e-skateboards and even e-unicycles. Some require license plates; some don’t. Some are legal; some are not. You would need a scorecard to figure out what’s what. I don’t even think the police know, never mind the average citizen.

Recently Mayor Mamdani sent cease-and-desist letters to 40 major retailers over the sale of prohibited motorized e-bikes and scooters lacking VINs or exceeding speed limits. Many feel this doesn’t go far enough. Councilman Wong as well as other council members are calling for regulations and laws to rein in some of the problems electric vehicles have created on our streets.

Arguments against regulation include: it will harm delivery riders who might be here illegally, licensing would create more interactions with the police for many others, and it would discourage people from using this alternative form of transportation.

We have all seen the flagrant violations of laws that go on every day on our streets and sidewalks. From running red lights to going the wrong way to riding on sidewalks to speeding, you name it. I’ve seen a group of scooters go right through a red light in front of a police car but police did nothing. If they were able to catch the riders they would be out of the station before the paperwork was done.

I feel that helmets should be mandatory for anyone riding on city streets. Currently it is just for those 13 years old or younger. Helmets are required for motorcycles and these bikes and scooters should be in that same class. A head injury can be very serious; our heads are like eggshells and helmets have been shown to be effective in preventing head injury. A helmet requirement might create problems for the bike rental companies, but riding in the street is dangerous, especially for tourists who are not familiar with the city and its laws. A helmet law would make it easier for a police officer to see a violation.

These bikes and scooters are heavier and faster than a conventional bicycle and if you ride one or are struck by one you could be killed or injured. I think we can all agree the time has come to rein them all in or else we can expect that it will only get worse.