Sen. Felder Introduces Bill to Mandate Licenses and Helmets for Bikers

State Senator Simcha Felder has introduced four bills that would require all bike and scooter owners to have a license for their vehicles and to wear helmets whenever riding.

“The streets of NYC have become the wild, wild west,” Felder said in a statement to Hamodia. “The de Blasio administration has allowed a growing number of completely unregulated bicycles, ebikes, electric scooters and dirt bikes/ATV’s on our city streets and Vision Zero has become Zero Vision. Everyone can see that the results are proving deadly! New York has a process in place to earn the privilege and responsibility of operating a motor vehicle on our streets. It includes education, licensure, registration and enforceable safety regulations. These bills expand the current system that provides education, responsibility and accountability to everyone on NYC streets.”

Someone not wearing a helmet while riding would face a $50 fine.

The rules would apply to all bikes, including electric bikes, and electric scooters, which would be required to have a license plate affixed to the vehicle.

If the person already has a driver’s license, there would be a way to mark that the person additionally had a bicycle or a scooter.

Additionally, riders would be required to take a course in safety operating of such vehicles, and take a test upon completing the class to determine their capabilities. The test would be given by the New York City DMV.

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smarcus@hamodia.com