by Emily Sachar
Newsday, February 5,1993
Bike messengers and food-delivery cyclists who ride on city sidewalkswould have their bicycles confiscated under stiff new legislation intendedto clear walkways of a dangerous menace.
The bill, likely to be approved within weeks by the City Council, comesas senior citizens have begun complaining to politicians in record numbersabout the cyclists who whip by as they walk down city sidewalks.
The number of pedestrian-bicycle accidents in New York City is on theincrease after years of decline. From 327 such accidents in 1989, the numberincreased to 329 in 1990 and to 358 in 1991; five of those resulted inpedestrian deaths.
"We all have had the experience of having a bicycle silently whizby and scare the daylights out of us," said the bill's lead sponsor,Councilman Charles Millard (R-Manhattan and Roosevelt Island).
"An unfortunate few have actually been struck and seriously injuredor killed." The council will soften the blow to cyclists with a companionbill that would double the fine, from $50 to $100, for motorists who double-parkalong the city's street bike lanes.
The new legislation would authorize police to seize a bike operatingon a sidewalk on the spot. To get it back, the cyclist would have to posta bond and attend a hearing. Police would fine the biker a minimum of $100;now, the fine is set by a judge, if the biker shows up in traffic court
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