Suffolk County officials had a press conference last week touting its new law that bans e-bikes and scooters on roads with speed limits above 30 miles an hour.
We agree with the ban on sidewalks, but we are not sure if this might have significant ramifications for low-income people who need to get to work in an efficient, affordable manner.
Of course, it’s absurd to think that an e-bike should be on a main road artery such as Sunrise Highway or the Long Island Expressway. But there are many local roads where the speed limit could go up to 40 miles an hour.
On Long Island, there is very limited public transportation, and owning a car is out of reach for many lower-income folks.
E-bikes give these folks a practical option to get to work. We see folks bicycling to work all the time on the shoulder of the road. What difference does it make if they have an electric bike that makes it more convenient for them and less physically onerous?
We think the sponsors of this bill were well-intentioned, but that the bill should be tweaked to be more practical and accommodating for those of lower means.