Charlton D'Souza testifies on helmet laws and corruption

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Charlton D'Souza.

I'm the president of Passages United, and we're a nonprofit, and we do support EVSA.

What I'm seeing all over the city, not only with delivery drivers, but with regular city bike riders on e-bikes, they're going the wrong way,

they're speeding down Broadway, they're not looking, and many of them do not have helmets on.

And transportation alternatives, a member told me they do not support helmets.

Why is that?

And so what I would say to you, Mr.

Chairman, is that every bike rider in the city should be required to wear a helmet, have working lights, have working helmet lights.

They should be required to wear safety vests.

This is just common sense.

You don't need legislation for this.

Anyone with a brain can figure this out.

And this is the problem in the city.

And senior citizens are being hit by e-bikes outside Sunnyside Community Services because they put the bus stop in the middle of a bike lane, and that's the problem.

And so, you know, I understand the delivery apps are forcing the drivers to rush and everything, but at the same time, there's a lot of corruption going on here.

We all know what's going on.

The app companies are giving you guys contributions, and everyone's playing this game.

And guess what?

People are dying.

Okay, what do you say to those families who are dead?

They owe explanation.

Look at the thousands of victims in the hospitals.

The bike crisis, the injuries, this is a major crisis throughout the city.

ERs are full of victims being hit.

God only knows I can be hit tomorrow by an e-bike.

I don't have health insurance.

Who's going to pay for my health insurance?

Look at these poor drivers here.

Their speeches have been written by other people.

That's not right.

I think that should be investigated too.

But anyway, have a good one.

I'm sure our deliveries are more than capable.

Next.