Council Member Vickie Paladino criticizes bike culture and lack of enforcement

Good afternoon, everybody.

Well, first of all, let me echo what my colleague in council just said, Phil Wong.

100% Phil, you are on spot on, as was Bob Holden when he introduced Priscilla's Law two years ago.

Again, like we talked about earlier, Phil had just said, about how nothing is going to work unless something is reinforced.

This is absolutely cellophane.

This is nothing.

You know, I'm looking at this hearing.

This is again and again and again and again.

We have allowed, we have allowed, this city has allowed the bike industry to take over our streets.

And all we're hearing about here today is how people are getting hurt, how they're supposed to be on safe streets.

Okay?

There are no safe streets.

So long as these bike riders own the streets and drive on the streets as if they own it.

Then you go to the cops here and you talk to the police officers as if, what are you doing to enforce the law?

What are they supposed to do if the law isn't even being enforced?

None of these people are licensed, registered, or insured.

They pursue chase, and what happens to the police officer when they pursue chase?

Okay?

They get in trouble.

Enough is enough.

We are sitting here in city council today to try to rectify a situation that you have allowed to get out of control.

Also, GOP, let me ask you this.

Please keep it down.

Let the council member speak, please.

Thank you.

This is what the bike culture has become in New York City.

And we have the bike lobby led by the lobbying group, otherwise known as Transportation Alternatives, and their propaganda outlet known as Street Blogs to thank for it.

Does anybody know about the young guy, 41 years old, that was killed in Central Park yesterday by a bike rider?

Okay, 41 years old in Central Park.

Why is that?

Because they're using Central Park as if it's some sort of Tour de France.

Enough is enough.

You want to pull this in?

Get these bikes.

You've got to start from scratch to tell you the God's honest truth.

This has got to all be pulled back.

I know I'm speaking in terms that you don't want to hear, but the reality is we let this go wild.

With no accountability.

And now here we sit, three years later, I'm sitting in this chair, four years and six months, and you know what?

Nothing has changed.

It's only gotten worse.

You show me a street design that works.

We had Shaker up here talking about how his safe streets, now all of a sudden,

The bike riders are taking over his safe streets.

Oh, my goodness.

Is that new to anybody?

Thank you, Council Member.

Fix the problem.

The problem lies right here.

We've got laws.

We've got to get them enforced.

But I mean enforced.

This is ridiculous now.

Thank you, Council Member.

Thank you.

Please keep it down.