Traffic officers from the 108th Precinct issued a number of summonses and confiscated three gas-powered mopeds at the foot of the Queensboro Bridge Tuesday (NYPD)
Jan. 18, 2022 By Allie Griffin
The NYPD cracked down on moped drivers crossing the Queensboro Bridge via the bicycle/pedestrian lane Tuesday.
Officers from the 108th Precinct issued numerous summonses and confiscated three gas-powered mopeds at the entrance of the 59th Street Bridge bike and pedestrian path. The drivers were illegally using the bike lane to cross the East River, according to the NYPD.
Mopeds, motorcycles and other vehicles that require a license plate and DMV registration are banned from bike lanes by law. E-bikes and e-scooters, however, are permitted on bike lanes.
Mopeds rented from the rideshare company Revel are prohibited from crossing the bridge altogether.
Many New Yorkers and transit advocates have noted that the Queensboro Bridge bike and pedestrian path is dangerous even when moped drivers aren’t illegally using it.
Pedestrians and cyclists currently share the single lane — which is split with a line down the center for opposite traffic — on the bridge’s northern outer roadway. The advocates have said for years that the current pathway is too narrow to be safely shared by pedestrians and cyclists, who walk and bike in both directions.
The addition of mopeds illegally using the path makes the situation even more dire, according to a recent report. The New York Post spoke to multiple Queens residents who had been personally struck by a moped — or know someone who has — on the Queensboro Bridge pedestrian and bike path.
One 54-year-old Sunnyside parent told the newspaper that she was hit by a moped as she was walking over the bridge last month. She was walking to her job in Manhattan on Dec. 14 when a moped smashed into her and threw her like “a rag doll,” she said.
She said she suffered bruising, scraped knees and a welt on her head. She has since opted to take the bus instead of walking to work, according to the Post.
The newspaper recently reported counting more than 30 mopeds and motorcycles driving over the pathway in just one hour.
(NYC DOT)
Moped and motorcycle riders are required to drive over the bridge using a car lane.
One car lane, however, is planned to be converted into a pedestrian pathway to help improve safety on the bridge.
Former Mayor Bill de Blasio announced in April that his administration allocated $5 million in capital to create a separate pedestrian path. The city will use the funds to convert the southern outer roadway — currently used by cars — into a pedestrian pathway. The existing shared pathway on the northern outer roadway will become a two-way bike lane.
The shared bicycle and pedestrian lane on the north side of the Queensboro Bridge. The DOT plans to dedicate this strip for bicyclists– while a vehicle lane on the south side of the bridge will be converted for pedestrian use. (Photo: Queens Post)
Featured Events
32 Comments
It’s August. Still hasn’t happened. More and more mopeds using the bridge as well! I cycle into the city, mopeds are a danger to all… they are fast and reckless.
As someone who uses the bridge bike path on an almost daily basis, with a speed-limited, standing e-scooter, it’s great that they made a show of “enforcing”moped and motorcycle restrictions, but the reality is that there is still a virtually constant procession of mopeds and motorcycles on the bike and pedestrian path as well as in the bike lanes in streets and even on the sidewalks. I watch them drive right by police officers on a daily basis with no consequences. Do more than a little safety theater; do better.
I noticed they set up on the Queens side of the bridge. The seized mopeds were unregistered, the other mopeds were just redirected to the automobile lanes of the bridge. Next time setup on the Manhattan side and catch the illegal vehicles as they try to exit. There will a lot more than three seizures.
How about going after all vehicles constantly running red lights and going the wrong way on one-way streets?
Yes, let’s crack down on bicyclists who gnome the laws
Yea, walking over the bridge is risky, dodging fast moving objects both ways on a narrow lane, even bikes r reckless. It’s not 1 or 2, but a barrage of mopeds, scooters, motorcycles, who should be riding on the roads, but most don’t have plates.
I wish the cops in my area (Forest Hills) would crack down on those ear blasting fart cars! They speed on main roads and on the side streets and they’ll rev the engine a little bit at a time, not giving a dam about the time of day or night! Also tired of seeing out of state license plates. I saw a temporary one yesterday from NJ and it was paper because it was flapping in the wind. Drivers need to show proof that they live in those states (primarily) because if you live here, you’re supposed to register your car here after, I think, 6 months. All of the florida drivers are still here.
Good thing this only happens on the QBB, and not in the streets or anything. /s
I’m pretty sure the moped riders they ticket on the bridge also ride on the streets. Just easier to nail them on the bridge.
and a whopping 3 Mopeds confiscated…out of what, 1,000,000 on the streets? those summons mean nothing, much like a violent robbery. there’s no repercussions.
Yet another example of how broken and racists NYC’s police is. Start targeting POC!!
only a racist would point this out since its clearly not.
This is asinine. There are lanes on the bridge for anyone riding mopeds or motorcycles. There are plenty of POC riding bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, and walking on the bridge who don’t need the daily stress and fear of being struck by vehicles that don’t belong in a bike and pedestrian walkway.
Most are Hipsters on bikes fleeing Western queens for deals in Manhattan they protecting. Meanwhile the mayor says he doesn’t feel safe riding NYC’s subways.
https://nypost.com/2022/01/18/mayor-adams-admits-he-doesnt-feel-safe-on-trains-either/
Maybe Adams should of had a conversation with the NYPD, before trying to convince people to come back to work.
Tell those police officers to get off their phones, and get out their comfortable SUVs once in awhile and do their jobs to combat real crime. Most of these Moped Drivers are low skilled minority workers trying to make a living.
why? so they can be targeted by lunatics claiming fake woke racism? they wont EVER lift a finger after the way the’ve been treated. enjoy the crime you voted for. its gonna get sooo much worse, haha.
Don’t conflate issues. If they want to ride on motorcycles or mopeds, use the car lanes. If they want to use e-bikes, they’re welcome on the bike paths. You’re desperately and illogically virtue signaling here while simultaneously insulting minorities as “low skilled”. You’re not helping.
Yea lets protect all those going into Manhattan and keep tourists safe there and not care about what is happening in the outer boroughs when it comes to residential street safety.
This is literally about making commuting safer for people who live in Queens and commute to Manhattan for work. This is not mutually exclusive to outer borough residential street safety. Think harder.
While this might be still early to call, Adams acts and responses so far reveal him being a weak and woke mayor surrounded with a bunch of clueless officers that NYC will be stuck with for another 4 miserable years…you all take care and watch your back when you are out and about…
Very sad look for an already disrespected NYPD!
About time !! We are not in a third world country where they run rampant and out of control and used for crimes…
It is hard to admit, but the USA is the most northern underdeveloped country in the world! Look at the social system – every country in Europe is 50 years ahead of the USA. Environmental protection, alternative transport, the understanding of democracy – to compare that with developing countries is an insult to developing countries!
Not just this precious bridge.
And, yeah. Might as well branch out and crack down on mopeds and motorcycles on sidewalks!!!
The bus is better and safer than the trains. I wonder if the moped driver stopped to help the 54-year-old.
Too many e-bikes and e-scooters are going too fast over the bridge. Speed limit should be lowered.
The southern outer roadway is my preferred route driving back to Queens. I took it today. It should remain a car lane, or at minimum a car & e-rider lane. Smaller delivery vehicles could use it down the road.
Another DeBlasio mistake that should be overturned.
What a waste of resources. Arrest the new DA.
the feds need to arrest the DA. he’s complicit, aiding and abetting known criminals that he is releasing, ones with long rap sheets and violent felonies. this is a federal matter.
What about delivery men using the sidewalks in Sunnyside. Nobody will crack down on them because they are people of color.
No crack down because people like you want their delivery on time. Where’s your common sense?
great news! I hope they keep up enforcement. I’ve seen more than just mopeds I’ve seen straight up motor bikes. hopefully news outlets will continue to follow up on this.
About time-Good for the NY POST to expose this.