A lawsuit filed Thursday in Richmond County Supreme Court accuses New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of creating a dangerous environment on city streets by easing enforcement against reckless e-bike riders. The complaint, lodged by nine individuals injured by e-bikes, claims Mamdani's March directive effectively legalized dangerous riding and has resulted in lawlessness.
The lawsuit alleges that Mamdani's order bars police officers from issuing criminal summonses for offenses such as running red lights, riding on sidewalks, or traveling the wrong way on one-way streets. Instead, officers are limited to issuing civil tickets for unlicensed e-bike riders, which the plaintiffs contend can be ignored without consequence.
"The lack of any actual safety policy, or even concern frankly, is the very definition of capricious decision making, as well as a stunning offense to public trust," the lawsuit states, characterizing the policy change as an "offense to public trust."
Plaintiffs claim the policy has transformed sidewalks and crosswalks into "zones of exclusion" for vulnerable populations like seniors and disabled New Yorkers who may not be able to quickly evade fast-moving e-bikes. The suit cites several incidents, including an 83-year-year-old woman who suffered a concussion and fractured kneecap after an e-bike jumped a curb and hit her on the sidewalk. Another plaintiff, a 75-year-old man, was knocked unconscious and suffered a fractured clavicle when an e-bike collided with his Citi Bike, impacting his ability to work as a physician. A third individual sustained a brain injury and broken ribs after being struck from behind while walking in a Central Park pedestrian lane, leading to a coma and ongoing dizziness and headaches.
The lawsuit seeks a judicial order to void Mamdani's policy and reinstate the former administration's approach, which the plaintiffs argue led to a significant reduction in e-bike crashes and fatalities. Data from NYU Langone cited in the suit indicates that e-bike and scooter crashes now constitute 7% of all trauma admissions, with pedestrians hit by these devices experiencing brain injuries at nearly double the rate of riders. Mamdani, an avid cyclist himself, has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit's claims.