A press conference was held today, Wednesday, June 16 at 2:15pm to mourn the loss of beloved actress Lisa Banes, and to promote new legislation which would treat hit-and-runs by motorized scooters more seriously than the misdemeanors they currently are.
West 64th and Amsterdam Avenue was the site of the affair, just steps away from where Banes was struck in the street by a motorized scooter running a red light while going the wrong way down the road. Right across the street stands Lincoln Center and The Juilliard School, where Banes earned her BFA.
Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal portion of the press conference began with a description of her walk from her nearby apartment, calling the streets “mayhem.” Rosenthal told the gallery “there are all manner of vehicles not obeying the traffic rules but we’ve seen that the increase of electric scooters [have caused] many more accidents that are happening, and many more crashes [are] just on the horizon.” Rosenthal shared statistics regarding electric scooter accidents. Most notably, there have been 588 electric scooter crashes reported since 2020, with 538 people injured and at least 3 pedestrians killed.
Greg Schriefer, a dear friend of Lisa Banes, described her as an “elegant and vivacious woman” before calling the June 4 hit-and-run “senseless.” Schriefer demanded legislation to charge hit-and-runs on motorized scooters as felonies.
The President of the West 64th – West 67th Street Block Association, Chris Giordano, said “this is a reminder we need safety on our streets at all levels.” He went on to remember the loss of Madison J. Lyden, who was killed on her bicycle at 67th and Central Park West less than 3 years ago. “Everyone needs a safe lane to travel in and we hope that our leaders will take this step and go further to bring the necessary vision to make our streets safer.”
Newly proposed legislation – bills A8128 and S7212 – looks to change the laws for scooter hit-and-runs. The way it stands now, according to Senator Hoylman, leaving the scene of an accident involving an electric scooter without reporting it is a class B misdemeanor with up to 6 months jail time. The Senator and Assembly Member Rosenthal are looking to raise this charge to a class B felony with up to 4 years jail time.
Not good enough. All people on wheeled vehicles need to obey traffic laws and we need to have laws in place and a manner of enforcement. Whether bikers etc need to be licensed or stopped a fined for ignoring the law something has to be done that is PREVENTION ACTION not after punishment.
The legislation will do nothing without enforcement. Almost every day I see Vespas and or motorcycles speeding up the Hudson River Greenway, but Rosenthal does nothing. Bicycles going 20mph are bad enough, but motorcycles travelling 40mph are going to kill someone.
ALL motorized vehicles should require a drivers license and registration. ALL OF THEM.
So many of us are outraged to say “We told you so!” AS soon as the Revels began showing up on the streets (and now there is Lime as well). Few riders wore helmets (despite a law saying you are required to, and guidelines from Revel saying you must), 80% ran red lights (and considered them “advisory”), and many rode the wrong way up one-way streets, despite the fact that ALL of these things are already illegal. It is even illegal for regular bicycles to do those thing, but at least regular bicycles are not motorized, generally travel at slower speeds, and are easier to stop.
Law are USELESS without enforcement. And when I spoke to local cops about enforcing moving violations, they all threw up their hands and said that they either will not or CANNOT do it; they are not permitted to chase scofflaws in their cars, and it is time-consuming to write tickets when they feel they should be concerned about more dangerous crime.
It is a merry-go-round, and NOTHING will ever be done, despite laws – many of which are already on the books – or good intentions. NOTHING. It is beyond tragic.
Maybe if the NYPD had the manpower, instead of chasing people who have been arrest 3 times in a row but keep being let off with a desk appearance ticket. Maybe if they didn’t cancel last year’s graduating class, there would be enough cops on foot to stop them at the time so they didn’t have to use their cars dangerously. Cutbacks have repercussions, or has no one noticed the increase in shootings now that the anti-crime undercover unit was also disbanded last year who used to know who the gang members were.
Absolutely correct! We should refund the police, bring back stop and frisk and bring back bail. We need to stop kissing the thug’s butts and seriously crack down on crime. Also, how do we even allow speeding bikes that have killed people, to be unlicensed?
Unless all motorized vehicles are required to be licensed and registered nothing will happen because there’s little way to Id an unlicensed ebike or scooter.
Please license these things! I almost was hit on Monday afternoon. because the scooter was running a red light! They need to be licensed…
The scooters are bad enough, but the delivery workers on their e-bikes are the biggest problem. They are totally out of control. They speed down the narrow bike paths at 15-20 mph, passing bike riders on either side without warning, often going the wrong way. One fatality I know of took place at Jing Fong on Amsterdam at 78th Street, when the restaurant manager stepped out into the bike path and was hit by a delivery worker on an e-bike going the wrong way. I’ve been biking around the city for many years, and I’ve never been so afraid. Now that the powerful e-bikes are no longer illegal, many more people have bought them. It’s Wild Wild Westside, and all over the City.
tougher legislation is still a joke if the perp remains on the loose. put in more cameras already!
So right on! Let’s add bikes on the sidewalk to the danger soup.. Renters think it’s ok to ride on the sidewalk until they get to Central Park. Some ideas: all vehicles, motorized or not, must have a large and readable license plate prominently displayed on their back. Make it happen by mid summer. Budget for cameras to be posted at all crossings. Require business owners who offer delivery service, to provide high visibility vests prominently printed with their business name to their delivery staff. Require staff to put them on before getting on their bikes and scooters. Legislate high fines for violations that include running lights, riding against traffic, and other reckless behaviors. Revoke the licenses.
Whoever struck Lisa Banes should be charged with vehicular manslaughter.
All motorized vehicles should be licensed and insured period. I am more afraid of being hit by an ebike or an electric scooter than a car since most drivers (though not all) do not go through red lights or drive the wrong way down the street or drive on sidewalks. Where are our elected officials- maybe busy doing a zoom while driving? It is your responsibility to insure the safety of pedestrians.
Every day cyclists of all kinds run red lights and ride on the sidewalk and not once is a ticket issued. Family members have been knocked down by cyclists who then just sailed off before the police and ambulances came. I have family members who ride bikes and stop for lights … it CAN be done.
Elaine Cuper
Anything on wheels that could kill you needs to be licensed and insured. It’s not if, anymore, it’s when somebody will be killed
Sick of seeing so many electric bicycles and scooters on the streets without abiding by the rules. Almost hit by bicycle twice but lucky enough to leave a comment here. It was not so lucky for someone I knew who worked on Amsterdam and 78 st. He was killed by a speeding cyclist… what is the point of having a dedicated lane for cyclist while they have never followed the traffic rules.
This is what happens when you have a lawless city run by plebs.
Until we have appropriate laws, licensing, and viable means of enforcement, ALL electric vehicles should be banned in the city.