A number of Upper West Siders have recently been voicing concerns and complaints over Revel moped riders. The electric moped-sharing app was first launched in NYC in May 2019.
Some have seen people riding through pedestrian paths in Central Park, endangering dogs and children. Others have seen them riding on sidewalks and against traffic, making illegal U-turns, riding without helmets, colliding into cars and making what they’ve described as ‘aimless joy-rides,’ looping around in circles.
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Sadly, a CBS reporter named Nina Kapur was killed while riding on a Revel as a passenger this past Saturday.
Some people who’ve used Revel hold the company responsible. In addition to a very brief training tutorial, riders state the bikes are difficult to handle and are accident-prone with faulty parts.
Getting access to the bikes is extremely easy. After downloading the app, you just need to scan a photo of the front and back of your driver’s license and pay $5 to verify your details. No training is required, even though they’re similar to motorcycles (which most people have no experience driving).
Revel has banned quite a few people from its ride-sharing app for many of the infractions listed above. As recently reported by Gizmodo, the startup has suspended over 1,000 accounts for “being reckless idiots.”
Since the inception of the company, Revel has racked up quite a few lawsuits from both injured riders and pedestrians.
What’s your experience been? Have you seen people riding these things recklessly? Have you taken a ride yourself? Leave a comment below!
“while riding on a Revel as a pedestrian”
huh?
Oy. Thank you for catching! Meant “as a passenger” … I fixed it …
I crossed Riverside and 90th today according to the light but the Revel in the last lane kept going. Had I been walking a tad faster I would have been hit.
Definitely!!! Mostly young 18-24yr olds. At 110th st and Amsterdam I cringe everytime I see a reveal go down to Columbus Ave. They fly down that hill. I hear the screech of brakes continously. Yes, definitely alot of untrained/skilled riders.
One was exiting the Hudson River Parkway (HRP) at 95th and Riverside. I was crossing the exit heading south along Riverside Drive on a walk sign. The Revel rider crossed the solid white line with a big smile on his face. I had to cross the exit behind scooter. He was definitely enjoying a honeymoon ride at the risk of others. Only in the USA. My joy is more important than your life.
These things are cool in theory but people abuse them and there should 100% be a training before being able to ride. I personally have witnessed 4 accidents which people were seriously injured in nyc on these things within the last few months.
If the city needs an infusion of money, the traffic enforcement division of the NYPD (if it hasn’t already been demobilized) only needs to have a squad car or two available to chase down the “Revelers” failing to stop for red lights anywhere along RSD between 72nd and 96th streets. Guarantee a pedestrian crossing with the light in his or her favor will, unfortunately, be killed one of these days.
I was pushing my daughter in her stroller on the closed streets of West End. The Revel driver didn’t get on the Revel yet and hit the throttle for whatever reason. He lost control of it and it almost hit us.
One rider got killed in front of my building on 4th of July. The next day on the same block I saw another guy just hit a car and fall off. Of course no helmet… and twice while riding a bike in Central Park I saw Revel riders in the bike lane. And once coming out of my lobby 2 kids (no helmets) going at least 25 mph on a downhill sidewalk almost bumped into me… this is a vehicle which needs to be treated as a motorcycle. Meaning – motorcycle training and license. It’s not a bike, and not a scooter.
Revel riders lean towards idiots. As if the NYPD didn’t have enough to deal with, now these riders who rarely follow rules appear. On the sidewalk, in the bike lane on the main road….where are they now?…where are they going????who knows…as long as Revel makes money!!!!!!!!idiots!!!
I did not feel safe using one. And I only went down one street just to try it out. I am not sure how other mopeds work, but as soon as you hit the throttle it jerks you forward way too quickly. I tried it once and never used it again because I did not feel safe. I haven’t used other mopeds, so I don’t know if this is normal for mopeds or if its cheaply made. It felt like extremely poor design to me. And I hated it. I am not surprised to hear about all the accidents and know there will be plenty more.
I also felt like I needed a parking lot to practice in, because I have never used one before. And the directions were not thorough at all.
I agree that it is definitely not a bike or a scooter.
And I have also witnessed many reckless people. Initially, the roads were empty because of the virus, but now that it is getting busy again, it seems like the number of accidents will increase.
I am very curious to try other mopeds to compare. These feel unsafe to me, but maybe it’s because I’m not experienced in moped riding.
These electric motorbikes are a menace. I rarely see anyone wearing a helmet (but that’s their problem) However, its my problem when the ride silently in wrong direction and almost hit me as they have on at least two occasions. The City of New York should be sued and held liable for Nina’s death. They allow people to ride them and imply the electric bikes and city streets are a safe place. They clearly are not. In the cities attempt to promote NYC as a “green” city they have neglected safety. They should be held accountable for not enforcing helmet laws. Both Bloomberg and Debalsio are accountable
Just what this City needs, more idiots on the roads. I’ve been saying for a long time that more than a half the number of car drivers should not have the driver license and now these start up companies just like the city bikes are interested only in making quick bucks and put more morons on the roads.
And I know what I’m talking about because I have under my belt over 2 millions of miles behind the wheel and I don’t make money by driving.
Mayor deblasio is an idiot
But, compared to Trump, he’s a genius!
They are on the exact same level, just opposite ends of the political spectrum…
Setting aside that I predicted almost all of this when I saw the first Revel scooter parked on my block – and even wrote to elected officials predicting what was going to happen – i have been monitoring them for some time. Here is what I saw in a single two-hour period sitting on a bench on the Broadway Mall.
I counted 27 scooters. Only 5 people were wearing helmets. 21 of the scooters were going through red lights, three of them making illegal rights on red. 1 turned the wrong way up a one-way side street (and did not stop; i.e., it was not a “mistake”). That was in a single day!! I have also seen them riding in the bike line on Columbus Avenue, one of them going the wrong way.
These bikes are a clear menace. I have written to the company twice now about all this. Interestingly, they actually acted on one of my suggestions: when I first viewed their website, they had six rules for riding Revels – but not ONE WORD on obeying local traffic laws. They now have that on their website, but it has apparently not helped much.
What is to be done?
I agree 100% with this article. They are reckless, dangerous, and legally shouldn’t be riding on walking paths. I constantly see them in Riverside Park along the water.
July 22 on the corner of 67th and CPW, at 3:50 p.m., a Revel moped ran a red light heading north. I stepped off the sidewalk to cross the street going west, and felt the air of the moped behind me. Two riders both without helmets. This is just one story. I’ve seen others. How many more accidents do we need to stop this failing experiment?
Revel riders seem far more responsible than the entitled ride-on-the-sidewalk, ride through red lights, ride against traffic cyclists, all over the place!
I have ridden Revel twice and the most dangerous thing about it is the Traffic Law breaking cyclists!
Only bad thing is wearing a helmet someone else has sweated into! Revel provide sanitary wipes with those helmets please!
I love the Revel scooters. They are fun and easy to use and great for getting around town. I always wear my helmet and follow the rules.
They are great if you follow the rules. The problem is that there are more than a few who don’t. I am a motorcycle rider, I have the Revel app but haven’t used it yet. I get really pissed when I see riders without helmets because that tells me they are idiots who don’t give a damn and will break the rules, something you don’t do on any two wheeler, whether is a Revel or a 600 lb motorcycle like mine.
We were walking on 60th St, I think it was, the part of it that slopes downward. A Revel rider careened past is on the sidewalk, hitting the woman in front of us as he raced his friend Revel rider who was on the street. He had no control as he wobbled back and forth, did not warn us that he was coming, and did not stop after he hit the young woman. Luckily it was a glancing blow and she did not seem to be hurt. Something should be done about these new menaces.
Part of the problem with Revel is that they charge by the minute so there’s a financial incentive to get where you’re going as fast as you can. If that means running red lights or going to wrong way down one way streets then that will happen so people can save money.
Any vehicle (any; including bikes) that use wheels should follow car laws: direction, signals, full stops at signs and lights, turns from correct lanes, etc. The motor vehicle laws are clear and leave little to no room for interpretation. If you break one you should get a summons like a car does. Period. The end. I don’t care if an idiot rides a motorized vehicle without a helmet; that’s their stupidity. The tragedy happens when they hurt a pedestrian. This city cannot grow with this chaos. Stop it now.
Good to see some supportive comments here.
I’ve enjoyed Revel and excited to have the opportunity.
Let’s not overly limit options for most, because of the idiot few. 90% of people are good, safe, smart citizens, going about their lives. Then there is the 10% that ruin it for the rest. (i sued to say 3%, btw!) Same with Revel.
Entitled, arrogant, idiot bicyclists, and the unused bike lanes for same cyclists, are far, far bigger problems. CRAZY!.
Revel is minor comparatively, and should be treated as such. Cut off the bad actors – with Revel’s app and gps it’s easier to track rider transgressions than cars, cabs, trucks, bikes, or pedestrians. Sure, provide training, a license, etc. But the benefits to our streets, the congestion, and the opportunities to get around if you don’t live on top of a subway are great benefits. Honestly. They’re very fun too, done correctly.
I have no issue with e-mopeds per se. Part of the problem is training. At present, Revel only offers training in the Gowanus area in Brooklyn. That’s a shlep for UWSiders – about 50 mins each by subway (who’s taking them nowadays?!). So most Revelers do DIY training based on a short video on their website. Far from ideal.
I’ve written to Revel asking for more training sites and didn’t receive a reply. Pity.
I am relieved that this problem is finally getting some attention. I’m on 96th, between CPW and Columbus. I have seen a Revel rider (no helmet) knocked into the intersection when he ran into a car, which then fled. I have seen countless riders using the bike lane (in both directions on Columbus and Amsterdam, not infrequently going through red lights and startling pedestrians crossing with the light. (In this, they differ not at all from bikers, but I’ve resigned myself to losing that battle.) Two evenings ago, I witnessed a rider making loops around the 96-Columbus intersection, blocking traffic on both streets. And yes, they zoom through the paths of the Park. People, if you want to ride a motorcycle or moped, go get yourself one.
Does Revel have a complaint hotline?
Not that I can find. The link to e mail them from the web site doesn’t work. I wrote a letter, but have had no reply. I’m a bit further up town, in Inwood, and they’re a complete menace here. If a quarter of the people riding them are legal license holders, I’d be amazed. The sooner they’re off the streets the better.
Thanks.
I’m in Inwood as well. It’s like the Wild West. All over the sidewalks — and you cannot hear them approaching from behind — riding against traffic, indifferent to red lights and stop signs, and harassing people walking dogs and other pedestrians as they pass by.
If you live in a wealthy or secure neighborhood, there are not many of us who want to hear about what a thrill it is for you to ride a moped. Most of the rest of us are too distracted by saving our lives, health, and well-being.
Maybe it’s fun and will ultimately be a good thing for the city, but not now, not when no one is policing them. At this time, it’s just another form of abuse and another thing that can hurt, maim, or kill you.
Everything I’ve witnessed wrong with Revel, I’ve also witnessed from privately-owned scooters. That includes riding on the sidewalk, riding in the bike lane, riding in the bike lane across the Queenboro bridge while yelling at people to get out of the way, riding the wrong way in the jogging lane in Central Park, running red lights, etc.
If you’re going to argue against Revel then you need to make the same arguments against privately-owned scooters. Neither require anything beyond a standard driver’s license (so long as top speed is 30mph, which is true for Revel). In fact, Revel is perhaps better because at least they ban their riders for being reckless and dumb.
While you’re at it, I’d also say that all the same is true for motor-driven bicycles (specifically, not pedal-assist). Those don’t even get registered and are essentially electric motorcycles.
They are not bicycles, they have motors, which makes them MOTORvehicles. They should follow ALL laws pertaining to motor vehicles. I have almost been hit several times by revelers going the wrong way in the bike lanes. They are quiet so you don’t hear them coming. Very dangerous
I agree. They are fun if done safely. Problem. NYC was not designed for bike/moped traffic. The streets are crowded with trucks, cabs, and cars. There is no safe space no matter what the city does. They can mitigate, but never eliminate. The safe place for a bike and moped in on Shelter Island. Unfortunately, they always loose the battle with a truck or car. Its just physics. What worries me as a pedestrian, is that I lose the battle when a 25 year old with a passenger slams into me at 30+MPH. I lose.
Late morning today while stopped at a red light going downtown on Broadway near the Apple store, two Revel scooters Weber between cars and proceeded to drive right through the red light.
As always we blame the riders or drivers when our City administration selects and implements a solution without necessary regulations to address the negative consequences. Same story as ride share (did we need more transportation options in Manhattan or is the need in the outer boroughs?) Same story with e-bikes, everyone calls out the delivery people when it is everyday riders who constitute the bulk of the unsafe riding. Solutions are implemented without a performing needs or risk assessment. I am a cyclist and have been using the streets year round streets for over 15 years. I wish that our city would implement laws to register all vehicles and use technology for enforcement of laws (when they are developed).
My motorcycle arrived from Arizona today and I had to pick it up in Brooklyn. There I was, sweating like a pig, but a happy pig, wearing my helmet, happily and who pulls up next to me near the Bklyn Navy Yard – a middle aged man on a Revel. He was not wearing his helmet and I told him he should put it on. He told me to go f–k myself. I have seen lots of Revel riders, half of whom wore helmets, half of whom didn’t. I’ve seen some go up side streets in the wrong direction. The problem is that they are small electric scooters that have a max speed of 30 mph. As such, you do not need a motorcycle license to ride them. Bad, bad, bad in my view. If they were 50cc gas, you still wouldn’t need the license (125cc and up requires the endorsement) but at least you could hear them coming and going. The Revels are silent. Another problem.
The city really has to crack down on them and more importantly on bicycle riders who ride on the sidewalks and ride in the wrong direction. It’s time they started enforcing all of the motor vehicle laws for all, not just cars and trucks.
I’ve seen people riding Revels in Riverside Park on the bike paths riding at what seemed the highest speed possible; no helmets on. And several near misses on West End and on Broadway. These should be banned… or throttled to no more than 15MPH.
Witnessed REVEL driver yesterday (7/21/20 – 4:30pm) cruising up 3rd Avenue @ toward 75th St…ran red light and made a right hand turn, without signaling, onto the NORTH SIDEWALK on E 75th street toward 2nd avenue….he was going very fast on a pedestrian sidewalk, ran a red light, didn’t signal turn…WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? !!! These mopeds/scooters are being driven by unqualified drivers and can easily injure/kill anyone unlucky enough to get near them.
Honestly I was so surprised the city allowed these motor bikes. They appeal to young people
Who aren’t the best drivers. I think they are very dangerous to the riders and pedestrians.
Unfortunately, with covid people are avoiding the subway and buses and are using these motor bikes. My 24 year old son was cut off by another driver and fell off his revel. He was scraped up pretty bad. It took about two weeks for him to heal. Personally, I wish he wouldn’t ride it.
I was standing in front of Manhattan Valley Indian waiting for my Nan and Chicken Tikka and watched a young man with a girl on the back run a red light and plow straight into a moving car. I checked them both, breathing but the male was messed up. I went to the woman in car and gave her my number and later testified as to what I witnessed. NYC is negligent for encouraging these scooters as green, no helmet laws, and supporting reckless driving (running red lights and no helmets with impunity). I have almost been hit myself on numerous occasions. The city wants to hit green mandates and supports bikes rentals, e-scooters and all else at our peril. It is not safe for anyone anymore.
Hear, hear!
I just took a scooter riding lesson from Revel and think they should be mandatory! I have never ridden a motorized bike before but am a very good bike rider so i thought the transition would be easy. It is not, it is actually pretty dangerous for a first-time scooter rider to ride in public streets, imo. Controlling the throttle is among the most difficult thing to get used to, as well as the fact that you are trying to balance and control a 250lb vehicle; which is much more difficult than controlling a 30lb bike, surprising enough, lol!
It is too easy to use too much throttle in the beginning and go out of control if you are not experienced or have not had lessons. The other difficult part is when you are nervous you may subconsciously press down on the brake, and when you use the throttle, don’t feel your bike moving, use more throttle, then realize you are holding down the brake; u release the brake and your scooter jumps out from under you.
NYC has become a literal “dodge” city, dodging scooters (and electric bikes) all day long. In a single day, I counted 27 of 29 scooter riders (mostly Revels) without helmets, 25 of 29 going through a red light (scooter riders seem to consider lights “advisory” rather than mandatory), 3 going the wrong way on one-way streets, and several riding in the bike lane (where only non-motorized vehicles are legally permitted). They simply don’t give a s— about anyone.