Electric Bike Ban in New York Hurts Food Delivery Workers

 

A ban on electric bicycles in New York City is hurting delivery workers who depend on them to earn a living. Many of the workers are immigrants.

Electric bicycles, or “e-bikes,” have foot-powered pedals like other bicycles. But they also have electric-powered motors to assist riders in moving the bike forward. Most e-bikes reach speeds of about 32 kilometers an hour, but some can go much faster.

Aimin Liu often uses an e-bike to deliver up to 40 Chinese food orders all across Manhattan each day. He is 60 years old. He says an e-bike makes his job much easier.

“My legs are no good. I'm not capable of riding a regular bike. Both of my feet hurt. I have arthritis¹ on both sides.”

Although it is legal to own e-bikes in New York City, it is not legal to operate them. Officials there cite the dangerous use of e-bikes on streets and sidewalks as reason for the ban. Last year, the city announced severe measures meant to hold e-bike riders and restaurants that employ the riders responsible.

E-bike operators can now be fined $500 for violating the ban. Police can also seize the bikes.

Aimin Liu says he fears he might physically² collapse³ if he tried to complete his daily work using a normal bicycle. He also estimates he could only deliver about half the number of orders.

Many of New York's delivery workers are Chinese immigrants in their 50s and 60s. Their job requires them to work quickly and for long hours in order to earn enough money to live on.

Delivery worker Deqing Lian said it is important to perform quality work because their job also depends on tips.

“Sometimes we go to places that are very far. If we're too slow the customers will be unhappy.”

He added that when delivery workers are too slow, some people refuse to pay for the food. This makes the workers’ supervisors⁴ angry.

Liqiang Liu is an e-bike delivery worker and spokesperson for the New York Delivery Workers Union. He says being caught violating the ban and having the bike seized would cause costly⁵ delays for workers.

“All told, we're looking at four to five days off. So when you're looking at the loss of four to five days worth of pay - on top of the $500 fine - we're easily looking at an economic loss of over $1,000.”

Do Lee is with the Biking Public Project, which provides assistance to bicycle-related workers in New York City. He says the city’s ban on e-bikes is unfairly targeting low-paid workers who largely come from the city’s Latino and Asian communities. He does not accept the argument that e-bikes present a danger to citizens.

However, many New Yorkers are quick to blame e-bike riders for not being safe.

“They never stop on red lights,” said New York resident Lana Rayberg. “They go in any direction.”

New Yorker Bill McGowan says he has mixed feelings about e-bikers in the city.

“I'm very sympathetic because I know how hard they work and how they have got to be as productive as they can possibly be. But they should have some more awareness⁶ and consideration for pedestrians⁷.”

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

delivery – n. the act of taking something to a person or place

pedal – n. control on a piece of equipment that is pushed with a foot

capable – adj. able to do something

arthritis – n. illness that causes parts of the body where bones meet to become painful and often big

restaurant – n. place where you can buy and eat a meal?

tip – n. an extra amount of money given to someone who performs a service for you

customer – n. someone who purchases a product or service

resident – n. someone who lives in a particular place

awareness – n. the state of knowing that something (a situation, condition, or problem) exists

pedestrian – n. a person who is walking in a city, along a road, etc.

1 arthritis   

n.关节炎

参考例句：

• Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
• He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

4 supervisors   

n.监督者，管理者( supervisor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I think the best technical people make the best supervisors. 我认为最好的技术人员可以成为最好的管理人员。 来自辞典例句
• Even the foremen or first-level supervisors have a staffing responsibility. 甚至领班或第一线的监督人员也有任用的责任。 来自辞典例句

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

7 pedestrians   

n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》