To the Editor:
The new e-bike restrictions being considered by the town board will have a disproportionate effect on those with low income, people of color and the elderly. The town is basically saying that a healthy well-off person in riding gear on a $1000+ road bike is welcome in town, but an elderly person who needs an e-bike or a a low-income individual trying to take care of their basic business (employment, food, laundry, etc) is not.
I ride frequently on Hubbard and Peconic Bay Blvd and in my experience, the weekend warriors who ride at high speed, ignore stop signs and many times ride in large groups pose a much greater safety hazard than the few e-bike riders I encounter.
What this will create is another pretext for police to stop people, especially people of color. I’m sure the police already have the ability to stop and cite people who are operating bicycles or e-bikes in an unsafe manner. Why don’t we step up that kind of enforcement instead?
Adam Abrego
Aquebogue
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