Week of Mar 16

The Panic Over E-Bikes Is Loud. The Pain Cars Cause Is Silent.

Luis Cruz died on a Friday night in Greenpoint. An e-bike delivery worker blew through a stop sign and hit him. Witnesses said he died on the spot. “These electric bikes, they’re no joke,” said Jack Collins, a restaurant worker. “It’s not a unicorn incident. I’ve seen several people get swiped.”

The story ran in every paper. Politicians called for tighter rules. The city stirred.

But Cruz was one of two people killed on New York City streets that week. The other death? No name. No headlines. No outrage.

The Vehicles That Kill

E-bikes account for less than 2% of traffic deaths in New York. Cars, SUVs, and trucks account for nearly all the rest. Between 2021 and 2024, six pedestrians were killed by e-bike riders. In the same time, 471 were killed by other vehicles.

This week was no different. Of the six serious injuries, five came from cars or SUVs. One came from a bike.

The city knows this. It has known for years. But the outrage is selective. The silence is systemic.

The Real Pattern

Between March 16 and 21, two people died. Six suffered serious injuries. Most were hit by cars, SUVs, or trucks. Not e-bikes.

A 2-year-old girl and a 50-year-old woman were struck by a sedan in Brooklyn. They were crossing outside a crosswalk. The toddler’s leg was injured. The woman’s hip was hit by the same car.

In the Bronx, an 81-year-old man was hit at an intersection. He was found unconscious, bleeding from the head.

In Manhattan, a 55-year-old man was crossing with the signal. An SUV crushed his leg. The report lists “crush injuries.”

None of these stories made the news. The press ignored them. The city looked away.

The City’s Failure

The city has tools that work: lower speed limits, raised crosswalks, protected intersections. But it moves too slow. And people keep getting hit.

“One death on our streets is still one too many,” said Mayor Adams. But the city acts like some deaths matter more than others.

“These aren’t just statistics,” said Goudy Fonfrias of Families for Safe Streets. “Every single one is a person with a family, friends, and a community.”

“Our leaders are failing New Yorkers,” said Elizabeth Adams of Transportation Alternatives. “2024 is on pace to be the deadliest year.”

This week, a toddler was hit. An elder was left bleeding in the Bronx. A man was crushed in a crosswalk. Their stories were buried. Their pain ignored.

If the City Can Act for One, It Can Act for All

Luis Cruz deserved better. So did the 2-year-old girl. So did the 81-year-old man. So did the 55-year-old crushed in the crosswalk.

If the city can mobilize outrage over a rare e-bike crash, why does it stay silent when a child is hit by a car?

Take action now. Because if we don’t speak for the silent victims, no one will.

← Another Life Lost at Northern & Parsons. How Many More? Three Kids. One Mom. One Street. All Gone. →

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