Hell’s Kitchen Bleeds—Lower the Limit, Save a Life

Hundreds rode through Manhattan. Police targeted cyclists, not reckless drivers. Riders stopped at every light, exposed the law’s absurdity. One cyclist jailed for lacking ID. Drivers who injure go free. Cyclists demand fair treatment, safety, respect.

Streetsblog NYC reported on June 2, 2025, that hundreds of New Yorkers joined a mass ride to protest the NYPD’s intensified enforcement against cyclists. The demonstration, which began at Union Square, challenged new policies issuing criminal summonses for minor cycling offenses. Riders followed traffic laws, highlighting the crackdown’s contradictions. One cyclist, Erin Poland, said the policy 'is not actually protecting cyclists [but] putting them in more danger.' Another, Tara Pham, noted, 'I’ve been hit by vehicles twice... those drivers face no criminal charges.' The article details how police arrested a Citi Bike rider for not moving aside and lacking ID, while drivers who injure vulnerable road users often avoid serious consequences. The piece underscores the disparity in enforcement and questions the effectiveness and fairness of current NYPD tactics.

• Cyclists Protest NYPD Crackdown in Manhattan, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-06-02

Seventeen council members back Ryder’s Law to ban horse-drawn carriages. The bill stalls. Horses bolt, people get hurt. Speaker Adrienne Adams blocks a hearing. The city’s inaction leaves pedestrians, cyclists, and horses at risk. No change for street safety.

On June 2, 2025, City & State NY published an opinion urging action on Ryder’s Law, the stalled NYC Council bill to ban horse-drawn carriages. The article states, "Forcing horses to pound the pavement with heavy carriages in Midtown, where they compete with motor vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians, is inhumane." Seventeen council members, led by Robert Holden (bill sponsor) and Erik Bottcher (district includes stables), support the ban. Speaker Adrienne Adams has blocked a hearing and vote. The piece highlights recent incidents where bolting horses injured at least four people, including a pedicab driver. Despite the vivid danger, the safety analyst notes: "The event text does not describe any policy or legislative change affecting pedestrians or cyclists, so there is no direct impact on their safety." The bill remains stalled in committee, with no relief for vulnerable road users.

• Opinion: Stop our political blindness on inhumane horse-drawn carriages, City & State NY, Published 2025-06-02

Hundreds rode through Manhattan. They called out harsh summonses for e-bike riders. Police target cyclists with criminal charges for minor traffic moves. Drivers get tickets. Riders face court. The city’s rules hit the vulnerable. The streets stay dangerous.

Gothamist (2025-05-31) reports on a protest in Lower Manhattan against the NYPD’s policy of issuing criminal summonses to e-bike riders for traffic violations like running red lights or riding against traffic. Cyclists and advocates argue the penalties are harsher than those faced by drivers for similar actions. As one protester said, “It seems unfair to me that cyclists should receive a higher penalty for doing the same thing that a person in a car would do.” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch defended the crackdown, citing the lack of licensing for e-bikes as a challenge for enforcement, but acknowledged the need for legislative reform. The article highlights inconsistent enforcement and the risks faced by vulnerable road users, especially delivery workers. Policy gaps and unequal penalties expose systemic danger on city streets.

• E-Bike Riders Protest NYPD Crackdown, Gothamist, Published 2025-05-31

An e-bike struck Renee Baruch on the Upper West Side. She woke in pain, face broken, spine injured. NYPD cracks down with criminal summonses. Cyclists protest. City Council stalls. Streets stay dangerous. Justice, tangled in policy.

NY1 reported on May 30, 2025, that the NYPD is issuing criminal summonses to e-bike riders for traffic infractions, citing a lack of City Council action on new regulations. Commissioner Tisch told the Council, "Pass e-bike regulations." Cyclists object to criminal charges for minor violations, arguing for civil penalties instead. The article highlights the case of Renee Baruch, hospitalized after an e-bike crash left her with facial fractures and a spinal injury. The NYPD’s new Quality of Life Division targets reckless e-bike use, but without updated laws, criminal summonses remain their only tool. The policy gap leaves vulnerable road users exposed and enforcement inconsistent.

• NYPD Issues Criminal Summonses For E-Bikes, NY1, Published 2025-05-30

A cyclist hit a woman crossing with the signal on 10th Avenue at West 41st Street. She suffered a bruised shoulder and was semiconscious. Police cited improper passing or lane usage. The bike showed no damage. The street stayed busy. Danger lingered.

A crash occurred at the intersection of 10th Avenue and West 41st Street in Manhattan. A 54-year-old woman, crossing with the signal, was struck by a cyclist. According to the police report, she suffered a contusion to her upper arm and was semiconscious at the scene. The report lists 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper' as the contributing factor. The cyclist’s bike had no reported damage. No other injuries were specified. The data does not mention helmet use or signaling as factors. The crash highlights the risks pedestrians face even when following traffic signals, especially when drivers or cyclists fail to use lanes properly.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4816954 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04

Senate backs S 8117. Oneida County gets school speed zone cameras. Law sunsets in 2030. Lawmakers act. Streets near schools may slow. Children walk safer. Drivers face new eyes.

Senate bill S 8117, titled 'Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the county of Oneida,' passed committee votes on May 27 and June 10, 2025. The bill, sponsored by Senator Joseph A. Griffo (District 53), sets up speed cameras near schools in Oneida County. The program ends December 31, 2030. The Senate voted yes, with only two no votes and several excused. The measure aims to slow drivers near schools and protect children. No safety analyst note was provided. The bill now moves forward in the legislative process.

• File S 8117, Open States, Published 2025-05-27

A judge stopped federal threats to choke city funds over congestion pricing. The $9 toll stands. Streets stay crowded. The fight moves to court. Safety projects hang in the balance. The city waits. The deadline looms.

Patch reported on May 27, 2025, that District Judge Lewis Liman issued a temporary restraining order blocking the U.S. Department of Transportation from withholding federal funding as leverage against New York City's congestion pricing program. The judge's order 'bars the DOT from engaging in any retaliatory measures' and prevents cancellation of the toll, which charges drivers $9 to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. Federal officials had threatened to withhold funds for road and street safety projects if the city continued the program. The order lasts until June 9, keeping the toll in place and leaving critical infrastructure funding uncertain. The article highlights the standoff between federal authorities and city leaders, with safety and mobility projects at risk.

• Judge Halts Federal Attack On Tolls, Patch, Published 2025-05-27

A woman riding home on her e-bike was attacked late at night. She suffered grave brain injuries. The assailant stole her bike, fled, and dumped it in the river. The path had no lights, no cameras. She was left defenseless.

Gothamist reported on May 24, 2025, that Diana Agudela, a 44-year-old e-bike commuter, was brutally beaten on Randall's Island on May 16. The suspect, Miguel Jiraud, was arraigned on attempted murder and assault charges. Prosecutors said Jiraud, on parole and wearing a GPS anklet, attacked Agudela after 11:30 p.m., stole her e-bike, and discarded it in the East River. Agudela is not expected to survive, having undergone multiple brain surgeries. The article quotes Agudela’s daughter: “We need more protection, we need more lights.” The path where the attack occurred lacked lighting and surveillance. The incident highlights gaps in infrastructure and safety for vulnerable road users.

• E-Bike Commuter Beaten On Randall's Island, Gothamist, Published 2025-05-24

City targets 34th Street. Buses get priority. Cars must turn off. Goal: faster rides, fewer crashes. Officials cite 14th Street’s gains—speed up, crashes down. Change comes for Midtown. Riders wait for relief.

amNY reported on May 20, 2025, that New York City’s Department of Transportation proposed a dedicated busway for 34th Street between 3rd and 9th Avenues. The plan aims to boost bus speeds by 15% for tens of thousands of daily riders. Private cars and taxis could enter but must turn off at the first legal opportunity. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, 'After seeing tremendous success on 14th Street where buses have sped up, traffic has virtually disappeared, and far fewer New Yorkers are getting hurt in crashes we are excited to propose a similar design on 34th Street.' The 14th Street busway, launched in 2019, increased bus speeds by up to 24% and reduced crashes. The 34th Street plan seeks similar safety and efficiency gains, with community input shaping the final design.

• City Plans 34th Street Busway Overhaul, amny, Published 2025-05-20

A father mourns his daughter, killed by an SUV on the Upper West Side. Advocates gather in Albany. They press lawmakers for action. Speeders roam. Streets stay deadly. The call is clear: fix the system, stop the pain.

Streetsblog NYC (2025-05-14) reports on Families for Safe Streets and other advocates lobbying in Albany after a 13-year-old girl was killed by an SUV. The coalition pushes for the SAFE Streets Package, including speed-limiting devices for repeat offenders and the 'Idaho stop' for cyclists. The article quotes Darnell Sealy-McCrorey: 'This epidemic is preventable. It doesn't have to be this way.' Lawmakers show mixed support. Some cite privacy fears or question the seriousness of multiple speeding violations. Jackson Chabot notes, 'A lot of people have understood the bill because of the tragic and fatal crashes recently.' The piece highlights the urgent need for policy change to address reckless driving and systemic danger on city streets.

• Grieving Families Demand Safer Streets, Streetsblog NYC, Published 2025-05-14

Police ticket cyclists for obeying walk signals. Law says cyclists can cross with pedestrians. NYPD ignores it. Tickets pile up. One rider fights back in court. The city’s policy stands, unmoved by the law.

According to the New York Post (May 13, 2025), cyclist Oliver Casey Esparza filed a federal lawsuit against the NYPD, alleging officers wrongfully ticket cyclists for running red lights even when they follow pedestrian crossing signals, as permitted by a 2019 City Council law. The suit claims, 'the city maintains a policy and practice of detaining, ticketing, and prosecuting cyclists who lawfully ride through an intersection when the pedestrian control signal indicates white/walk.' Esparza received a $190 summons at Third Avenue and East 42nd Street, Manhattan, despite acting within the law. The lawsuit names current and former NYPD commissioners, accusing them of knowingly violating civil rights. The article notes a sharp rise in tickets for cyclists in early 2025. The NYPD declined to comment. The case highlights a gap between city law and police enforcement, raising questions about policy compliance and systemic accountability.

• Cyclist Sues NYPD Over Red Light Tickets, New York Post, Published 2025-05-13

Six died when a sightseeing helicopter shattered midair over the Hudson. The fuselage, rotor, and tail tore loose. Loud bangs echoed. The craft plunged. No black box. No warning. Only fragments and silence left behind.

NY Daily News reported on May 7, 2025, that federal officials released images showing a sightseeing helicopter breaking apart in midair before crashing into the Hudson River, killing six. The National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report details how the Bell 206L-4 split into three pieces: 'the fuselage, the main rotor system, and the tail boom.' Witnesses heard 'several loud 'bangs'' before the breakup. The helicopter had flown eight tours that day, all with the same pilot, who had less than 50 hours in this model. The aircraft had a prior maintenance issue with its transmission assembly and lacked flight data recorders. The NTSB noted the pilot wore video-capable sunglasses, but they remain missing. The crash highlights gaps in oversight and the risks of repeated tour flights without robust recording or inspection requirements.

• Helicopter Breaks Apart Over Hudson River, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-07

Senate backs S 4804. The bill sets first responder safety zones and lowers speed limits. Lawmakers move to shield workers on chaotic streets. The vote is swift. The intent is clear. Danger zones get new rules.

Senate bill S 4804, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' passed committee on April 29, 2025, and cleared the full Senate on May 6, 2025. Sponsored by Senator Christopher Ryan (District 50) with co-sponsors Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Robert Rolison, and William Weber, the bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and enforce lower speed limits in those areas. The measure won broad support, with nearly all senators voting yes. The bill targets the chaos and risk drivers pose to workers and bystanders at emergency scenes. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 4804, Open States, Published 2025-05-06

Senate backs S 4804. The bill sets first responder safety zones and lowers speed limits. Lawmakers move to shield workers on chaotic streets. The vote is swift. The intent is clear. Danger zones get new rules.

Senate bill S 4804, titled 'Relates to establishing first responder safety zones and setting speed limits in such safety zones,' passed committee on April 29, 2025, and cleared the full Senate on May 6, 2025. Sponsored by Senator Christopher Ryan (District 50) with co-sponsors Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., Pamela Helming, Robert Rolison, and William Weber, the bill aims to carve out protected zones for first responders and enforce lower speed limits in those areas. The measure won broad support, with nearly all senators voting yes. The bill targets the chaos and risk drivers pose to workers and bystanders at emergency scenes. No safety analyst note was provided.

• File S 4804, Open States, Published 2025-05-06

Three dead in two weeks. Cyclist crushed in Soho. Pedestrian killed crossing Woodhaven. Another cyclist struck by fire truck in Queens. Protected lanes grow, but streets remain perilous. City claims progress. The toll mounts. The danger persists.

amNY reported on May 4, 2025, that a surge in deadly collisions has struck New York City as spring brings more cyclists and pedestrians to the streets. On May 1, a cyclist died after hitting a van's open door and being thrown under a truck at Broome and Centre Streets. On April 25, a motorcyclist struck and killed Breanna Henderson as she crossed Woodhaven Boulevard. On April 19, a fire truck responding to an emergency collided with a cyclist, who died at the scene. The article notes, 'each of which is under investigation by the NYPD.' The city’s Department of Transportation points to expanded protected bike lanes—87.5 miles added in three years—and new barriers, but the recent deaths highlight ongoing systemic risks for vulnerable road users.

• Spring Collisions Expose Street Dangers, amny, Published 2025-05-04

A van door swung open. The cyclist struck it. He fell. A truck crushed him. Medics rushed him to Bellevue. He died. The street stayed busy. The drivers waited. The city moved on.

According to NY Daily News (May 3, 2025), Georgios Smaragdis, 44, was killed while riding his e-bike west on Broome Street in Soho. The article states, "he slammed into the door of a Mercedes van that its driver had just flung open," sending him into the path of a red delivery truck that ran him over. Both drivers remained at the scene. The van driver told the outlet, "I opened the door. I didn’t even see the guy." Police have not announced charges. The crash highlights the persistent danger of dooring and the lethal consequences for cyclists when drivers fail to check for oncoming traffic before opening doors. The incident underscores ongoing risks for vulnerable road users in Manhattan’s dense traffic.

• E-Bike Rider Killed After Dooring in Soho, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-03

Council passes law. Taxis and for-hire cars must post bold warnings on rear doors. Riders face the message: look for cyclists before swinging the door. A move to cut dooring. City acts. Cyclists stay in the crosshairs.

Int 0193-2024, now law, cleared the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and passed City Council on May 1, 2025. The bill, titled 'A Local Law...requiring taxis and for-hire vehicles to display a decal warning passengers to look for cyclists when opening the door,' demands clear warning signs on all rear passenger doors. Lincoln Restler led as primary sponsor, joined by Gutiérrez, Hudson, Rivera, Won, and others. The Taxi and Limousine Commission must provide decals at no cost. The law aims to fight dooring, a threat to cyclists citywide. Enacted May 31, 2025, it takes effect in 120 days.

• File Int 0193-2024, NYC Council – Legistar, Published 2025-05-01

A man on an e-bike struck a van door on Broome Street. The door swung open. He fell into the path of a box truck. The truck ran him over. Medics tried to save him. He died at Bellevue Hospital.

NY Daily News reported on May 1, 2025, that an e-bike rider died in Manhattan after being doored by a Mercedes van and then run over by a box truck. The crash happened around 10:10 a.m. on Broome Street near Centre Street. The van driver told the outlet, "I opened the door. I didn’t even see the guy. I only saw the accident." The collision forced the cyclist into the path of a red delivery truck, which then struck him. The 54-year-old truck driver stayed at the scene. Police had not determined if charges would be filed. The article highlights the lethal risk of dooring and the vulnerability of cyclists in mixed traffic. The incident underscores systemic dangers at curbside and the consequences of inattentive door opening.

• E-Bike Rider Killed After Van Door Crash, NY Daily News, Published 2025-05-01

A woman crossed Amsterdam Avenue. An ambulance turned left. Metal struck flesh. Bones broke. Blood spilled. She died in the hospital. The driver stayed, but charges followed. The street remains wide, busy, and dangerous.

NY Daily News reported on April 29, 2025, that Juan Santana, an ambulance driver, was arrested months after fatally striking Miriam Reinharth, 69, in Manhattan. Police said Santana failed to yield as Reinharth crossed Amsterdam Avenue at West 96th Street. The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad found Santana turned left into her path. He was charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. Reinharth died from severe injuries, including a broken leg and pelvis fractures. The article notes, 'The police officer said the accident was not Miriam's fault at all.' The crash occurred on a double-wide, truck route artery, highlighting ongoing risks for pedestrians at busy intersections.

• Ambulance Driver Charged After Fatal Turn, NY Daily News, Published 2025-04-29

Two cyclists crashed head-on on Eighth Avenue. One man, 44, was ejected and suffered a fractured arm. Police cite inattention and improper lane use. The street turned dangerous in a heartbeat.

Two cyclists collided head-on near 689 8th Avenue in Manhattan. One cyclist, a 44-year-old man, was ejected and suffered a fractured arm. According to the police report, the crash was caused by 'Driver Inattention/Distraction' and 'Passing or Lane Usage Improper.' The injured cyclist was wearing a helmet. The report lists no other contributing factors. The crash highlights the risks cyclists face when driver errors occur.

• Motor Vehicle Collisions – CrashID 4810051 - Crashes, Persons, Vehicles , NYC Open Data, Accessed 2025-08-04