Feb. 24, 2016 By Michael Florio
The 114 Precinct cracked down on dangerous electric scooter driving earlier this month.
The precinct seized and summonsed 12 electric bikes over a three-day period in the first week of February, according to the 114th Precinct Commanding Officer Captain Peter Fortune.
The precinct had received numerous complaints from residents regarding the electric scooters, which are often driven by restaurant deliverymen, Fortune said at a 114 community affairs meeting Tuesday night.
The drivers of these scooters go down streets the wrong way, drive on the sidewalks and pass through stop signs and red lights, Fortune said.
“We targeted the hazardous operators,” he said.
In a three-day span, beginning on Feb. 1, the Precinct seized 12 electric bikes. The Precinct also issued Environmental Control Board summonses, which can cost up to $500, to the restaurant owners who sent the drivers out.
“We didn’t target the operators because they work for the restaurant,” Fortune said. “We went after the root of the problem and issued it to the owners of the restaurant.”
The owner of the restaurant has to show proof that they paid the summons before they can get the scooter back.
In addition, the Precinct attempted to educate both restaurant owners who use this delivery system and the drivers who operate these scooters.
“We stopped drivers and told them that they have to follow the rules of the road,” Fortune said. “We also went to restaurants and told the owners the same.”
Fortune added that he is working with Councilman Costa Constantinides’ office to reach out to the businesses that rent out these electric scooters to the restaurant owners.
“If we could get them to stop renting these out so frequently we could get it under control,” he said.
Fortune did not disclose the 12 restaurants that were penalized.
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47 Comments
Ban all scooters and Homo’s who have moved into this neighborhood.
We need to allow the beat cops to whack these can’t speak the language delivery creeps with night sticks.
Most scooter delivery guys just arrived in the states. YES, PLEASE CAPTAIN FORTUNE OF THE 114PCT, BRING THE BEAT COP BACK TO WHACK ANYONE DOING SOMETHING WRONG AND THEN CALL FOR BACKUP……ARREST EM ALL……..DONALD HAS TO CLEAN UP THE MESS…..HE IS A NEW YORKER…….HE KNOWS HOW IT USED TO BE….
GO TRUMP GO !!! AND YOU GUYS FROM 114 STOP EATING TO MANY DONUTS ,SE WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND AND TAKE ASTORIA TO THE LEVEL IT WAS BEFORE ,WE BECOME BRONX!!
Boy, you should get beat too for being so stupid. Who in their right minds advocates beating people over this?
bike lanes are a mistake
the only way is to cooperate and “share ” the road
As people have done for as long as there have been cars and bikes.
Yea educate a bunch of illiterate non-English speaking immigrants on the rules of the road when all they care about is making a buck. Good luck with that.
skid marks and dog poop that is all i see nowadays on our sidewalks.
You sure that’s in your underwear?
I always thought they were children riding the scooters running errands for their parents.
Drones should replace scooters.
Now can we have a crack down on motorized wheelchairs and other electric personal assistance mobility devices. They are way too dangerous. The cops should at least provide sidewalk sobriety checkpoints during the holidays. Those elders act like they own the sidewalk!
This nuisance is a problem that is affecting the lives of many, and it is a problem that is increasing. The other side of the mess is that nothing gets enforced.
I spent so much money repairing my sidewalk. I have new cracks. I blame the scooters.
I can not stand the silly horns…they scare me! ban them!
Why are electric bikes legal in NYC and hover boards are not?
this “problem” will go away in november
One hit me once when I was crossing the street.
It feel too sad and weird to like your comment. However, I hope you recovered and got a free pizza or something.
when TRUMP wins in november this problem solves itself . think about it .
Trump said “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people.”….now we can add trying to run us over with Scooters and not obeying traffic laws.
Astoria, home of the closeted racists. Keep convincing yourself Trump will win lmfao. Not surprising, none of you can handle spicy food to begin with, blame the immigrants for that too.
TRUMP will will . It is already written . And like it or not you will accept the mark of the beast . watch and see .
I have been watching. He makes me laugh. “It’s true, it’s true I tell you. Everyone’s saying blah blah blah” 70% of what he says has no factual evidence. His wife is an immigrant, maybe he should deport her too. And him? A beast? He has the maturity of a fifth grader.
Food first, safety second or third.
i hope they check immigration status also
Aren’t you a bright little ray of sunshine? Hope they check your IQ.
Great give minorities another reason to not like cops!
Racist.
chinese good people and good food and good driver. make special order for you. driver pay ticket boss no pay! make this and driver is good
Could you be more of an asshole? Racist as fu*k. It’s cool tho, you’re on the internet right? Now you have the balls to say it.
Racist and NOT funny. Grow up.
Chinese good people and good driver and good food. Make special order for you. delivery pay ticket so drive very careful. boss no pay
If my food arrives on time and is still warm…I do not care how it gets here.
No one has bothered leaving a comment for such an ignorant statement. Clear by the number of dislikes that people are reading but just not worthy of their time to comment on such a lack of respect for the safety of your community.
can you relax?
lmaooo, ah yes. We must start a crusade in the comments.
You tell em… Us Transplants don’t know how to boil water let alone cook. I love daddy’s credit card paying for my takeout.
Transplant pole smoking Homo who can’t cook.
I always see them driving on the sidewalk. One almost hit me in the night when i was walking out of my driveway.
If you don’t see the name of the restaurant on the scooter or their vest ask them what restaurant they are delivering for. Then call restaurant & let them know that their driver is causing unsafe conditions for the community = their customers.
So they cracked down for 3 days. I guess the coast is now clear for them to carry on for another year or two.
Also not sure why they didn’t go after the operators of the vehicles who were caught breaking laws – that is how you are going to get some compliance.
I think this is the first of many crack downs they make until we get the laws updated to address the fact that scooters are currently illegal. renting of illegal scooters is a problem because they are perpetuating the problem & making our streets unsafe.
These are not fuel operated & therefore they are not required by the MOTOR vehicles dept. to have them registered, By not having them classified as a registered vehicle they are not subject to the laws as they are now. We need to update the law.
Get rid of bike lanes and start ticketing hazardous bicyclists.
Bike lanes will actually help provide a clear & obvious safe way for bicyclist & motorist safe. If they then break the law by riding on the sidewalk, go through red lights or not use lights on their bikes then they should be subject to summons just as a motorist did the same.
I’ve seen these guys on sidewalks. We DO NOT want to encourage that by, of all things, removing bike lanes.