Electric bicycle riders in New Jersey might soon need to register and insure their bikes. Some people are against this idea. A new law could make it necessary for low-speed electric bicycles and scooters to be registered and insured. Some worry about the safety of these bikes, but others think more rules could lead to more traffic on already busy roads.
This proposal comes as electric bikes are becoming more popular. Advocates for cyclists are worried that this change could hurt immigrants the most. Many immigrants use electric bikes for work. Antonio Solis, a delivery worker, and member of Los Deliveristas Unidos, said this new law would make his job harder and more expensive.
Advocates also worry that more rules for electric bikes could make undocumented immigrants more likely to have problems with the police. “They’re going to be asking for your information. So it’s very concerning for us,” said Erik Cruz Morales of N.J. Alliance for Immigrant Justice.
Corey Hannigan of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign said, “It’s taking something that is affordable, accessible, zero-emission, and it’s much safer for other people than driving a car, and making it harder to access and more expensive.”