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The real New York Post (not the far superior, global warming hoax edition) is reporting that the NYPD has cracked down on illegal bike rental vendors. Apparently, you need to be licensed to rent out bicycles, but some illicit pedal pushers have been running their businesses from the sidewalks around Central Park.
And that has merchants aghast, because the rogue renters chain their bicycle fleets to scaffolding and street furniture. Monica Blum, president of the Lincoln Square BID, says, "The clutter on the sidewalks has been terrible, and these illegal vendors are giving out bikes without helmets, letting people ride on the sidewalks."
During the past six weeks, police have given summonses to 25 people for illegal storage of bikes and seized 73 bicycles allegedly rented to unsuspecting tourists for as much as $20 an hour. According to the Post, illegal vendor Joel Johnson was "whining" when he told a reporter, "In two months, I have had six bikes confiscated, and I've been arrested twice. There are real criminals out here like drug dealers, but the police come here instead."
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You're supposed to rent a helmet along with a bicycle? What if a previous customer had lice?
You're supposed to rent a helmet as well when you rent a bicycle? What if a previous customer had lice?
Then he had them twice.
These guys have sprung up all over the Columbus Circle area this summer, but I don't really think they're bothering anybody. Also, helmets are not legally required for adults, and it's not the vendor's fault if renters ride on the sidewalk.
It's probably a good idea to have some regulation on these guys to limit the number of vendors there are, but more importantly, there could be some sort of liability in case there is some legal issue that arises from use of the bike.
Actually, they were asking for it. Have you seen the hundreds of bikes they had locked to the scaffoldings nearby, it was really amazing!
i find these american apparel ads to be very annoying! stripes!
"...letting people ride on the sidewalks."
Once you've rented out a bike (or any sort of vehicle for that matter), how is the vendor, legal or illegal, in a position to let or stop the renter from doing anything once they've taken off?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-ffn1uflbs
I think renting bikes to tourists in general is a bad idea. they have NO idea what they are doing. Once I was stuck behind 4 tourists riding side by side up Madison Avenue... wtf people??