A Brooklyn mother last week was hit with both a $190 fine and a criminal summons for allegedly running a red light while on an e-bike, according to Streetsblog.
Phaedra Paulson, a designer, was carrying materials from her work in Manhattan to her residence in Flatbush. After stopping at a red light, Paulson said she checked for pedestrians and followed a Citi Bike user through the light after assessing it was clear. On the other side, she was stopped by police officers, the news site said.
Paulson is disputing both the criminal summons and the ticket. The officer cited her for “Failing to yield for a pedestrian,” which Paulson challenges, stating no pedestrians were crossing at that time.
"I’ve been in New York for 20-something years and to be considered a criminal for passing through a red light [after stopping] on my bike is what the absolute fucking 'Handmaid’s Tale' are we living in," Paulson told Streetsblog. "Are you kidding me, I’m going to be a criminal?"
Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch have implemented several policies as part of a crackdown on the use of e-bikes. This includes reducing the speed limit to 15-miles-per-hour from the previous 25-miles-per-hour, and issuing criminal summons instead of tickets. Paulson is the first known person to receive dual infractions, Streetsblog said.
