New York, New York - Texting or talking on a cellphone while riding a bike would be banned under a law proposed on Thursday in New York City, where two pedestrians have died in recent years after being struck by cyclists.
It is not uncommon for bicycle riders in the Big Apple to steer with one hand - or even with none - while snapping cellphone pictures or checking their email on a tablet.
But city officials say this impressive feat of balance and dexterity poses a danger in densely-populated New York, where hundreds are injured each year in bike-related accidents.
Speaking at a press conference at New York's City Hall, Mark Treygar, the council member who proposed the bill, said: “If you are biking and texting at the same time, you are not paying attention to where you are going and you pose a danger to yourself and others around you.”
Treygar said he felt compelled to introduce the measure after witnessing a near collision close to his Brooklyn office in which the main culprit was a cyclist sending a text message.
SAFETY FIRST
Mayor Bill de Blasio voiced his support for the measure, which is similar to a law approved three years ago in Chicago.
“Anybody who's riding a bicycle needs to be alert, needs to think of safety first,” he said. “They can't do that if they're looking at a device.”
Failure to comply with the measure would carry a $50 (R560) fine for a first offense, so long as there has not been an accident. The fine would be higher for repeat offenders.
Cyclists who break the law would also be required to take a bicycle safety class - a similar punishment given to some drivers who violate traffic laws.
Cycling is growing in popularity across the United States, as officials make America's cities more bike-friendly with dedicated traffic lanes and municipally-subsidised corner bike rentals.
The Journal of Safety Research recently said that between 2004 and 2011, about 8000 pedestrians were injured in accidents involving cyclists, two of whom died.
AFP