NYC is giving free e-bikes to delivery workers with shoddy or illegal e-bikes

[gnabgib]

https://electrek.co/2025/02/12/nyc-is-giving-free-e-bikes-to-delivery-workers-with-shoddy-or-illegal-electric-bikes/

[jeffbee]

Nice. If you look at your city or state budget there is almost certainly some car boondoggle that could be canceled and redirected toward universal e-bike subsidies. Everyone should have an e-bike, not just delivery guys!

[beebaween]

Shameful waste of funds. And I'm sure they'll still ride these tax-payer ebikes at FULL SPEED on the sidewalk recklessly endangering people walking. Many of the delivery drivers barely speak english and don't understand why their actions are dangerous. I'm liberal but very tired of this...

[rasz]

Not shoddy, just "non-compliant" aka faster than hilariously low 25 MPH legal limit. Those "illegal" bikes are superior for delivery work.

[jeffbee → rasz]

The idea that an e-bike delivery could be more profitable with a bike that exceeds 25 MPH really flies in the face of Amdahl's Law.

[rasz → jeffbee]

"limited by the fraction of time that the improved part is actually used"

Driving is the 90% part of delivery. More powerful bike doesnt only mean faster top speed, it also accelerates much quicker letting you jump in front of everything else on every lights. Legal bikes are 250-500W with 750w max, delivery drivers dont want to use anything below 1.5kW.

[jeffbee → rasz]

This seems entirely hypothetical, since nobody has ever observed a delivery rider stopping at a signal.