.

E-bikes may provide welcome relief for commercial cyclists, but for other New Yorkers, they’re a source of contention. In October, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he would instruct the New York Police Department (NYPD) to crack down on restaurants that employ e-bike delivery workers in the new year. He pointed the finger at commercial riders “going the wrong way on streets, weaving through traffic, sometimes going on sidewalks,” as ongoing hazards that pedestrians and drivers face, Gothamist reported

Cycling advocates say that e-bike laws unfairly target food delivery workers, who rely on the slight advantage of speed and ease on the body that the bikes provide. De Blasio and other elected officials, on the other hand, argue that e-bikes endanger pedestrians, and that commercial riders are notorious for violating traffic laws.

The disagreement reached a boiling point on Monday outside New York’s City Hall, where approximately 200 protesters held a rally to protest de Blasio’s impending crackdown.

To be clear, there’s some confusion about actually what qualifies as an e-bike. There is the pedal-assisted variety, which has a motor that only kicks in if the rider is peddling. And then there are so-called throttle bikes, which can propel a bike without any peddling needed.

Both are illegal in New York City and neither can be registered with the New York State DMV, as other motorized, two-wheel commercial vehicles like mopeds or motorcycles can. Federally, e-bikes are categorized as consumer products, but they are illegal to use in New York State. This means you can buy one at your neighborhood bike shop, but you can’t ride it.

Or you can, and risk getting pulled over by the NYPD and fined $500.

Jessica Fu “Banning e-bikes and terminating [e-bike delivery workers’] careers is absolutely excessive,” says former food delivery driver, Xiaodeng Chen

Rosemary Bolich, a member of the volunteer-run bike advocacy group, Biking Public Project—a co-organizer of the rally—was part of the protest, and described the scene by phone on Monday:

“The environment was really positive. We had a great turnout. The majority of the people were delivery cyclists themselves [….] The atmosphere was also one of people who are frustrated with the mayor’s policies regarding e-bikes.”

Perhaps anticipating outcry over the seeming inequity of targeting a mode of transportation used by a largely low-income and immigrant population, the mayor’s office is insisting that the order is intended to punish restaurants whose workers use e-bikes, not the workers themselves.

“Electric bikes are illegal to operate on city streets and those at the top of the food chain need to be held accountable,” Austin Finan, a spokesperson for the mayor told New Food Economy in an email. “Instead of merely targeting riders, we’re going after businesses that look the other way and leave their workers to shoulder the fine.”