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Big Apple may join Chicago in banning bicyclists from texting

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Like many other jurisdictions, New York state prohibits motorists from talking, texting or sending an email from a handheld cellphone while driving.

But the ban doesn’t apply to bicyclists. That may soon change: On Thursday, Mark Treyger, a Democratic city councilman from Brooklyn, plans to propose a similar law in New York City, the New York Daily News reports.

Chicago and Flagstaff, Arizona, already prohibit bicyclists from texting.

The New York City proposal would allow a first offender to avoid a $50 ticket by taking a bicycle-safety course, but repeat offenders could be fined as much as $200.

CBS New York and the Daily Intelligencer page of New York magazine provide additional details.

See also:

Chicago Tribune (2011): “Chicago City Council bans texting while bicycling”

CBS Los Angeles (2012): “New Calif. Law Would Ban Texting While Biking; What’s Next?”