By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — City pedicab drivers will have to adhere to the same rules of the road as cars under a new bill introduced at the City Council.
The bill, proposed Thursday by City Councilman Dan Garodnick would require the NYPD to issue tickets to pedicabs parked in no parking and no standing zones or that block traffic. In addition, it would create a passengers' bill of rights and safety guidelines.
"This continues to be a top complaint to my office from people who live and work in the area," Garodnick said. "We can't have a situation where pedicabs are not following the rules of the road or parking rules."
The bill will empower police to enforce existing laws and clear up the types of confusion around the rights of pedicabs that are frustrating drivers, pedestrians cyclists, Garodnick said.
A lack of clarity about what rules apply to pedicabs makes drivers targets for traffic agents, said several drivers who work near Central Park.
"Every day they come here and give you a ticket," said Dicko Idrise, 36, who was parked at a pedicab stand near Columbus Circle. "Some guys get six or seven tickets in one day."
Regulation of pedicabs began last year when the city mandated that all pedicabs have licenses, pass safety inspections and clearly display prices.
"We thought it would get better after the regulation, but the only difference is we get more tickets," said Pavel Astakhov, 23, who said he's operated a pedicab around Columbus Circle for three years. "I'm all for new regulations in this business, but only if the police enforce it fairly."
