Council Member Erik Bottcher is calling for increased oversight and regulation of pedicabs in New York City, particularly in the Theater District, Hell’s Kitchen, and Times Square, after receiving numerous complaints about their disruptive noise and unfair pricing practices. According to Bottcher, pedicabs are not only causing a nuisance by playing music loudly enough to interfere with Broadway shows but are also engaging in price gouging, with reports of tourists being significantly overcharged, including an instance where a couple was charged over $500 for a mere 20-minute ride. Pedicabs are legally required to display their pricing clearly, similar to taxis, yet there have been persistent issues with riders being overcharged. Bottcher has addressed a letter to the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, the NYPD, and the Department of Environmental Protection, urging them to enforce existing regulations more effectively and to consider introducing new rules to combat these problems.
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https://patch.com/new-york/midtown-nyc/bottcher-takes-dead-aim-loud-scammy-pedicabs-hells-kitchen