Why is a rule maker bemoaning a lack of rules?
Bronx: I read with interest and growing annoyance Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez’s op-ed about the need to regulate e-bikes (“Delivery apps and bad e-bike riding,” Aug. 13). He blamed delivery apps for the scourge of these law-ignoring, two-wheeled menaces on our streets.
I agree that regulation is badly needed, as I’m sure everyone does who’s almost been run down by one of these reckless riders. But I disagree with him on where the blame lies. It lies squarely with the commissioner.
Talk about too little, too late. The opportunity to create a regulatory framework — with training, licensing, safety requirements and enforcement — has come and gone. Several years ago, all of it within DOT’s purview — DOT could have controlled the unleashing of tens of thousands of e-bikes on our streets. But this unfettered proliferation was ignored. You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.
How will they even begin to get ahold of this problem now? Do they have any data whatsoever about e-bikes, how many there are, where they are most prevalent, etc.?
And not for nothing, but what on earth is Rodriguez talking about when he says that these bikes cut down on our carbon footprint? Does he have data on that, or is it just a justification for his inexplicably ignoring this major public safety issue until it was too late? Peter Madonia, chairman of the Belmont Business Improvement District and former chief of staff to Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
Fine horses
Milford, Mass.: I grew up in Manhattan. I always loved the carriage horses and took sugar cubes from restaurants to feed to them. Then, when I lived on Long Island, I knew one of the veterinarians who cared for them, and he told me they are well taken care of. As a horse owner, when I see them, they look healthy and loved, and they add so much to the city’s character. Poo on the bleeding hearts who think horses shouldn’t work. And I recognize attacks on the carriage horses as a ploy to get the real estate the stables occupy. Lorna Rinear
Burger bluff
Brooklyn: I just went to Burger King for the two-for-$5 burger special as advertised on TV every minute. I was told the special ended. I could have bought something else but I chose not to. I wanted a burger. Nevertheless, I feel that was a bait-and-switch. I hope this is not the new norm in America. I tried calling corporate headquarters in Florida to no avail. Why am I not surprised? Anthony Marano
Gossip king
Brooklyn: Howard Stern put Sirius on the map. The only person I want to hear from about all the gossip is him. Howard will be back on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Long live the king of all media. Mariann Tepedino
Forever KGB
Belvidere, N.J.: In America, once a Marine, always a Marine. In Russia, once a KGB agent, always a KGB agent. Vladimir Putin was a KGB lieutenant colonel in the latter days of Communist Russia. As president of “democratic” Russia, it looks like Putin will reclaim some of (independent) Ukraine, so as to “reunite” the Russian people to the motherland. That’s what Hitler did to Austria in 1938, to begin uniting all German-speaking nations into a Greater Germany. Good thing for NATO, otherwise Putin would begin uniting Russian-speaking former Soviet satellites into a Greater Russia. Putin never purged communism from his mentality. President Trump is wasting his time meeting with Comrade Putin. Dan Arthur Pryor
Butt kisser
Goshen, N.Y.: There’s an old Russian proverb: “Be friends with the wolf, but keep one hand on your axe.” Unfortunately, Trump has his nose so far up Putin’s rear end, he could perform a colonoscopy. C.B. Squibb
Limp leader
Redondo Beach, Calif.: The bully in chief turned into a wet noodle when he met with Putin. John Chevedden
Played like a fiddle
Toronto: Putin played Trump as if Trump was his Stradivarius violin. Trump appears not to have realized how badly he was played. What better strategy to play to Trump’s narcissism and to implicitly suggest that he could earn his coveted Nobel Peace Prize by orchestrating not just a ceasefire but a long-lasting peace deal for Ukraine? This strategy will only allow Putin to continue his horrible war unabated by the incompetent dealmaker. Trump, however, a master of the outrageous and an amateur to attention to detail, believes that Ukraine should and will fold to Putin’s demand of territory giveaway and subjugation. I wonder if Trump and Putin also discussed returning Alaska to Russia. Nice to see him on his golf course the next day absolving himself of all responsibility for peace to Ukraine, and where the only damage he’s capable of is bashing about that little white ball. Peter Earle
Well played
Madison, Wis.: As an American taxpayer, I want the war between Ukraine and Russia to end. Americans can’t afford to keep sending resources to Ukraine, so a peace deal is necessary. I believe that Trump showed real leadership as a peacemaker in his meeting with Putin in Alaska. Trump was a gracious host as well as a strong world leader. He showed Putin the red carpet, and also gave him a hint of American strength by having the military planes do a flyover. The fact that Putin rode in the American presidential limousine showed the world that Trump is in charge. I am hopeful that subsequent conversations with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the European leaders will be fruitful as well. I think Trump was the clear winner during the Alaska summit. Tawsif Anam
Objectives achieved
Brooklyn: Contrary to what so many people are saying, the Putin-Trump summit in Alaska was a big success. No, no peace agreements were made. No, no ceasefire is going to be installed. What was the success? Well, first of all, Putin was successful in taking Trump for a further ride and extending the war with no consequence from the United States. That is a success. Secondly, Trump was able to get the Epstein scandal off the front pages, and even totally unmentioned. Steve Miller
Ominous installations
Woodland Park, N.J.: Looking at history, should we be concerned that today’s detention centers might evolve into long-term internment facilities? And if space runs out, what then? Execution sites? Just sayin’. John Dent
History pro
Little Ferry, N.J.: Re “Harry Truman’s tough decision to bomb Hiroshima” (op-ed, Aug. 6): Paul L. Newman is no amateur historian. Indeed, the excellent article of his that was published in the Daily News has earned him the title of historian! Gary Schwartz
Weak arms
Delhi, N.Y.: In this age of baseball statistics, analytics, advanced medical technology and constant monitoring of athletes, as an 82-year-old fan, I’m blown away by how all of this nonsense hasn’t improved sports, and baseball in particular. Looking at complete games pitched, Cy Young holds the record with 749 complete games. In the 1950s and early ’60s, there was Robin Roberts with 305, including a complete-game streak of 28 between ’52 and ’53. Since no records were kept on the number of pitches per game, one can only assume how many it might have taken to go nine innings and record a complete game pitched. Some of these guys threw hard, yet they did not require Tommy John surgery. Today, we have physical therapy and physical trainers. Despite this, complete games are a thing of the past. With all of our advances, why are pitchers unable to get past the sixth inning? Arthur Martello
Touchdown typo
Manhattan: The Jets/Giants game on Saturday night seemed to me to last forever. I realized why when I read in the Sunday Daily News that Devin Singletary had scored on a “one-year touchdown run” (“Fields, Jets’ offense struggle in two drives against Big Blue defense,” Aug. 17). You charge 3 bucks for your rag. Hire some proofreaders. Richard Strassberg
Favorite feature
Roselle Park, N.J.: Please bring back the Justice Story to your Sunday edition. Casimir Muroski
