Nevertheless, the various rules can be confusing. Officials from the New > "York City Department of Transportation insisted in emails this month that all bicycles with any sort of electrical assistance are illegal, which would make them subject to confiscation and fines of up to $500."

One can't help but wonder if such oversight will disproportionately have a negative impact on those at the lower end of the economic scale.

Too often the perception seems to be the poor are as such because they don't try hard enough. The reality is, too often we force them to have to try harder than everyone else.