New York City Mayor Eric Adams blasted JAY-Z’s Empire State of Mind while he proudly watched a bulldozer crush a row of mopeds and motorcycles. They were just a few of the 100,000 “ghost vehicles” he claims his administration has removed from the city’s streets. His administration framed destroying unregistered cars, motorcycles, and mopeds as a “quality-of-life” improvement for New Yorkers. But the city’s sudden distaste for vehicles without license plates coincided with its swap to license plate readers for all tolls, including the downtown Manhattan congestion toll.
“When it comes to public safety, we’re not just enforcing the law — we’re literally crushing it. Illegal mopeds and scooters have terrorized pedestrians, and have been used in robberies, shootings, and other crimes. That’s why we’re taking bold action — crushing these illegal vehicles so they can never terrorize a New Yorker again. We’ve already removed more than 100,000 of these illegal vehicles from our streets in the last three years, and we’re making it clear: if you drive an illegal vehicle in this city, you will face the consequences — and so will your ride.”
— NYC Mayor Eric Adams…