Wheelchair Advocates: Taxis Of Tomorrow Are Dangerous

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Wheelchair and scooter users lined up Thursday to object to the city's "Taxi of Tomorrow."

The cars offer accessible service using a rear ramp, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.

Gene Ryan, however, called it dangerous.

Listen to Wheelchair Advocates: Taxis Of Tomorrow Are Dangerous

"As far as rear entry goes, nobody thinks about it, but we have to go down the curb cut on the side at the end of the block -- if there is one -- and go in the street with traffic to get into a taxi," she said.

Councilman Corey Johnson, D-Manhattan, is sponsoring a bill to make all taxis and car services accessible and to require all ramps or lifts to be on the side of the vehicle.

"These vehicles have had their back bumper removed to allow for a passenger ramp, which then folds up against the back of the passenger's chair or scooter," Johnson said of the Taxis of Tomorrow. "This structural modification compromises the safety for all passengers."