Q: What's your favorite energy drink?

Energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster are a pedicabby's best friend -- especially during a long night in the saddle. When the Monster marketing truck or Red Bull sample carts roll by, drivers can be seen chasing them down the street like kids after the ice cream man.

When I go into the gas station, I'm blown away by the number of choices. Personally, I like a a local, but hard-to-find, energy drink called Go Fast. Maybe you prefer coffee or juice, tea or Gatorade.

So this week, I want to know. . .

What's your favorite energy drink, and why?

What gets you going and keeps you going? Any particular flavor you favor? There are so many choices these days, what would you recommend?

India may be changing its attitude about rickshaws

In areas like Asia, India and China, where rickshaws were born, some people now frown on this eco-friendly mode of transportation because they don't want to be perceived as third-world countries. Perhaps some are having second thoughts.

Notice the similarities with other large cities when it comes to traffic congestion, pollution, mass transit, and alternative transporation.


Cycle-rickshaws find some support in new Master Plan for Delhi

NOT OUT: Cycle-rickshaws can be an important mode of travel, says the new Master Plan for Delhi

NEW DELHI: The age-old cost-effective and pollution-free mode of transport, cycle-rickshaw, which is often perceived as a major cause of congestion here in the Capital, has found some support in the new Master Plan for Delhi-2021.

The Master Plan has elaborate proposals for decongesting Delhi's roads that are choked by tens of thousands of motor vehicles and buses day in and day out. Though the integrated bus, rail and metro system are all part of the recommendations, MPD-2021 has also taken care to ensure that the Capital is not given a new face at the cost of the source of livelihood of a section of society.

"The Master Plan has taken into account the aspirations of the common man and seeks to help them," says Delhi Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf.

Along with Bus Rapid Transit System, monorail and light rail, the Master Plan has underlined the need to adopt an inclusive approach when it comes to transport. "Bicycle and cycle-rickshaw could be an important mode of travel," according to MPD-2012.

Advocating the use of cycle-rickshaws and bicycles for short and medium trips, the Master Plan elaborates: "To the extent that it meets individual and public transport needs, it is a non-energy consuming and non-polluting mode of transport."

Taking into account lack of safety of cycle-rickshaws on the roads with fast moving mixed traffic, the Master Plan has suggested provisions in the road system to accommodate it.

"On all arterial roads, fully segregated cycle tracks should be provided with provision for safe parking and ride lots," says the Master Plan. "On the dedicated bus corridor being constructed, one lane has been dedicated to cyclists," said Mr. Yusuf. The seven bus corridors that will be completed by 2009 will all have provision for cycle-rickshaws and the cyclists, added the Minister.

The Master Plan has also asked for cycle tracks on sub-arterial and local level roads and streets in urban extensions.

According to Master Plan 2021, in Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Karol Bagh, Lajpat Nagar and the Capital's trans-Yamuna areas, the use of rickshaws as a non-motorised mode of transport should be consciously planned along with making it pedestrian-friendly.

By the way,

I think we need to have a photo archive. Just a thought. Post your photos.

Just another Independent who doesn't know how to get rides

I have posted an archived pedicab photo of one of our "indy" Drivers who thinks he is above the rules and obviously above knowing how to sell a ride. This is the kind of lacksidaisical attitude we deal with- FYI, at time of this photo, he was just new to the pedicab world, about 3-4 months. During that 3-4 month period, he wrecked a wheel, alienated all of the drivers of a certain company, and pretty much told me that he was so accomplished that he didn't need someone to help him make more money and learn the ropes. I guess it goes to show that he knows what he is doing- so much he is sleeping in his undersized cab. This job is not an easy job by any means. This photo was not staged, it was truly a cabbie waiting around for a ride to find him. I hope he doesn't last. Many don't. A shining example of unwillingness to be trained and immature indy-emo attitude of someone who thinks they know what they are doing and they do not. Let it be known he crashed his cab the first night. One bad apple...

History: What hurt pedicabs in NYC?

If you've ever wondered what lead up to all the pedicab regulation hoopla in New York City, this 2005 article from Business Week should give you a little background. Some of the predictions haven't been realized and may never happen, but pedicabs are still rolling in NYC and around the country.

Pedicabs Steer a Hard Road
The human-powered cabs are familiar sights in big cities, despite regulations and insurance woes that can make this business a very rough ride

On a mild winter day in January, the phone won't stop ringing in the office above George Bliss's garage. Between calls from drivers who want to lease a cab for the day, the 50-year-old owner of Pedicabs of New York recounts the challenges of the past year. He has sold half of his pedicabs to cover the rising insurance premiums, which have doubled from a year ago.

He adds that some of the newer operators mistreat tourists and aren't driving safely, tarnishing the image of pedicabs. "They don't uphold standards," he says. "It's a tragedy."

PEDAL PEDDLERS. The unusually warm winter weather, prime operating conditions for pedicabs, isn't helping his mood, either. Since Bliss is between insurance policies for a few days, he refuses to let drivers ride without coverage, instead directing inquiries to a competing operator.

There was a time, not so long ago, when very little in rough-and-tumble New York could be called good, clean fun. Now, in the amusement-park ambience of Times Square, gourmet popcorn stores have replaced peep shows. Pedicabs, too, have increased in number with the sanitized scene. Some 200 of these modernized, bicycle-powered rickshaws prowl Midtown, up from just a handful 10 years ago.

Their numbers suggest times are good for operators of this novelty transportation. But for all the expansion of the pedicab niche, the business has its share of growing pains -- from rising insurance rates to impending regulation and increasing competitive pressures.

AT THE CROSSROADS. Indeed, Bliss and the rest of the nascent pedicab outfits in New York are at a crossroads. In order to keep growing, operators want to build a reputation as a safe alternative to traditional taxis. But without standard practices and equipment, insurance companies find pedicabs unsavory clients.

"Sometimes underwriters pull pricing out of the air, since there's not much history," says Scott Ziller, an agent at McKay Insurance Agency, based in Knoxville, Iowa, one of the few sellers of pedicab insurance in the country. McKay handles policies for 30 pedicab businesses, representing about 500 drivers, including five outfits in New York.

Operators say they're willing to give up the freedom of not being regulated to bring more legitimacy to the sector. The goal is to find the right balance of ensuring public safety and promoting entrepreneurship. "I'm looking forward to regulations, provided the city doesn't overregulate us," says Peter Meitzler, owner of Manhattan Rickshaw, operator of 13 pedicabs. New York officials are still debating what form those regulations might take.

DIDN'T STAY IN VEGAS. Cities across the country have handled burgeoning pedicab businesses in different ways. In 2002, Santa Barbara, Calif., demanded that drivers apply for city permits. To do so, applicants have to provide a driver's license and proof of insurance. The city also performs background checks on drivers, and it reserves the right to revoke licenses if pedicabs aren't in good operating condition.

Las Vegas last year banned the vehicles from the Strip, where the bulk of the city's pedestrian and tourist traffic takes place. "Pedicabs were causing a lot of conflict," says Sandra Avants, chairman of the Nevada Transportation Services Authority, referring to accidents and various complaints from limo drivers.

The city subsequently granted pedicabs the right to operate in a limited area, as long as they carry insurance. "We didn't want to restrain the business from operating unless there was a public-safety issue of health and welfare of passengers and those sharing the road with pedicabs," says Avants. However, because the Strip ban took away the operators' most lucrative turf, they have virtually disappeared from Las Vegas.

"NEW YORK WAY." Sin City, with its throngs of tourists, bares more similarities to the Big Apple, but banning pedicabs won't likely be the "New York way," says Gretchen Dykstra, commissioner of New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs. "We don't want to go too far, but if there is a fatal accident with a pedicab, then there might be a cry to ban them all together," Dykstra says. For now, it's not clear when pedicabs will get their own set of rules, or what form they'll take. "We are still exploring the possibility of a regulatory scheme," Dykstra says.

Of course, regulations could also have the effect of keeping newer, and sometimes unscrupulous, operators from entering a very competitive market for transportation services. Competition has increased as the city's horse-and-carriage operators enter the trade, along with individuals who own only one or two pedicabs. "We want to keep renegades out," says Meitzler, referring to those who operate without insurance and flout traffic rules.

Bliss says he has trained 100 pedicab drivers over the years, but he adds that only 25 actually took to the roads. Besides customer rejection, drivers have to navigate New York traffic and brave noise, pollution, and bad weather. "It's the selling that's the real challenge," Bliss says.

ROLLING BILLBOARDS. And training drivers doesn't mean they won't take that knowledge to work at a competitor. Bliss, who owns 12 pedicabs now, admits his cabs are older, so drivers he trains often defect to rivals with newer, spiffier vehicles that are easier to drive.

Meitzler, who worked with Bliss previously, has been running his business since 1995, but still hasn't made a profit. "The business doesn't start to turn unless I have advertising" on the pedicabs," says Meitzler, a legal assistant by day. "I couldn't live off of pedicabs," he says. Still, with some additional ad revenue he's hopeful that 2005 will be his first profitable year.

Regulatory changes or not, Bliss and Meitzler anticipate new opportunities down the road. Both are trying to find new advertisers. Altoids paid about $700 per month to advertise on each of Bliss' pedicabs. Meitzler says he has gotten interest from Broadway shows and winemakers. Target and Unilever, maker of Axe body spray, placed ads last year. Meitzler helps operators in other cities start their own pedicab businesses.

HERE, THERE, ALL OVER. Bliss is "strategizing around historic tours," planning to charge $50 for a 50-minute guided pedicab ride. He also aims to expand geographically beyond Times Square and Midtown -- to Harlem, Coney Island, Flushing, Queens, and downtown Manhattan. Eventually, he hopes to develop electric pedicabs.

They won't be overrunning taxicabs any time soon, but in a decade's time, Bliss predicts there could many more pedicabs in New York -- up to 1,000. "The city can absorb it, and it's not an inconvenience to other industries," he says. For the time being, though, the pedicab business will have its share of bumps in the road.

History: Pedicabs no longer in Vegas

If you think that pedicabs are here to stay and can't be tossed out of any city, think again. You need to read this CNN article about Las Vegas from November 2003. Today, the only place you can find pedicabs in Sin City is inside the Shops in Desert Passage at the Aladdin Hotel.

Pedicabs in Vegas? Maybe not for long
Officials criticize vehicles as safety hazards

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) -- On bustling Las Vegas Strip, tourists see a sinewy long-haired savior in Bill Jones. Authorities see a safety hazard.

Jones is one the scores of Las Vegas pedicab drivers who zip up and down the strip, making sure visitors don't have to waste their time in traffic congestion. But he may not be rolling for long.

At a recent public safety meeting, state and local law enforcement officials declared the pedicab swarm illegal and a potential danger to tourists. They intend to force the vehicles into extinction.

"That's what we're working toward," said Byram Tichenor, enforcement chief for the Nevada Transportation Services Authority, which regulates limousines, tow trucks and tour buses.

Part bicycle, part open-air carriage, pedicabs usually carry two passengers pedaled by a strong-legged driver. Las Vegas pedicab entrepreneurs say they provide an important service to tired tourists and are being unfairly targeted.

Jim Huff, 29, president of Silver State Pedicabs -- whose motto is "We Save Soles in Sin City" -- said a proposed county ordinance that would exile the pedicabs is wrongheaded.

"Clark County needs to take the time to regulate us rather than simply ban us," said Huff.

Jones, 38, says his job is fun.

"I go up and down, up and down," he exclaims. "I love this job. It rules."

Drivers work for tips only, earning $100, $200 or even $300 during a busy shift ferrying people along the five-mile stretch of neon lights.

Collecting fares for pedicab rides is illegal in Clark County, but most display a "not for hire" sign that allows them to skirt the law. AmeriCab's business card says, "Free rides to Fine Hotels, Restaurants, & Gentleman Clubs."

Authorities determined that the "behavior is for hire and illegal," according to a summary of the public safety meeting.

Furthermore: "(Police) reported several instances of accidents caused by the pedicabs, intimidation tactics by drivers toward passengers with regard to payment."

'They hire anyone'

Pedicabs aren't unique to Las Vegas. Other cities, such as Denver, San Francisco and Santa Barbara, California, have embraced the modern-day rickshaws.

Santa Barbara even introduced regulations last year requiring drivers to get FBI background checks, identification badges and business licenses in an effort to make streets safer.

In Las Vegas, pedicabs operated for years without much notice. But they have proliferated in recent months, with companies cropping up in record numbers despite scores of police citations.

A random survey of drivers revealed at least seven companies with a fleet of more than 70 pedicabs.

Steve Osness, 24, who owns and runs Hawaiian Bike Cab, said more are on the way -- and he isn't happy about it.

"It's getting diluted. It's terrible," Osness said. "They hire anyone and send them out there. Everyone thinks they can start their own pedicab company."

Four companies have obtained business licenses in an attempt at legitimacy. They rent their vehicles to people like Bill Jones at a daily or nightly rate.

Not surprisingly, the taxi industry also oppose the pedicabs.

"They are a big nuisance," said Ron McGee, a supervisor with Nellis Cab Co. "They're taking our fares. They're a big-time safety hazard."

Huff, who has been in business for about two years, says his $4,000 pedicabs have single welded-frames and come equipped with rear hydraulic brakes and tight turning ability.

He says his pedicabs won't jackknife, unlike some others that amount to trailers hitched to bikes.

A bit of everything

Hello everyone!

I wanted to post a note to say "thanks" for the kind hospitality. I am only sorry that I wasn't able to enjoy it for more than a few hours! The drive back to the "No" wasn't as fast as I was hoping. I did learn that one can drive across the state of Utah in a little over five hours. (Torn canopy be damned.) The new cabs work great...so I was told. I haven't had a chance to ride them yet. My day will come...


Since this is a blog about pedicabbing, I thought that I'd share a recent event that I and a fellow senior rider participated in last Saturday. We were invited to work a wedding shower for the soon to be bride and groom in the swanky north side of town. The theme of the party was a three ring circus. Pedicabs, scuba divers in the indoor pool and a three piece band. According to the hostess we were the talk of the party.

Well, our role was to pick up the attendees and ride them to the front door of the house and then wait around till it was time for everyone to go home. On one occasion we were carrying two couples to the door and it turned into a race. And then I hear one of the lady passengers announce with utter glee in her voice, "I feel like I am in the movie Ben Hur!"

I know, she meant it as a compliment. (This is the second time I have been compared to a horse and I have mixed feelings on being compared to a four legged animal.) Well shortly after our Roman chariot race I shared with my fellow rider the gist a certain article in the New Yorker posted on this blog. In our best poor boy English accents we started thinking of ways to offer rides to the feudal lords and ladies. "Care for a ride guvnah?" We even concocted outfits fitting of our "roles."

The best fare of the evening was when I gave three older women, two who were very, very intoxicated, a ride to a house down the street. It seems that they wanted to leave and they could not find their husbands anywhere. (I figured that their husbands sneaked out of the party to watch the Mayweather/De La Hoya fight on pay-per-view.) So, with a little prodding from the hostess the ladies climbed into my cab and we were off. One woman was convinced that I was going the wrong way. A second was firing off directions and a third said I should look for a certain street (the name escapes me) at which time I was to turn right.

After 10 minutes or so we arrived at their destination. After the ladies exited my cab I received a generous tip, and then a generous hug, followed by another generous tip and three more generous hugs. Did I tell you that I love my job! The ladies thanked me for my services and I in turn thanked them for their generosity.


After Saturday it looks like there will be other events on the north side of town, parties, fund raisers and such. And to tell the truth, I am kind of excited by the prospects of giving the lords and ladies a ride.

Q: Your most interesting passenger?

I know there are lots of stories out there in pedicabland. So now's your chance to share.

Come on... spill! I want details people!

Who has been your most interesting passenger?

Work to Get Well Rickshaw Initiative

Rickshaws: Decorah’s cure-all

The public transportation woes of Decorah’s incontinent and socially awkward will be cured thanks to the mayor’s new “Work to Get Well” program. Starting June 20, the city will initiate the first ever rickshaw agenda in the nation.

The program will use some of the town’s more obese citizens and give them rickshaws to pull around. It will be used to combat the ever more prevalent obesity problem in the city.

“It’s the simplest, yet most ingenious plan I’ve ever had in my life,” said Decorah Mayor John “Col. Crud” Fogerty. “We get a bunch of fat people, hook them up to rickshaws and BAM! You got yourself public transportation and weight loss control.”

The program has been in the works for nearly one hundred years of solitude but was not initiated until the city council approved it last Monday. This was the third time it was proposed to the council and the first time it was passed. It had been defeated 2-20, 2-10, then finally won 2-0.

“It’s unfortunate that 20 members of the city council contracted SARS in order for the rickshaw program to be passed, but you can’t stand in the way of innovative ideas, cause if you do ...” said Fogerty, flashing a syringe labeled “Not SARS.”

The mayor is hopeful that the rickshaw program will cure all of the city’s problems. He is so optimistic that he has allotted 90 percent of the budget to it, leaving the other 10 percent for canned ravioli and Def Leppard albums.

“There is literally no way this program won’t work. The ingenuity is in the simplicity,” said Fogerty. “You pay a fat guy $10 and he’ll take you anywhere in Decorah in under four hours with three standard ‘hot dog breaks.’”

Some Decorah residents are less optimistic about this program. Local lardo Dave McDonuteater feels the mayor is impeding upon his basic human rights.

“I’m cool with carrying people around all day to different places for meager wages, but I do not want to be thin like all those other sad saps, what with their one chin and low cholesterol — that is just no fun at all,” said McDonuteater while munching on a stick of butter.

Others are optimistic about the rickshaws, hoping it will bring revenue to the town.

“Right now all we have is Nordic Fest and the McDonald’s with the flat screens,” said Josh Dansdill (‘09), Luther student and Decorah resident. “Now don’t get me wrong, that McDonald’s is pretty great, but not rickshaw great.”

The mayor thinks this program will give Decorah national recognition.

“Though I’ve never driven outside of Decorah, I can only guess that these rickshaws will make it the greatest town in America. Well, second only to Gary, Indiana,” said Dansdill.

The mayor has other ambitious plans to improve Decorah.

“Some other things I hope to initiate include a Hall & Oates memorial cricket stadium, a road paved with old Bart Simpson dolls and, last but not least, I want to bring in a Waffle House,” said Fogerty. “If I can get all these things going, then I know everybody in America will want to come — unless you’re a terrorist. Or a Yankee’s fan.”

--

Giblet Mcniblet
Staff burrito eater

Thanks Gerald (Trixi) at RickshawForum.com for finding this one for us.

You take the good with the bad.

I just finished another night on the street. It was about to the point of ludicrous, but, I quit. A former blog talked about knowing when to hold 'em and knowing when to fold 'em. Well, I have something to say.

In watching and making an attempt to bike this evening, I found something out: I have nothing to prove and and that riding a pedicab is about attitude, but there are things you can't control, one of which being weather.

I knew it was going to rain. It was acting like it might be an off-and-on night, with a little rain. Nevertheless, it became downpour that lasted several hours. Lesson: Take the good with the bad.

I quit early. I got sick of my hands being cold, trying to pedal a pedicab in the rain for a few dollars more. I was cold. wet, and soaked to the bone. So, I reminisced about my days as a rookie driver (rookie tatoos and chain bites), and thought about my soaking feet. It happens to us all. The silver lining in this is that even I, who worked several hours and made half of what I wanted to, realized that the terrible circumstances are terrible. However, I know that when I have a sunny, perfect day (like St. Paddy's day, which, I may remind you was an epic day in itself, moreso than New Year's eve) absolutely giving the power to make money, there is nothing better.

I won't just ride big events or ride nice days. I ride when I can, to make the money I need to make. But, those days aren't always perfect. Entre' tonight. Lesson here: Those who come out in the cold, rain, negative temps, or snow (and I have the numbness in my hands to prove it) are the backbone of this industry! They are trying to make something out of nothing. Take this as a lesson: when it is cold, who is going to take the inebreated to their respective hotels and destinations? The people out tonight were soldiers and warriors in the pedicab game. They were willing to brave it and see if they could make a few dollars. But, I say, dedication and sheer stubbornness make a driver go out in the most dire of circumstances for return.

Keep this in mind, budding drivers and companies. Take the good with the bad. When it is good, it is great. When it is bad, don't bitch or complain. We all know that slowness is a payback for Broncos games, St. Paddy's day, or New Years. Take it all, because otherwise, you just become another driver with complaints that can't be solved. Off to the dryer!

No screaming allowed on the Screamer

Ride the Screamer! (But no shrieking please)

Neighbors’ complaints spur amusement park to institute a no-noise rule

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - No screaming on the Screamer!

A suburban amusement park has gotten so many complaints from neighbors about bloodcurdling screams that it has instituted a no-shrieking rule for its scary new thrill ride, the Scandia Screamer, a gigantic, windmill-like contraption that sends people plunging 16 stories to Earth at nearly 60 mph.

Riders who let out a screech — or just about any other noise — are pulled off and sent to the back of the line.

As passengers are strapped into the two metal baskets, the operator recites this warning: "We are required to remove you from this ride if you make any noise. If you feel you might make a noise, please cover your mouth tightly with you hand, like this (The operator then covers mouth with hand). If we hear any noise through your hand, we will remove you from the ride. So please remain silent and enjoy the Screamer."

Read the rest of the story at MSNBC...

Bad traffic

Who wants to drive a pedicab here? And we think our traffic is bad!

Anybody know this guy?

Idiot of the week...

Rickshaw movie - wadaya think?

Check out the movie trailer on YouTube. This is being made in Canada by a retired rickshaw runner, not a pedaller. I hear he's looking for funding for this film. Any takers?

WARNING: This film will NOT be rated G.

Amsterdam learning from NYC

From the May 1, 2007 article in the Nieuws uit Amsterdam

‘Stricter rules bicycle taxi’

New York has introduced stricter rules for bicycle taxis; France wants to allow cyclists to jump red lights and London found that it may in fact be safer to do so. Useful lessons for Amsterdam?

As a bicycle-friendly city, Amsterdam is often seen as an example for the rest of the world. However, lessons can be learned from other cities as well.

BICYCLE TAXI
The New York Municipality recently introduced stricter regulations for bicycle taxis. They must have good brakes and lights, must be insured, may no longer use electric motors, and may no longer use bicycle lanes. In addition, the number of pedicabs will be limited to 325, while some estimate that there are now 500 to 600.

Businesses located near Broadway had complained about congestions caused by bicycle taxis aggressively trying to attract customers among the theatre-goers. Many bicycle taxi drivers themselves found that some sort of regulation should be introduced, even though they find the current regulations excessive.

An independent bicycle taxi driver complained in the New York Post about fleet owners importing ‘foreign pedalers’ who ignore traffic regulations and give bicycle taxis a bad name. “It's like the Wild West out there. It's completely out of control”.

In Amsterdam, only 30 licenses for bicycle taxis have been issued, 15 of which are used by the Wielertaxi company, tells co-owner Richard Nijssen. In the future, he would like to expand to 20 to 25 bicycle taxis.

According to Nijssen, research shows that bicycle taxis mix well with normal bicycle traffic. “Only someone who is really in a hurry might get stressed if he cannot pass immediately”. Only if the number of bicycle taxis would grow substantially, stricter regulations might be needed, said Nijssen.

Nijssen does get occasional complaints about traffic violations. “Sometimes they have a high adrenaline level and they do sometimes jump red lights”, Nijssen said. “We advise anybody not to do this in busy traffic”.

At times, cyclists bump into a bicycle taxi if it brakes more abruptly than expected. According to Nijssen, this is not really a big issue: “During the three years I have been active as a bicycle taxi driver, I have had at most one incident involving angry cyclists per year”.

De Lange of the Fietsersbond paints a less positive picture. “We get quite a lot of complaints about bicycle taxis, especially about them blocking the way on narrow bicycle lanes. It so happens that bicycle taxis are wide and slow and they are active in the city centre where everything is narrow and tight”.

The Fietsersbond has not yet taken a stand on bicycle taxis, but if the number of licenses is to increase, there should be a debate. One might for example consider banning bicycle taxis from certain routes during rush hour, said De Lange.

She said it is conceivable that reducing car traffic in the city centre would create more room for bicycle taxis.

As yet, there seems to be no reason to introduce stricter rules on brakes. Wielertaxi’s bicycle taxis have brakes that were designed for motorcycles. According to Nijssen, you have to have good brakes, especially if you go down a bridge with a 150 kg taxi plus driver and passengers.

Wielertaxi’s taxis have a support motor. One can hardly do without in a city with so many bridges, said Nijssen. What is more, they use environmentally friendly electronic motors.

Sixty percent of bicycle taxi clients are tourists. In addition, there are Amsterdammers who consider the bicycle taxi a serious mode of transportation, claims Nijssen, among them people who are going out.

Bicycle taxis might come to play a more important role if regulations for regular taxis become stricter and when new technology becomes available, increasing the capacity of the batteries and making the taxis lighter without compromising comfort and safety.

Thanks, Trixi, for leading me to this story.

Pedicabs Come to Downtown Raleigh

Watch the video and see them in action!

This new pedicab company received their brand new pedicabs only 3 hours before boarding a plane for Denver to attend our Pedicab Operators Weekend Intensive in April. They're already rocking and rolling on the streets of Raleigh, NC.

When we called them just before they went out the first night, they were nervous and giddy. We got a call back later that evening telling us how much fun they were having. By the way, Raleigh Rickshaw is looking for drivers.

Park And Bike Comes To Downtown Raleigh

April 27, 2007, RALEIGH, N.C. -- If the thought of hassling with parking in downtown Raleigh keeps you away, there's a new concept designed to lure you in.

They're called rickshaws and they don't even use a drop of gas.

They drive down Fayetteville Street in a fleet, ready to avoid traffic tie ups or parking hassles.

These pedal power people are getting attention.

The idea is for people to find parking spaces and then bike into where ever they need to go without tickets and headaches.

Meet Raleigh's Rickshaw. [Raleigh Rickshaw Co.]

The bike riders can take you two blocks, or perhaps two miles.

NBC17 gave it a test whirl and talked with the company's co-owner.

The owners said they have been wanting to do something like this for awhile. They said it's environmentally friendly, fun and serves downtown Raleigh.

The rickshaws come complete with tail lights and a headlight and they're totally street legal.

Loren Gold and his friend took a noon ride down Fayetteville Street. "Roomy back seats, good springs on them as well," Gold said.

It sure beats walking, or worrying about getting to your car alone at night, riders said.

"I think they'll do great on Friday and Saturday nights, between the warehouse and Glenwood and Fayetteville Street," Gold said.

Heck, if gas prices keep rising, perhaps we may need these guys to drive us to news stories.

Drivers will accept tips for now and eventually charge per block traveled.

The service hopes to eventually expand to weekdays to take people from parking garages to work downtown.

Colorado Legislature passes Share the Road

The Share the Road license plate bill successfully passed the House and now heads to the Governor! This is fantastic news for bicyclists because the Share the Road license plate will generate funds to promote bicycle safety on Colorado's roads.

Thanks to House sponsor Terrance Carroll and Senate sponsor Greg Brophy for their leadership on this bill. And special thanks go to the thousands of Colorado bicyclists who signed on in support. We hope the Governor will sign this legislation this spring. Then license plate ordering information will soon follow with the initial run of plates ready early 2008. We'll keep you posted.

Click here to see the bill votes and details.

Want to know when plates are available and how much they cost? Click here for answers to common questions about the Share the Road license plate.

Share the Road Plates Benefit Bicyclists

Funding from each license plate will support Bicycle Colorado’s Share the Road Education Fund making roads safer and more welcoming for bicyclists. Programs include:

• Educate motorists on how to safely share the road
• Educate bicyclists on the rules of the road and safe riding
• Educate event directors and bicyclists on best practices for event safety
• Provide guidance to bicyclists involved in crashes
• Outreach to law enforcement on the rights and responsibilities of motorists and bicyclists

NYC misses the mark

Pedicab Smackdown: City Council Defies Bloomberg, Reins in 'Green Transport'

Monday's vote in the City Council to sharply rein in the burgeoning pedicab industry was both predictable and dispiriting, given Mayor Bloomberg’s pledge on Sunday to make New York "the first environmentally sustainable 21st-century city."

No matter that the mayor's 2030 plan specifically calls on the city to promote bicycling as one way to lower traffic congestion and emissions.

The Council voted 37-6, with 2 abstentions and 5 absences, to override Bloomberg's veto of the pedicab cap, reflecting the reluctance of some members to risk the wrath of Speaker Christine Quinn by coming out publicly against a bill she has so adamantly defended.

Among those switching sides were Brooklyn rep Letitia James, who stood with Quinn after previously opposing Intro 331-A, and Parks committee chair Helen Foster, who voted no even though she'd initially supported the bill. David Yassky of Brooklyn voted yes, but said the bill's citywide cap of 325 pedicabs was "unwise and too low" and asked that it be revised before the bill expires in two years.

In a press conference before the vote, Quinn, took exception to the notion that her efforts to restrict pedicab transit were anti-environment.

"The issue isn't whether pedicabs are or are not green," Quinn told reporters. "The fact that they are human powered certainly makes them a clean-air vehicle. But we have to balance the reality of wanting to have more green vehicles of all sorts . . . with the reality that you have to regulate industries that use the streets of New York to make money."

Quinn said capping the industry at 325 pedicabs was "reasonable"—even though drivers say it could put 40 percent of them out of business—and predicted the new restrictions, such as allowing the NYPD to ban pedicabs from any Midtown street for up to 14 days—would prove less "dire" than opponents think.

Just why Quinn has been so determined to smack down the still relatively puny pedicab industry has been the subject of much speculation.

She dismissed allegations that she was swung by a close friend who works for a firm that lobbies for the taxi industry, terming that "ridiculous."

Quinn said she was initially motivated to act on behalf of theater owners in her district, who are fed up with aggressive pedicab drivers congregating outside Broadway shows and ringing their bells to attract customers. (Quinn described a recent trip to see Jersey Boys on Broadway: "You couldn't pass on the street because there were pedicabs from one curb to the other, completely blocking the flow of traffic.")

But Quinn didn’t deny that the taxi-medallion owners had given her plenty of input. "There’s nothing wrong with the taxi industry making their position clear on this bill, and there’s nothing wrong with talking to the taxi industry," she insisted, adding, "There was no undue influence here at all."

In fact, representatives of the taxi industry showed up at every public hearing over Intro 331-A, and there were at least five taxi reps on hand for Monday's override, including a guy snapping pics of the Council members as they voted.

Surprisingly, the most outspoken opposition came from the outer boroughs. "This bill is not about regulation. This bill is designed to kill this industry," charged Tony Avella from Queens. "You are immediately, the day this bill goes into effect, putting people out of work. Shame on us if we do this."

His Queens colleague Hiram Monserrate questioned why the Council was requiring pedicab owners to take out $2 million insurance policies, when taxis are required to carry only $350,000 in coverage. "This is about eliminating, not regulating," said Monserrate, who made a last-ditch effort to avert the override by circulating an alternative bill with a bigger cap and fewer restrictions. Monserrate urged the Council to follow the lead of Mayor Bloomberg, who moved at the last minute to reconsider and then veto the bill, even after his Administration spent hours helping to craft it. “ We are going to take people’s jobs away. It’s unfair and it’s wrong."

And the ever-combative Charles Barron accused Quinn and her allies of caving to the taxi and limousine industry. "This is not us versus the mayor," he said. "This is us versus people in New York City who created a creative industry that tourists use and to raise income for their families."

On Saturday, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion argued that the cap of 325 pedicabs citywide would amount to a "de facto ban" on pedicab businesses outside of Manhattan.

"What signal does it send to those who are considering investing in a small business in our city — especially green businesses that should receive heightened protection?" Carrion said. "On the day after Earth Day, of all days, this is not a direction the Council should be going."

Last week, the Sierra Club, NYPIRG, Transportation Alternatives, and the New York League of Conservation Voters sent letters to all the council members, urging them "in the strongest way" to uphold the mayor's veto or risk losing their support. But those voices were outweighed by Quinn's allies on the Council like James Gennaro, chair of the Council’s environmental protection committee, who went so far as to argue that pedicabs cause pollution by creating more congestion.

His comments drew boos and hisses from the roughly three dozen pedicab drivers and supporters who packed the upper rafter of the Council chambers. After the vote, they gathered on the front steps of City Hall and threatened to sue.

"I think they made an absolute mockery of the mayor’s 2030 plan," said Jessie White, who rides a "big red trike" for Mr. Rickshaw. White predicted that the new law would result in a rash of arrests and ticketing of pedicabbies when it takes effect in five months. "It’s going to bog down the system and cost the city a lot of money. It’s gonna be chaos."

The Department of Consumer Affairs is setting up a lottery to award the new pedicab licenses. Many drivers are upset the DCA has not offered to give preference to existing pedicab owners, even though some have been operating in the city for 10 years. They fear the new licenses will get bought up by big players, leaving grassroots operations out in the cold.

"People with tons of money will turn it into a defacto medallion," says Gregg Zukowski, the founder of Revolution Rickshaws. "All of these people standing here could be out of business in five months."

Zukowski says he's already gotten calls from taxi medallion owners seeking "passive investments" in the pedicab biz. "They’re trying to find a way to profit off the new cap," says Peter Meitzler, head of NYC Pedicab Owners Association. "I don’t think they realize how shoestring this industry is."

The Smithsonian: Rickshaws Reinvented

Rickshaws Reinvented
The ancient transportation takes a modern turn

From London to Anchorage, New York to Hanoi, it seems as if people everywhere are catching a ride on rickshaws. Surprised? Thought that those human-pulled carts, century-old symbols of exploitation and poverty, were obsolete?

As of last December, they are—at least in the stereotypical form of a man in rags and a straw hat running barefoot through crowded Asian streets, drawing a cart carrying one or two obviously better-off passengers. That's when the government of West Bengal banned man-pulled rickshaws in Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta)—the last place in the world where they were in widespread use. Explaining the ban at a press conference, Kolkata's Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said, "We can't imagine one man sweating and straining to pull another man." An estimated 18,000 rickshaw drivers have since taken to the streets to protest what they see as the removal of their livelihoods.

Though traditional rickshaws might have made their last trips, the concept of one person using his muscle to pull a cab with people or goods remains very much alive. Companies with names like "Cleverchimp Rickshaw" and "Orient Express Rickshaw," have sprung up across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, offering an environmentally friendly way to shop, avoid big city traffic, sightsee, deliver packages—even return home after a night on the town. Several dozen companies operate in the United States alone.

Modern-day rickshaws vary in style from country to country, use bicycle pedals (often assisted by small motors), are primarily three-wheeled and can be canopied or completely enclosed. A few are resplendent in neon colors; some look like space vehicles, others show off the handiwork of their cultures, still others are as covered in advertisements as NASCAR entries. Universally known as rickshaws, they're called velo-taxis in most of Continental Europe, cyclos in Cambodia and pedicabs in Britain and the United States.

While they might carry the same genes, these new-age old-school vehicles differ substantially from their infamous ancestor—a two-wheeled cart with a collapsible hood and two long shafts.

"When technology met the rickshaw, everything changed," says Peter Meitzler of New York's Manhattan Rickshaw Company. "The modern pedicabs have hydraulic brakes, suspension, complete lighting systems, seat belts, full weather canopies, steel frames and fiberglass bodies."

Meitzler, whose title Person in Charge betrays his innovative spirit, is one of literally hundreds of entrepreneurs around the world hooked on pedal power as an alternative to gas guzzling. "You experience the urban environment differently when you're riding in a rickshaw," he says. He used "rickshaw" in the company name because it was internationally known.

The term is actually a shortened form of the Japanese word jinrikisha; literally, human-powered vehicle. There are conflicting theories about its inventor—the most prevalent is that Jonathan Scobie, an American missionary in Japan, designed it in 1869 to transport his invalid wife—but there is no question that Japan was the first country to use it widely. By the late 1870s, the rickshaw was that nation's main mode of transport, with an estimated 40,000 of them operating in Tokyo alone.

From there it quickly spread to other Asian countries. Peasants migrating to cities in search of work saw in rickshaw-pulling a quick, if exhausting, way to make a living. Several books and films, notably City of Joy, based in Kolkata, and Rickshaw Boy, the first Chinese Communist movie shown in American theaters, have chronicled the unenviable lives of rickshaw pullers, the very image of the downtrodden.

Historically, most rickshaws were rented, and the drivers had to work 17- to 18-hour days to survive. They ran in a single file at about five miles an hour through the mud and grime of teaming streets, with the front driver calling out warnings of any road hazards ahead. The rickshaw was not only their livelihood; it was also where they kept their few belongings, where they slept and where they ate.

Regarding them as a capitalist evil and a sign of China's subjugation to the West, the Communists banned rickshaws shortly after taking over that country in 1949.

All across Asia, pedals replaced the shafts and the pulled rickshaws became reserved as a unique treat for travelers visiting tourist spots. Today, they often serve as backdrops for posed souvenir photos, happy reminders of an unhappy past.