In honor of Earth Day

Pretty much anyone involved with pedicabs agrees that it's a green industry. We tout rickshaws as earth-friendly, zero-emissions, human-powered, pedal-powered, environmental, ecological, low carbon footprint, and all those other buzz words popular in today's global warming lexicon.

In honor of Earth Day, here are a few statistics to reinforce the value of pedal cabs in your community.

60,000,000 - The number of plastic bottles thrown into U.S. landfills each day. It takes 1.5 million barrels of crude oil each year to produce these bottles - translating into enough fuel to run 100,000 cars for a year.

45,000,000 - The number of barrels of oil saved each year by using public transportation.

2,150,000 - The number of barrels of oil saved if 100,000 homes installed eco-friendly geothermal heating systems.

2,000 - The number of coal-fired power plants located in China. (One new power plant goes into operation every 4 to 7 days in China).

13 - The number of pounds a person would lose if they walked one half hour a day instead of riding or driving a motor vehicle. If every US citizen between the ages of 10 to 74 walked this equivalent each day rather than drive, our carbon dioxide emissions would be decreased by 64 million tons.

3,000,000,000 - Gallons of gas wasted each year due to traffic congestion. Since much pollution is caused while traffic is slowed or stalled due to congestion, many people mistakenly think that this pollution can be prevented by decreasing congestion. Unfortunately that doesn't work, as every attempt to facilitate traffic flow simply results in more traffic. More roads seem to lead to more cars on the roads.

117 - Bicycling is 117% more efficient than walking.

54 - Gallons of gas saved annually by using a bicycle to commute four days a week for four miles (each way). [That's approximately $190 US at today's gas prices]

30 - percent of morning traffic caused by parents dropping their kids off at school.

15 - In 2004, fewer than 15% of children and adolescents use active modes of transportation to or from school. In 1969, approximately half of all schoolchildren walked or bicycled to or from school, and 87% of those living within 1 mile of school walked or bicycled. (CDC report)

36 - Walking is 36 times more dangerous than driving, because Americans lack safe places to walk (e.g. trend towards fewer sidewalks and crosswalks). In 59% of cases for which information is available, pedestrians died in places where they could not find a crosswalk.

55 - On average, states spent just 55 cents per person of their federal transportation funds on pedestrian projects in the years studied, less than 1% of their total federal transportation dollars. Average spending on highways came to $72 per person.

100 - The number of bicycles that could be produced using the energy and resources needed to build one medium-sized car.

40 - Percentage of oil used daily in the U.S. by Cars and SUVs.

Resources:
cleanairsys.com
Bicycleuniverse.info
Scorecard.org

A perfect melding of function with affordable luxury

On Yer Bike: February, 20, 2007

I'm always haranguing readers to try the latest cycle fads around Oxford. Be it cyclo-cross, Bike Quest, bike polo . . . you name it, I've been and had a look, but have I actually got my bum on the saddle? No, idly not. So, in a fit of enthusiasm last week, I booked an Oxon Cart to take me and my fiancée from Divinity Road to Jericho.

The ride cost £15, which included a red rose stem for each pair of Valentine's passengers. Georgia accepted ours and I didn't demur, though I don't know what would have happened in the event of two Valentines demanding one. I suspect they wouldn't have wanted to rock the cart. The verdict? Fantastic! A perfect melding of function with affordable luxury. An Oxford must-do. I've travelled widely in Asia, where pedicabs are a usual way from A to B.

In this cold, congested country, pedicabs take on an altogether more exotic, magical allure. Until they become more widely used and seen, passengers can expect bemused glances from pedestrians and jealous waves from kids stuck in traffic-jammed cars. As we cruised along Cowley Road at less than 20 mph, cars and buses either held back or gave us a pleasantly wide berth.

Our driver gave us a blanket to keep the evening air from our legs, and I was glad as otherwise, after 15 minutes' sitting pretty in a pedicab, we'd have been hypothermic. Halfway over Magdalen Bridge, the cycle lane took us past dozens of buses to the front of the roadworks. Cyclists loved being around the cart, while bus passengers looked on helplessly.

The pedicab followed the bike routes along Turl Street, Broad Street, Magdalen Street and St Giles, then down the Little Clarendon Street contraflow to deposit us safely, soundly and feeling suitably romantic, outside Bangers and Mash in Walton Street. The ride was comfy, interesting (drivers are either students or bikey locals), fun, quick and left us feeling more pampered than anything else.

A Decent Proposal

Hello everyone.

Allow me to introduce myself. My name/handle is MAF The Stache and I will be an occasional contributor to the Pedicab Blog. I did go by the name, The Stache because a certain pedicab driver (who shall remain nameless to protect his guilt) refers to me as The Stache. (And while I no longer have the same name, I still have my mustache.)

Before I go any further I wanted to thank the other Pedicab bloggers for inviting me to participate.


A Decent Proposal

I thought that I'd share with you my first experience riding on Valentine's Day. But first let me go back to the previous day (the 13th) when I spoke to a very nice gentleman who was interested in meeting me in front of the main office of the police department downtown where his girlfriend works.

As it turns out, the gentleman in question and his girlfriend had the pleasure of riding on a pedicab about five months earlier when they were on their first date. Now, five months later the man wanted to surprise his girlfriend on Valentine's Day with another pedicab ride and to ask her to marry him. After getting the particulars, of where (police department) and when (3:20 pm) to meet him the next day. So with the particulars written down, I waited to make my appointed round.

So, there I was, 3:10 in the afternoon, sitting on my pedicab and I started to wonder if I was waiting at the right place. A tall man approached from the south, calling out to me, "You must be The Stache. MAF." I replied that I was.

The tall gentleman climbed into the pedicab and directed me to the parking lot behind the police station and began telling me of his plan, including the route that I was to pedal that afternoon. His girlfriend was to get off work at 3:30 pm, he was going to meet her and make some small talk. After several minutes of talking with her he was to to signal to me and I would pull up and they were to climb into the cab and the journey would begin. I nodded in agreement and told him that I would wait for his signal as he walked off towards the front of the building.

It was 3:20 pm and I was getting nervous.

3:30 pm: The nice gentleman was walking back to me where I was waiting and he told me that his girlfriend was probably working later and that it would be a little while longer. I asked him how he was feeling, and he said "Really nervous." (I couldn't tell.) I reassured him (as any pedicab driver would) as he walked back to his post.

3:35 pm: The gentleman is now talking on his cell phone, and I am having my doubts. I kept thinking "The best laid plans of mice and men." He starts walking over to me and I am wondering if his Valentine's Day suprise was turning into his Valentine's Day nightmare. Despite his being nervous, he said that things weren't going according to the plan. He asked my if I had another engagement to which I replied "No." (I was in this for the long haul. I was going to see the tall gentleman crash and burn or soar with eagles.

3:40 pm: The tall gentleman is once again talking on his cell phone and I start worrying that things aren't going well. Perhaps I was showing my worry as he waved in my direction.

3:45 pm: The tall gentleman is talking with a very petite woman. I start getting nervous, going over the route that I am to take. And then he signaled me (not the raised hand I was expecting but what the hell) to pick them up. He introduced me to his girlfriend, who shook my hand and proceeded to jump into the pedicab and announced, "After today, I really could use a ride back to the car."

Ah, she was completely unaware of what was to take place over the next 15-20 minutes. I started riding as the two sat together talking to each other. (I was definately hard of hearing that afternoon.) The tall gentleman handed her a Valentine's Day card as I rode through the courthouse park, passing squirrels who interrupted their afternoon meals to watch us pass.

We exited the park and followed the planned route which included the spot where they boarded the pedicab for the first time some five months earlier. We winded our way through the downtown as we approached the cafe where they dined on that first date, after their first pedicab ride.

I stopped the cab, and without saying a word I dismounted the pedicab and walked away to allow them some privacy. (I mean really would you want the pedicab rider sitting right there during your proposal of marriage? I don't think so.)

I must admit it was rather embarrassing standing around, waiting for the recently engaged couple to invite me back to continue the ride. I did enjoy watching the people walking downtown as they stared at the couple sharing a warm embrace in the back of my pedicab.

After she wiped away her tears of happiness I congratulated the very happy couple. They were both very happy. The tall gentleman asked if I would take several photographs to mark this momentous occasion. After the photo session which included one of her showing off her rock (It was huge!) I hopped on the pedicab to continue the last stage of the afternoon together.

The route backtracked the original route taken on this day, (and on their first date) back to where the trip began. Well back to the parking lot where her car was parked. After exiting the pedicab I congratulated the happy couple once more. They thanked me for a wonderful afternoon, and I them.

I love riding my pedicab!


UPDATE:
I just learned that my other blogger identity has overtaken "The Stache" identity. And to think I was going for a little anonymity in my posts here at the Pedicab Blog...

Pedicabs help ring in the New Year

Happy New Year!

Pedicabs are out in Denver and ringing in 2007! After 2 challenging snow storms, our drivers were still out delivering people to parties and celebrations tonight. Families, couples and friends enjoyed 2 fireworks shows along the Sixteenth Street Mall at 9 pm and midnight. As in previous years, Mile High Pedicabs was there.

In addition to the New Year's Eve events, the city also hosted a Broncos football game (unfortunately the last one until next season), and a Nuggets basketball game. All the activity made for an interesting and challenging day downtown.

(Photo by Dan Byrd for the Downtown Denver Partnership)

Santa in a pedicab

Thanks Gerald at Rickshaw Forum for picking up on this cute article.

I saw Santa riding a pedicab

Worst Gift Ever

Check out this little video of people talking about the worst gift they've ever received.

Cute and well done.

Thanks for the tip Michael Wade at execupundit.

MHP Holiday Party

Happy Holidays! Tonight was a fun evening for everyone attending the Mile High Pedicab Holiday Party. And an extra thanks to our hosts, Matt, Rob and Randy, owners of the Dugout in Denver.

Greg and I want to thank all the drivers who worked with us during 2006. We often comment to one another about what an awesome and diverse group of drivers we have. We both thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone, swapping stories, laughing, and getting to know you better. Honestly, I can't express to you how much you are appreciated.

Since so many of the drivers don't get a chance to get to know each other, we had everyone play a little driver trivia game. It was a lot of fun and sparked some lively conversation - which was our goal in the first place. For those of you who missed the party and are interested in the trivial factoids, you'll just have to ask someone who was there.

A special thanks to the partners, spouses, and significant others who joined us tonight (and those who didn't). Welcome to the crazy world of pedicabs! Your encouragement is vitally important.

We hope everyone had a good time. We sure did! We'll do this again in January!

Livestrong Sports Gear

Looking for something special for that cyclist in your life? Why not support a worthwhile cause while you're spending your money? You'll find lots of cool gifts and gear at the Livestrong Sports Gear store. From commemorative ornaments to jerseys, water bottles to socks, you're sure to find that perfect gift here.

Not just cycling, but running, walking, golf and tennis gear can be found at the Livestrong store too, along with accessories for pets and gifts for survivors.

Livestrong Sports Gear

Or visit the Denver Komen Race for the Cure online store for apparel, hats, keychains, pins and more. You'll find even more at the Komen Marketplace.