I feel your pain

All you pedicab owner-operators, let me just say, "I feel your pain" when it comes to finding insurance.

We've been on the hunt for insurance for our new pedal cab operation, Colorado Rickshaw Company, and it's been UGLY! The options are limited, for sure, and the costs, restrictions and exclusions are all over the map. In recent weeks I've gotten a real education in a subject I didn't want to know that much about.

From what we hear from operators across North America, insurance is the biggest issue they face. Drivers may be the biggest hassle, but overall, the biggest concern is insurance.

There just aren't a lot of options. The coverage offered by some providers is questionable. Unfortunately, in order to operate, a lot of companies buy whatever is cheapest and still meets the requirements. They may think they're covered, but are they really?

I don't claim to be an expert in insurance, and I'm not going to tell you which insurance policy to buy, or which providers are the best. It really depends on your own particular circumstances, how your business is structured, and your tolerance for risk. What I can tell you is that there are significant differences in policies from one provider to the next.

Here are some questions you may want to ask before you plunk down a large chunk of cash:

• Has the insurance you're considering ever paid a claim? If so, what were the circumstances?
  
• If you report an incident, even if it never becomes a claim, are you charged a reporting or research fee?
  
• What is included and what is excluded?
  
• Is the insurance based on claims made or occurences? Either may be okay, but may require different reporting procedures, and the total deductible may change. (For example, if three passengers in an accident each file a claim, the deductible may apply to each passenger rather than the entire incident, thus tripling your out-of-pocket expense.)
  
• If a driver has an incident but doesn't report it, are you covered?
  
• Is there a deductible? If so, do you have enough in reserve to cover it?
  
• Are the drivers covered, or just the passengers? What about damage to the cabs or other property like cars?
  
• If you have a manager, assistant manager, or mechanic, what is their coverage under the policy?
  
• At what point does this insurance take over? Some policies only cover expenses in excess of those covered by motor vehicle or health insurance.
  
• Are the pedal cabs covered for damage, fire or theft? Does that coverage apply to street use, storage, or both?
  
• Is coverage limited to a specific geographical area like a city, county or region? Or can you take your cabs to an event like an airshow or car race outside of your general footprint? Does coverage extend to transport to or from an event?
  
• Is there an age limit for drivers?
  
• If the policy requires a "clean driving record," what does that mean? If someone gets a traffic ticket after they're approved, what happens?
  
• Are there any benefits for having safety equipment like lights and seat belts?
  
• Are there any benefits for having a training & street monitoring program in place?
  
• Do you have the ability to increase or decrease the number of cabs in your fleet?
  
• Is anything else included in the coverage like legal fees, etc.?
  
• Can you review a copy of the policy before you buy?
  
• If you change to a new insurance provider, are you covered by the original provider for incidents that happened while you were insured by them?

Other things to consider when choosing your insurance coverage are:

• Do you have written reporting procedures in place?
  
• Have you put into place any other systems to limit your liability?
  
• What are the driver's responsibilities in an incident?
  
• How well are your cabs maintained, and do you keep records?
  
• If your drivers aren't covered by your business insurance, do they have any other coverage in place like regular or catastrophic health insurance?

It takes time to evaluate your options. Plan to start looking for new insurance 4 to 6 weeks before you actually need it. Since pedicab businesses are still a nontraditional industry and there aren't any actuarial tables yet, brokers often need time to gather all the information required by the underwriters.

Do you (pretend to) care?

I read this post this evening and it got me thinking about how caring and not caring relates to pedicab drivers. (Hmmm... for some reason, most of what I read makes me think of some aspect of pedicabs.)

Does caring make a difference in the number of rides, size of tips, or just plain enjoyment of the streets if you care, or at least pretend to care?

And what exactly do you care about? The people on the street? The safety of your passengers? The experience of riding? Or your take at the end of the shift?

And, as Seth Godin suggests in this post, does pretending to care lead to actually caring? Does it make a difference?

Pretending that you care
Seth Godin 4/27/08

I spent part of the day in New York yesterday.

First stop, an expensive sporting goods store that prides itself on service. I bought some skates, paid and then asked the security guy (the one with all the shelves behind his desk, where people check stuff they bring in) if I could leave my stuff there for ten minutes while I ran an errand.

"No, I'm really really sorry," he said, "but we can't take responsibility and I'll get in big trouble if I do. I know it's a hassle for you..."

I left and did my errand. A little later, on my way back to the car, I had one last street to cross. Suddenly, a motorcade of 20 police cars, sirens roaring, whizzed by, blocking the crosswalk and making me miss the light (if anyone knows why NY City cops are suddenly doing this a lot, please let me know. Where are they going? Why? If it's an emergency, why don't they go faster?).

As I waited for the cops to go by, I watched a meter guy walk up to my car and slowly start to write me a parking ticket. I was being penalized for being a good citizen and waiting for the endless motorcade!

I ran up and begged.

He turned to me and said, "I'm so sorry. I know what a hassle it is, but once I press this yellow button here, I have to finish. But I bet if you go to court and complain, they'll waive it." Then he reached into his pocket and handed me a lollipop. "Thanks for coming to New York, and I'm sorry."

Except this story isn't true.

The guy at the sporting goods store just grunted at me. Explained it wasn't his job and just dared me to return the skates I had just bought. And the meter guy didn't even bother to acknowledge me or make eye contact.

No, you can't always hire exceptional people for these jobs. No, you can't always invest enough time to train them sufficiently. But yes, you can make, "pretending you care," a barely acceptable alternative.

It doesn't take much to take the edge off an encounter.

[Boy does this sound cynical. How inauthentic! How manipulative! Isn't it better to just hire people who actually care? Of course it is. But as far as I can tell, that's a lot harder than it looks--because so many organizations are organized around policies, not caring, and because so many employees have been trained not to care.

So, the essence of the lesson here is this: if people start out pretending to care, next
thing you know, they actually do care. They like the positive feedback and they like the way being kind makes them feel. It spreads. It sticks.]

For operators, how much do you care? How hard is it to find drivers who actually care? How can you tell? Do you bother to screen for drivers who care, and if so, how do you do it?

Video: Rickshaws add to evolving downtown Raleigh

I've been meaning to post this for awhile. Unfortunately, Blogger Beta doesn't seem to want to allow me to post anything with javascript, so you'll just have to visit the WRAL web site or the Raleigh Rickshaw web site to see this fabulous video.

This news piece was produced and aired during Greg's trip to Raleigh for our 4-day Operator's Training at the end of March. It was totally unscripted, but everyone, including the passengers, managed to say all the right things. (When did Donald become a ventriloquist?)

It's an awesome free commercial! Doesn't get much better than this.

Nice guns, Brian!

Too Far, too much, hah!

Good day Pedicabbies!

It has occurred to me that I haven't contributed in awhile. In perusing the latest spring commentary about 'cabbin, a few things have come to me.

Well, the time to get angry about uninsured drivers is over...for now. LETS MOVE ON!

Ding...Ding...Ding...Ding...

What is a good night of pedicabbing? For my 4 years doing this job, I have seen countless types, maneuvers, and drivers all try to figure out what it is that attracts them to the streets. I think about my experiences, and it seems that the one job that has been steady for me in the last for years is riding a pedicab! I have done it full time, part time, and seasonally, and had a foray into establishing the highest pedicab company in north america. It must be said that drivers come and go. They start and stop for a variety of reasons. Continue riding.

Why do I come back? It has to do with the kooky cycling mind that you can see on http://www.sheldonbrown.com. RIP, Sheldon.

I get out there and approach whomever I can who I think I can get into my cab. I have been turned down, rejected, and even laughed at. The secret, whether you like it or not, pedicab success comes from inside, with a crazy pair of legs, and a bit of a self-gratifying tendency to hustle. My secret: get as many rides as possible.

It doesn't matter (oh, it actually does, but for sales philosophy sake) if they pay you. It matters in the all important quotient of jealousy of other drivers. Not to distrust, but other drivers or people do not know if you are charging or willfully giving out Karma. Think about it. Truthfully, the weather, the cold, the rain, the snow, it wears a person. Just ask the Peloton of the Tour of California. If you love it, it isn't suffering, right?

Are you motivated by money? By fun? By the intoxicating and smelly downtown streets? All of the above are valid reasons.

How far? Hell, I will use the standard "If you pay me $50, I'll drive you in my car, to where you need to go." I have seen this work, and the driver collected $60. Out here, anything is possible. Everyone wants a story. Would I take someone 5 miles away? Sure. Price is crucial in this transaction.

You must negotiate price, and be ready for some heavy spinning. Do what you think you can handle. The customer will not know the difference unless they have pedicabbed before. To us, we are the few. We are cyclists, gluttons for punishment, but albeit, fit to the bone. And we can negotiate. But negotiate on price. What you do as your habits are up to you. Just don't ruin it for the rest of us.

I SAID SPINNING, NOT PETTING! Sex is a strange motivator, lets me honest. However, being invited to party, do shots, or go and hang out; it doesn't matter. It is my choice to stop. But, most sexual commentary is a part of the job. Really, I turn it down as puffery. I have yet to meet my perfect wife on the pedicab streets. Come to think about it, I have lost 3 relationships because of this job. Nothing I did, I assure you. I just happen to love bikes.

I have to say, publicly, that the urban velo article captures pedicabbery. It is more than a job. It is an extension of freedom, cycling, hard work, ear-to-the-ground socializing and a great study in human behavior. A strange mix of self-sales, bouncer, EMT, minister, bartender, cowboy, an undercover police officer, a marketing guru, and proclaimed superman. Not to mention a bit of a gambler. Trust me, superman, or woman is what being in the saddle is all about.

I propose the establishment of a pedicab cycling team. Cycling season has started. Riding a cab is some of the finest interval training one can get. Better than riding a 55X12 track bike. I am working on getting a track bike, but what beats the pedicab?

I am notorious for wanting to race whenever I get in the saddle. Anyone have any thoughts about a jersey? I think a nationwide presence of pedicab representation would be great! I have raced in Minnesota and Colorado, under the auspices of Mountain pedicab company, AKA Team Pedicab. With cycling season starting, for those interested in road racing, track racing, mountain bike, off-road triathlons, or really just the prospect of establishing a pedicab race at some point, I want a team. We are capable of such a thing.

This is what I can come up with right now. I bid the with happy cycling, and the prospect of a non-snow covered street, and non-existent slush.

Arigato.

beefsteak.

Care Bears in a Pedicab

WARNING! Not for the faint of heart or stomach! You and Tenderheart Bear ride a pedicab around Times Square and end up at Toys-R-Us. The view kinda sucks since most of what you see is the left side of a brown bear head. This is very very long, so you probably won't watch the entire thing. Be ready to hit the mute button.

Pedicabbie experience after dark

This is a fantastic article written by a pedicab driver in Columbia, Missouri, and published in Urban Velo. I am only posting an excerpt of the article with a link to the rest, but I just think it gives such great insight into his experience, that I encourage you to read it in its entirety. Definitely go to the original article to read it and check out the great photos. Thanks, Johnny in Columbia, for such a thoughtful article.

Pedicabs After Dark (excerpt)
By Johnny Tarr

While the pedicab itself is humble, a ride on it is amazing in contrast. A three-hour shift makes the whole day perfect. I adjust the seat, check the lights, and then the moment I roll off the lot I’m Superman. This must be how it feels to command a kingdom, or walk on water. Traffic treats me royally. Everybody waves back. The cab itself is an eye-magnet that makes its riders instant celebrities.

I feel people on the sidewalks getting excited as the cab rolls down the street, so I invite them on. Some folks hop right on, exclaiming how I’ve come at just the right moment, but some potential riders need convincing. They might give nonsense excuses about how they’re only going two blocks, and surely that’s too near or too far. Or the mothers, bless their hearts, say that they would feel terrible about making me work. Nothing but a show of machismo beats that fallacy, so I tell them I’m the strongest man in Columbia. They don’t really believe me but that’s fine because I believe myself and that’s the important thing, so they get in anyway.

Read the entire article at UrbanVelo.com...

People love to hear stories about Pedicabbin

During my travels and training of new drivers the one part everyone seems to enjoy the pedicab stories. The business is full of funny, crazy, heart wrenching and just stupid stories. Doing this for almost 4 years I am full of them. But I like hearing other driver’s stories too. Here are some of the categories that they can fall into. We have a few from when we did this before. But there seems to be a whole new batch of readers and riders out there. I have some new ones too.

1. Stupidest ride. (What was I thinking)?
2. Craziest ride?
3. Longest ride?
4. Strangest people on the cab?
5. Any others you want to add?

Please comment with all the juicy detail of yours.

Ed Begley Jr. interviewed in a pedicab

Hold onto your hats, boys and girls! This video clip at The New York Times web site will blow you away! If you have a wind turbine handy this story may actually put energy back on the grid.

Thanks, Peter, for posting this on Rickshaw Forum:
"Ed Begley, Jr., goes for a ride with NY Times science reporter and discusses serious environmental issues on a pedicab.....fresh video reporting on New York Times. And the pedicab is treated seriously."

At the end of the video, Begley lauds pedicabs as "the best way to get around Manhattan."

A Eco-Chat With Ed Begley Jr.

The one about the Pedicab.

Six Until Me: The one about the Pedicab.

We had scheduled to bring EXIST to a media conference in NYC last night. Chris was already in the city for the day, so I worked at dLife and then hopped the train to New York.

The train dumped me off at Grand Central Station and I made my merry way to the concourse, happy that I at least knew what direction to go in. It was 6:19 pm and the conference started at 6:30. I was right on track to be fashionably late.

Texted Chris: I’m here. Just getting a cab and I’ll be to you in 20 minutes.

Walked out onto the bustling sidewalk. Roads were closed due to the UN summit, so there were even more people spilling out than usual. Horns beeping. A man dressed as a piece of pizza shoved a flyer in my hand and hollered (to no one in particular), “Everybody loves pizza, man!” I walked towards the corner of the street, heels clicking, fashionably late … very Mary Tyler Moore of me. Started humming “You’re gonna make it after all.” Raised my arm to hail a cab, for the first time in my 27 years.

No one stopped.

Maybe I wasn’t out far enough. Maybe they couldn’t see me. Raised my hand again as a trio of cabs ripped by.

Hmmm. I am clearly doing something wrong here.

There was a police officer standing about 30 feet away from me. I walked over to her, keeping my eyes locked on the gridlock for an empty cab.

“Excuse me?” The cop turned around. “Excuse me. I need to catch a cab. Would I have more luck on another street, because of the roads being closed?”

The cop looked me up and down.

“Would have helped if you wore a skirt.”

“Excuse me?”

“A skirt. A skirt would help. Next time wear a skirt. But good luck finding a cab tonight – roads are closed, it’s rush hour, and everyone is looking for a cab. Cross your fingers, miss.”

Feeling more and more like a country mouse, I stepped back to the curb and scanned the road for cabs. A man with luggage and a cell phone walked up beside me.

“Waiting for a cab?”

I nodded.

“Good luck with that. It’s crazy in this town. I’m just in from San Francisco and I’ve been waiting for ½ an hour for a cab to stop.” My eyes widened. I heard a bell ring.

“Hey lady! You need to get somewhere fast?” A voice called from the street. Out of seemingly nowhere, a bicycle cab/rickshaw peeled out next to me and a tall, skinny man leaned off his bicycle and shot me a craggy grin.

Oh for crying out loud.

“Yes, yes I do. Can you get me to The Puck Building? Off Lafayette?”

“No problem. 52 blocks from here. Gonna cost you $60. Hop in.”

It didn’t look safe. It was an updated version of a horse-and-buggy outfit, only instead of a horse pulling the cart down a country road, it was a skinny guy with an almost-beard toddling through Manhattan traffic. I shouldn’t do it. And sixty bucks? I definitely shouldn’t do it.

“Okay.” I climbed in. He buckled me in like it was the Scrambler at the fair and off we plunged into the sea of buses, town cars, and cabs that didn’t want me as a patron.

Texted Chris: I’m on my way. I’m in an f@*&ing bicycle rickshaw. This is my life. $60.

I have never been so scared in my life. This skinny man rode like he was rally driving, weaving in and out of traffic, skimming by the sides of buses, pitching wildly in potholes, and occasionally pointing out the scenery.

“Lady. That?” He pointed, taking both hands off of the handlebars and causing my heart to almost stop. “That’s a very beautiful art exhibit. It’s so nice. I like art.” We came about six inches from rear-ending a Mercedes. “You like art, lady? You been to the city before?”

The wind blew through my hair and I clutched the side of the seat for dear life. “NO!” I yelled, hoping these words wouldn’t be my last. “BUT I LOVE ART! I REALLY LOVE ART! AND LIFE! I LOVE LIFE, TOO!”

Texted Chris: I may die in this thing. I love you. Don’t forget to feed the cats.

“Hey lady! I take pictures. You like pictures?” He didn’t wait for a response. “I would like to take your picture. I have a nice, Polaroid camera. You like to have pictures taken?”

“NO THANK YOU, SIR! I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GET TO THE PUCK BUILDING, THANKS.”

“Okay. I take good pictures, though.”

Life continued on for 30 harrowing minutes. We finally turned on to Lafayette. My hair was enormous. My cheeks were wind-whipped. My knuckles were white from hanging on for dear life as he pedaled furiously down Manhattan streets.

He cut through a gas station, crossed between three buses and another bicycle cab, and drove up the sidewalk, to the very base of the Puck Building. People were staring. We skidded to a stop.

He rang the bell.

I unbuckled myself from the cab and he took my hand, helping me from the cart as though I were some sort of Disney royalty. It was 7:15.

“Thank you very much, sir. Here’s your money.”

“No charge, lady.”
“What?”

“No charge. You can’t look that scared when you’re waiting for a ride, though. Someone might take advantage of you! You seem nice, lady. Where I am from, we are nice to our women and we make sure they are safe. No charge.”

I handed him a twenty dollar bill and shook his hand.

“Thank you very much, sir. It’s been quite an experience.”

He jerked the bike back onto the street. “The subway is probably more scary than this. I see you next time, okay?” And off he went, towards some semblance of a sunset, but most likely within two inches of the bumper of a bus.

Texted Chris: I’m here. My hair looks a fright. People in New York aren’t as mean as I thought. I may make it after all.

Thanks, Kerri, for the great story about your adventures in a NYC pedicab! Very funny! It's good for us pedicab people to be reminded of the passenger's experience behind the driver.

Pedicab butt

Every pedicab driver knows that someone is always looking at their butt. This one showed up on YouTube! Whoever you are, I hope you got a big tip for this!



I have to admit, I like the nice butt of a pedicab driver myself. If you watched the Tour de France, you might have noticed that sponsors now have advertising on the riders' butts. What a great idea! Any pedicabbies willing to do the same? I'll be happy to sell the ad space. Send me a photo!

Q: Does size really matter?

We've been having this discussion off and on. Does size matter? I mean, is bigger really better? Do bigger pedicabs get you bigger tips? In other words, does having more people in your cab get you more money? Is it really worth it to overload your cab?

Who's riding in your cab?

The passenger in your pedicab could be anybody. Sports star? CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation? Music producer? You never really know, as this story at SI.com illustrates.

A week after receiving his U.S. visa and trying out in four NBA cities, Greek prospect Giorgos Printezis arrived in New York for the NBA Draft...

"We couldn't get a taxi,'' [his American agent, Kenny] Grant said. "Then a bike went by."

It was one of those pedaled rickshaws, a bicycle with a carriage in back.

"We said, 'Can you take us to the Garden?''' Grant said. "The guy said, 'Sure. Where is it?'"

The two-mile ride took more than 10 minutes. Printezis, a small forward, is 6-8 and 205 pounds, and Grant is a 6-foot former point guard.

"Every time we would stop for a red light, I felt so sorry for the guy on the bike," Grant said. "He was so slow getting started again."

The rickshaw pulled them down 5th Avenue then across 34th Street against traffic to the back entrance of the Garden.

"He pulls up to that green awning on 33rd,'' Grant said. "All the limos are lined up there for Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, and here we pull up in a rickshaw."

Feel free to click on comments below and share your own stories of the rich and famous. But remember, the person riding in your cab is always important, whether they're rich or famous or not. Treat everyone like the star they think they are.

Pedicabs in the Denver Business Journal

Pedicab business is on an up cycle
Denver Business Journal June 29, 2007

The content of this article has been removed at the request of American City Business Journals, Inc. and bizjournals.com. To read it, you can follow the link above.

Karma Rides...

OK, everyone is familiar with the concept of a karma ride. It is usually a short ride that takes place at least once in a shift. Then there are free rides that turn into a trip for a tip. I have spent afternoons offering rides "on the house" that are just as profitable as nights when I tell customers that I work for tips. (And I know that there are others who could say the same.)

Well last Saturday night I met an elderly lady who missed her bus and was stuck downtown. (She was frail, and walked with what I would describe as a slow and wobbly step. She reminded me of Miss Havisham from Charles Dickens' Great Expectations.) It was 8 pm and the buses stopped running at 7 pm. I asked the woman if she could call someone to pick her up. She said that she had just moved and had no phone and no one to call to pick her up. I asked her how far away she lived and she said that it was not that far and gave me the name of one major street by her home.

I seriously considered taking her to a taxi and having the taxi driver take her home at my expense. I quickly discarded this notion as I replayed her climbing into my cab with my assistance. Could I trust a taxicab driver with my passenger? I decided that I could not. Now that I was committed to taking the old woman home I started asking her what landmarks she could remember were near her new home. She narrowed down my options by informing me that she lived near a corner liquor store located next to a small restaurant.

Taking what I know of the area where she lives I started riding for the street she could remember the name of. I figured that if I started riding that she would eventually see the liquor store and/or the restaurant and we'd find her home in no time. I figured that she lived in one of two places and started riding hoping that I was correct. As we entered the first intersection I thought might be the correct one I asked her if she saw anything that looked familiar. She responded that she did not. I told her not to worry because it was just a matter of time before we arrived at her home.

Well, about a 1/2 mile later we approached the second intersection that fit her criteria. I again asked her if anything looked familiar. She paused, squinted and then recognized the two corner businesses. I asked her which way did I needed to drive and she told me to turn left, which I did as soon as the light turned green.

After a left turn and then another right turn we approached her home. I pulled up along side the curb next to her residence and dismounted from my pedicab. As I reached out to help my passenger off the pedicab she started crying. Through her tears she thanked me and apologized for having no money to give me. I explained that I didn't want her money and that I was just glad that she was home now. After helping her down off my cab she continued to cry as she gave me the tightest hug she could offer.

I am by no means the nicest man in the world, but for a moment last Saturday night, I was the nicest man in the world for an elderly woman who I have never met. And that is the best tip of all.

A Rainy Night in Denver

One evening awhile back, the skies opened up and the rain poured down. But that didn't stop some hardcore MHP drivers.

Damien Rice was at the Paramount Theater, which is a hit-or-miss venue for pedicabs. It's right on the pedestrian mall, and most people plan to walk before and after.

That night the Paramount was a very big hit! People who poured out of the Theater after the concert, expecting to walk to their cars, were surprised to find a deluge from above.

Pedicabs to the rescue!!!

Canopies and rain curtains came in handy. The drivers out that night made a big splash with concert-goers -- and good cash too.

Just remember... bad weather for strolling is great weather for pedicabbing.

Heartbreaking fares

Recently our company was contracted by the city to provide pedicabs during the lunch hour (10 am to 2 pm) downtown. Over the past couple of weeks a majority of my passengers have been those that work downtown offset with the occasional jurist escaping for the lunch recess. I love my job! I get to exercise, conduct social experiments and make a little money on the side.

In riding downtown at lunch time I have come to know a new type of pedicab passenger. They are not your average passengers. They don't want to go to lunch. They aren't interested in going shopping. And they aren't in the least bit interested in walking and getting their exercise. So who are these passengers that I speak of? The passengers to whom I refer are the children and their mothers (and fathers) who for whatever reason are only allowed supervised visits with their children.

Last Friday I was stopped by a mother who asked about getting a ride for herself and her two kids. I said sure. Then she paused, turned to the CPS (Child Protective Services) worker to ask permission to ride my pedicab. He consented and then told me that we could only go so far as he had to be able to see us at all times. It was a strange feeling being watched. I could only wonder what the parent must be going through. How awkward a moment is it to spend quality time with your children knowing that there is someone looking over your shoulder the whole time.

Again, I don't know the circumstances that led to this arrangement. There is a plethora of reasons that I won't attempt to explain, rationalize. I could not help feel sorry for the mother and the children. The children were rather subdued despite my efforts to distract them with my skill at weaving between a series of light poles at slow speed. I guess that they too could feel the watchful eye of the CPS worker.

Today I gave yet another ride to a mother who was spending time with her children under the watchful eye of the CPS worker. Today's ride was different as the CPS worker joined the mother and her children for a ride through downtown. Together they enjoyed the ride while the children laughed and had a good time. I imagine that there will be other mothers (fathers) with their children seeking to escape if only for moment.

As a pedicab rider there are those times when my job can be physically demanding. After a long night the parking garage gets harder to climb. But after today I am convinced that the CPS worker has a tougher job than I do.

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?

Drew, The Cute Pedicab Driver in Austin

Secret crush on a pedicab driver? In Austin, Texas it's not so secret anymore. Here's a bite from the Austinist on Drew, driver for Capital Pedicab.

Just in time to scope him out while you're hopping among downtown venues for SXSW, Austinist brings you this edition's interview: Drew, The Cute Pedicab Driver With the Slightest Southern Accent.

Any funny pedicab stories to share?

So much crazy stuff happens downtown late night, but I’ll tell you one recent event that happened in my cab. Two really drunk guys (who had managed to tell me that they were best friends growing up and now one was in town visiting the other) started to get into a fist fight/ wrestling match in the back of my cab. As I slowed down to kick them out of my cab, one guy threw the other clear out of the cab. The guy still in the cab got out and as he ran towards his ‘friend’ he slipped and fell flat on his face. Bloody face and all, I told him to get back in my cab, drove away, dropped him off a few blocks around the corner, and told him to calm down before he went looking for his friend again.

He started apologizing to me and said this happens all the time when the two of them get together. Luckily, I still managed to get a decent tip from the guy.

That's hilarious. Do you ever have to get rough with unruly drunkards?

Usually dealing with drunk dudes is more funny than it is annoying (and some nights it can be pretty depressing). You just try to stay clear of the belligerents and not allow them into your cab. Really it’s the drunk women who will violate pedicab drivers. First they might say something like ‘nice calves’, then all the sudden they are grabbing your legs or butt. But usually, you’ll get a big tip out of it because the woman who’s the least drunk will feel embarrassed for the way her wild, drunk friend acted.

Austinist: Crush-Out Austin: Drew, The Cute Pedicab Driver

Cinderella

One of the attendees at the Weekend Intensive shared this story with us, and I just had to pass it along to you...

I had a couple of girls in my pedicab one evening. It was obvious that they'd been drinking and were pretty wasted by the time I picked them up. My expert pedicab driving skills so impressed one of the girls that she just had to call her dad to tell him what she and her friend were up to. However, she had a tough time explaining exactly what sort of vehicle she was riding in. After struggling for a few minutes to drunkenly describe a pedicab on the phone to dad, I overheard her say, "Picture Cinderella on her way to to the ball... well, I'm in the pumpkin part."

Does that make pedicab operators fairy godmothers? And are pedicab drivers a bunch of mice?

Thanks for the giggle Warren. Best of luck in CT.