New York City vs Cyclists

[Happy Monkey]

They're in an odd position. They're like a bike-sharing system, where the endpoints of your trip aren't restricted to bike-sharing sites, which is cool. But they're wider than bikes, so they probably can't really use bike lanes, which puts them right back into regular traffic. You could say they're saving gas, but that cab you're not using is still driving around empty looking for someone else, and I doubt the pedi-cabs will reach a volume that will decrease the gasi-cab fleet size.

[HungLikeJesus]

I thought pedi-cabs were just for children.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by casimendocina

Are the pedi-cabs a viable means of transport or a novelty that is likely to disappear? Just asking as I've seen them elsewhere and the only people who used them were the tourists.

Around here they're definitely used by locals, but really only to go from one bar to the next, or from the bar to wherever you parked. Our downtown area is fairly spread out, yet at the same time parking is for shit. The pedicabs don't leave the bar district unless you live in one of the downtown condos a few blocks away.

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

But they're wider than bikes, so they probably can't really use bike lanes, which puts them right back into regular traffic. You could say they're saving gas, but that cab you're not using is still driving around empty looking for someone else, and I doubt the pedi-cabs will reach a volume that will decrease the gasi-cab fleet size.

Around here, bar district traffic is at a feeble crawl on weekend nights anyway, and the bike lanes are full of parked cars. We don't have a viable cab system in the city at all; if you want one you have to call the cab company and wait 30 minutes for them to come. So our pedicabs are only replacing people on foot. It definitely isn't a model that would work for all cities, but it's doing pretty well here.

[BigV]

pedicabs here ply the waterfront.

tourists or those folks going to a ballgame and want to make slightly better time than the foot traffic are the main trade. those guys and gals earn their money I'll tell you. the bikes might be geared low, but tha's a lot of pedals for that trip, hauling all that ass. Lots of foot traffic from the ferry on gameday.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by glatt

He wants to go as fast as possible.

So do I, but I don't drive on the sidewalk.

[TheMercenary]

NYC is big enough, just give them a few whole streets and ban cars.

[glatt]

There was a little thing on NPR his morning about the pedicabs here in DC. Apparently the US Park Police are actively targeting them right now. There are supposedly some rules (not explained in the story) about where they can stop and pick up passengers and where they can operate. The Park Police wait for the pedicabs to pick up tourists on the Mall, and then they pull them over and write expensive tickets for them and tell the tourists they don't have to pay the fare.

[xoxoxoBruce]

It's the taxi lobbyists leaning on the politicians, who lean on the Park Cops.

[classicman]

xoB - That is so fucked up

[xoxoxoBruce]

Fucked up? That's the American way! Why do you hate America?

[infinite monkey]

Originally Posted by glatt

There was a little thing on NPR his morning about the pedicabs here in DC. Apparently the US Park Police are actively targeting them right now. There are supposedly some rules (not explained in the story) about where they can stop and pick up passengers and where they can operate. The Park Police wait for the pedicabs to pick up tourists on the Mall, and then they pull them over and write expensive tickets for them and tell the tourists they don't have to pay the fare.

If I were the tourist, I'd probably pay anyway. I'm sure there are more people who would be all like "oh sweet FREE RIDE" but I think I would be like "dude, that was effed up...here's the fare anyway, it's only fair."

[Sundae]

Cycle rickshaws are prevalent in London too.
Probably a 50/50 hiring rate - half tourists looking for a street level tour, half Londoners (esp ladies) not wanting to walk to the next bar/ restaurant// hotspot of an evening.

I have taken one myself. Guess which category I fell into? (almost literally).
I was very much enjoying the pumping calves and butt.

As long as cyclists are NOT on the pavement (sidewalk) I think they should be accommodated. Where they act like dicks, at least it's their own lives they are putting on the line. Where there is a cyclist fatality, there are rarely any other fatalities.

But then I will probably always come down on their side because Dads cycled everywhere for many years as I was growing up. And he had a number of serious accidents solely down to driver error/ inattention. And in those days there was nothing you could do about it. His worst incident was with a parked car - a woman on double yellows (absolutely NO parking) opened her door right into him. Knocked him clean off and he was inches away from being hit by another car. Both car drivers then blamed him.