Gothamist: Pedicabs Move Closer to Regulation

James

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 00:57:18 -0500

What most people don't realize, is that if a pedicab driver gets into an accident with a car, he or she gets the worst of it, hence there aren't many accidents. The trailer version of the pedicab is usually safer because the rider is usually more experienced and skilled. Pedicabs are actually safer than cars. I have worked bikes in many different cities, and there is no better way to see the town because you can cover more ground than you can walking, which is great if you have difficulty walking great distances. Relax, have fun, just try it ONCE, and you'll see why so many people shout, "HEY BIKE GUY, OVER HERE"!

Mark Davis

Fri, 12 May 2006 00:08:29 -0500

90% of pedicabs are already insured. this bill would make all vcabs have a minimum of one million dollars in coverage. this is more than three times what Taxis (and all automobiles) must have by law. The pedicab industry welcomes regulation to garentee that all pedicabs in NYC are safe. We have been asking for such regulation since the industry started in 1995. The other issue that must be addressed is that about imigrants. there are a lot of drivers from turkey and many othr countries. The VAST majority of them are here legaly on student visas or temporary visas. Because pedicab drives aren't employees but independant contractors they don't need working papers.

Tue, 09 May 2006 23:17:14 -0500

Dear Miss NewYorkette, Cool name, I like it. But in regards to your above comments.... Wow. Hold the freaking wedding. Such snarkiness, such biting, dripping, venomous, sarcasm, coming from such a place of superiority as you most obviously have, directed to such an obvious inferior, such as the likes of me. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're out to insult me and make me feel bad about myself and what I do. Not that I blame you. To me, (being that the person that I most resemble, or so I've been told, is a young, vibrant, Harold Ross), I can understand your position that the Werld is broken up into 2 separate and distinct groups: Those that have had their cartoons published in The New Yorker, and... Those that haven't had their cartoons published in The New Yorker. It seems that you're a little anxious, (btw, through the Miracle of Modern Science, there are some fine, cutting edge, State Of The Art, medications available for that, if you have decent Health Care be sure to tell your Doctor that this might be right for you), and have gotten your grammatical tenses all mixed up. Allow me to clear up this minor case of confusion that you seem to be having. Super and Partybikes.com haven't been "outlawed," or "banned" from the city streets, at least not not yet, so please don't get all premature in your celebraybraytions, aight? I'm wondering where all your dourness is coming from? This is because, as a Captain of a Conference Bike, I kind of take issue with you characterizing my customers as idiots. To be as diplomatic as possible, what's up with that? Seriously. See, for me, doing this job, I see myself as an Ambassador of New York City to people, of all ages, from not only all over the country, but from all over the world, and really it's not my fault if they come to Times Square, take a ride on the bike and have such a good time that they can't contain themselves and want to share their sense of fun and joy with the rest of the swarming humanity that's around them. Being that the US Dollar is getting the living shite pounded out of it by The Euro, (to the tune of over 30% since Herr Busch took office), it's one thing to think that these people are idiots, it's quite another to attack them publicly in print, here on the World Wide Internets, don't you think? Don't know about you, but I go out of my way not to annoy the French, since they're just the kind of people that wouldn't think twice about taking their tourist dollars and going somewhere else to spend them. Don't even get me started on the Chinese. After a time riding around on this Dr. Seuss inspired contraption I've started to see that when it comes to these bikes, the ones that you so deplore, people either: a) let their curiosity get the better of them and go for a fun ride or, b) in the case of the jaded, travelled, dismissive New Yorker they get this screwed up look on their faces, like.... They can SMELL it, but they just quite can't seem to LOCATE it. Do that long enough and one's face freezes into that position, not a very pretty picture, I've seen it and it's something that you don't want to have happen to you. Must be hard to go through life like that, but I'd be more than happy to help. Here's my offer. I work weekends, and if you like, I'd be more than GLAD to help you turn that 'whacko partybike' hating frown of yours upside down. Feel free to contact me here through email, and what I'll do is give you and up to five of your friends a free, that's FREE, FREE, FREE ride through Times Square. Honest, out-sourced, Injun, I won't charge you one red cent for the privilege. If then, after that, you decide that you've been right all along, as usual, and it's the most horrible, nasty thing in the werld, like ever, you can feel free to talk and write all the smack you want about people that are just trying to make an honest living serving those that are looking for nothing else but to leave a werld of misery for a few moments and have themselves a good time. m'kay? Fair enough? If personal saftety is an issue for you, please be aware that these bikes have been on the road for well over 15 years now, since 1991, and there's yet to be reported a fatality or serious accident. But don't take my werd for it, you're an intelligent person, and, as such, you already know that 'google is your friend.' Make of that what you will. Look forward to hearing from you, mi'Lady, and you go off now and have you a GREAT day, unless, of course, you've got other plans. :P You're welcome. Regards, nwa

Brightliner

Mon, 08 May 2006 17:50:15 -0500

miked, Don't worry about it. Those hansom drivers will get what's coming to them. Turnabout is fair play and they'll be the ones crying in their oats if the ASPCA has its way, as the earlier Gothamist story reported. Personally, I wouldn't miss them. The smell that hits you when you enter Central Park at Grand Army Plaza is disgusting. Not even the most unbathed pedicab driver can be that bad.

ladies man

Mon, 08 May 2006 16:17:54 -0500

JO Mamm's never been late for a date before…

JO Mamm

Mon, 08 May 2006 12:35:25 -0500

I think they should outlaw all cars in manhattan unless they are delivery trucks. Why the fuck should we get commuters who can use public transportation. And taxis are the fucking worst. Why would anyone want to drive in spurts of 5-15 miles per hour and then for some inane reason go maybe 30 miles per hour accelerating at a corner and getting into an accident? Driving in Manhattan makes no sense at all.

miked

Mon, 08 May 2006 12:04:37 -0500

You missed the key sentence. "The pedicabs would be prohibited in parks, on bridges and in tunnels." The biggest supporters for regulation are the operators of horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, who see the pedicabs as a threat. Not only have they apparently succeeded in getting the pedicabs regulated, but getting them banned from the park entirely.

DrunkAtNYU

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:45:37 -0500

"So I am for outlawing them. Getting in those cabs is suicidal." Hey if you don't want to take a risk that's fine, hell don't leave your apartment, but that doesn't mean that should be outlawed because you're too afraid to ride in them.

MH

Mon, 08 May 2006 11:06:51 -0500

The pedicabs should be reuired to cover insurance for any type of accident. NYC is so dangerous in a car. Pedicabs provide less proctection especially at night. Those types of transportation vehicles are very nice if the rate of speed around them is very low, like twenty miles per hour. That is never going to happen in NYC. So I am for outlawing them. Getting in those cabs is suicidal.

sweatpants

Mon, 08 May 2006 10:56:14 -0500

I took one last summer from a party at times square studios down to kingsize bar on essex and canal. i think we paid 30 plus a 10 dollar tip or so.

Tamara

Mon, 08 May 2006 10:47:19 -0500

I just took one this past Wednesday. I went from Madison and 45th to 57th between 6th and 7th in the rain and we were charged $18 (we tipped on top of that). I think that was fair. There were no cabs in sight and the guy who drove the pedicab was great.

newyorkette

Mon, 08 May 2006 10:45:40 -0500

I'm REALLY glad about those "wacky partybikes" being outlawed. I called them the "idiotmobiles". I HATED them and the morons who rode them, always self-conscious twits hoping to show the world how much fun they're having, as if anyone trying to get through the crowds in midtown gave a shit.

mp

Mon, 08 May 2006 10:02:58 -0500

you can't get a driver's license without a valid social security number and i doubt that most of the pedicab drivers have them. judging from what i hear when i walk past them in and around central park, most of them are young guys from russia, ukraine, etc.