December 21, 2005
Rickshaw revivalNews
In NYC today:
When traffic gets tough, the tough take a rickshaw. Some things never change.
The Kali Cow and the Trinidadian ‘Saint dance their dance of destruction. Meanwhile, the walk to the gym turned out to be an hour (the NYC weight loss special!), and cab fare home is up 70%. A Bangladeshi brutha told me traffic turned 10-minute rides into 40, so the city jacked up rates to ensure cabbies turn up for work.
He seemed plenty cheerful to me as he palmed my Andrew Jackson.
manish on December 21, 2005 06:19 PM in News · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
Why not try rollerblading like that guy in one of the photos? It seems like a fairly cheap and efficient way to get around.
I could use a Segway about now.
for people in nyc - anyone know what that long winding line outside grand central is meant for? I tried reaching the head of the line ... couldn't!
Metro-North to 125 St?
Avoid. Penn.
at all costs.
Forget the Segways. Bike the Strike!
www.transalt.org/bikethestrike/
the chick in the background looks cute.
Is the rickshaw service for real!
Its so sienfeldian.
Yup - it's for real. I noticed one out by Central Park West today, with 3 passengers crammed into the back. I didn't tell them that the 4 people to a vehicle rule probably doesn't apply to human powered 3-wheelers.
They've had richshaws in NYC for awhile now - I remember a few years back I was on my way to see my boyfriend at the time and couldn't catch a cab. This rickshaw driver came up to me and offered me a lift. When I asked him how much, he said "Ten dollars." I'm like, "Dude, when I find a cab, it won't even be five bucks where I'm going." And said, "Well, you know, it's something different." And I said, "Bro, not where I'm from. And if I *were* catching a rickshaw ride where I'm from, you can best believe it wouldn't be costing me ten dollars."
Shooooot.
Sai Baba devotee friends proudly tell me that the first rickshaws to hit London (they've been here for maybe a decade now) were the brainchild of an Italian Sai devotee. I think the ones they mean are the Bug Bug rickshaws which seem a bit smaller than this yellow one. And yup Fuerza, they're a rip off all over the Western world.
I've written this exact post before haven't I? What a one trick pony.
I spotted some rickshaws in downtown San Diego this weekend too...
I hope the rickshaw in above pic is motor-powered somehow. I, for one, would not want someone like Shaq for a passenger if I'm going to have to cycle them around.
If all city cabs could be replaced by rickshaws that would really help the NYC air quality.
Rickshaws running on LPG, the way to go.