The Modern Day Rickshaw
Pedal-powered downtown service
By Mark J. Lucas |
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Photo by Chris Casella The rickshaw is thought to have been invented in Japan, in the mid-19th century, as a cheaper and more maneuverable alternative to the horse-drawn carriage. The invention of the chain-driven bicycle around 1885 was eventually incorporated into the design, and it has since become a popular form of transportation in Asia, where space and fuel are at a premium. The Green Revolution in the United States has brought these conveyances into the spotlight as an alternative to taxi cabs, and Columbus now has a fleet of about 13 "pedicabs" which can be seen in operation during large events and on weekends, shuttling patrons around the city's hotspots, but the environmentally conscious nature of human-powered transport is only one reason people like to hop on these things.
"It's a form of 'transportainment,'" says Zach Henkel, pilot of the Ohio Diamond pedicab, who was kind enough to give me a demonstration. "People like the open air. They don't usually get around this way, so it's a bit of a novelty."
As Henkel winds his way through the Arena District, shooting down alleyways and in between iron pole barriers, the maneuverability of the craft becomes apparent, as does the "novelty." At around 8 mph (with passengers), it isn't nearly as fast as a conventional cab, but it does have the added advantage of being able to forge forth into territory that would be off-limits to a taxi. Henkel elaborates as we cruise past Nationwide Arena.
"Most people don't even know these passages are back here," he explains. "We get some leeway, because there's no motor. Kids love it when I come back here, down this hill. They cheer. I know my routes really well. The only people who might know this area as well as [a pedicab driver] are cops and the homeless."
The legal status of the pedicab is a bit of a gray area, but it doesn't require a chauffeur's license, which a limousine driver would be required to have. According to Henkel, the pedicab is considered a "vehicle on a public roadway." The Ohio Diamond, like many pedicabs, was constructed at Main Street Pedicab in Broomfield, Colorado, and is equipped with a cushioned seat and brake lights. The model Henkel uses ran him about $4,000, which he says has more than paid for itself over time with the 15-or-so fares he collects on a decent night. The community, I'm told, seems to approve of pedicabs (with the exception of a few annoyed drivers), for a number of different reasons.
"Cops love us," says Henkel. "Their job is to protect people, property and commerce, and I'm all three. Plus, they would prefer if people that are drunk don't try to drive. [Also] I'm like a mobile information kiosk. People will ask me where the girls are at or where the hotspots are, and I'll tell them. That's usually followed by me saying, 'I can take you there,' which works a lot of the time."
The cost of riding a pedicab varies, depending on a number of factors, such as distance, and what direction you're going. According to Henkel, a lot of people are under the impression that Columbus is relatively flat, but this is not the case. It's an uphill battle, if you're going east on Nationwide Boulevard, for example.
Antonio Jara, a former pedicab driver, says that the money he made was fairly good.
"There'd be some girls that would pay us to ride from Brother's to the Garage Bar," said Jara. "Two blocks, downhill, just because they liked the ride. There were a lot of people who just wanted me to take them from bar to bar in the Short North. The longest ride I ever did was some kid who'd gotten hit by a car downtown, and I took him to the campus area. I didn't charge him, because he just looked horrified."
In a city that embraces bike culture like Columbus, the advent of the pedicab seems a natural progression. Having ridden in one, I can say that the experience was quite enjoyable. Zipping through Goodale Park, smoking a cigarette and listening to the radio that had been bungee-corded to the frame, it provided a qualitatively different style of transportation than I was accustomed to. So when you see a pedicab on the street, please be courteous, because it just might be me in the back next time you pass.
Originally Published: July 1, 2010
