Pedicab driver environmental impact?

[deronmoped]

I was just thinking about the problems our city was having with too many pedicab drivers and how now they are putting limits on them. This made me wonder what the environmental impact of a people power vehicle has and how it compares to other ways of getting around. Is there some sort of chart or breakdown of each mode of transportation and how efficient it is. You would think getting around on a bike would be most efficient and that might be true in some instances, but what about going long distances. Now if you include what your time is worth to you, that really makes riding a bike more difficult to figure if it will benefit you, be more efficient for you.

Maybe this is something we overlook in why we do not see more people on bikes, for them it works out to be more efficient to use a car. Make a vehicle that is more efficient to them then a car and the people will come.

Deron.

 

[Lock]

Just curious what city has decided that there are "too many" pedicabs? What, they are interfering w/the motorized carriages or something?

 

[dnmun]

the cab drivers decide if there are too many pedicabs. politicians do what the taxi driver's union pays them to do.

 

[deronmoped]

There has been a explosion of pedicab drivers here in San Diego. The city council has been deciding what limits and laws they will have to make for them.

I though everyone was supposed to be going green. Here we have people power getting people around and instead of finding ways for more people to take advantage of alternative modes of travel, they are looking for ways to put the brakes on them. Either the city is green and going to promote alternatives or is it only the alternatives they like.

Deron.

 

[voicecoils]

Is there some sort of chart or breakdown of each mode of transportation and how efficient it is. You would think getting around on a bike would be most efficient and that might be true in some instances, but what about going long distances....

It pains me to go to too much trouble to help a climate contrarian, but we all can benefit from continued learning and since we both are into CRT projectors 8) :

Google: "without hot air", download the pdf, go to page 128 of the book or page 140 of the PDF (same page).

Citation:

David J.C. MacKay. Sustainable Energy – without the hot air. 
UIT Cambridge, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9544529-3-3. Available free online 
from www.withouthotair.com.

 

[dogman dan]

I bet it's nice to just take a pedicab places rather than try to find parking in San Diego beachfront on weekends. The city is most likey just having a problem with the pedi drivers not having a buisness licence, which means the city is getting shut out of the sales tax on the ride. With budgets as they are this year, this is serious shit. So they are going to have to find a way to hang a licence plate on those cabs, collecting a hefty fee. Once licenced, the driver will have to report at least some of the income.

 

[John in CR]

Food costs a lot more than gas and with food production comes a big carbon footprint, so pedicabs as a big environmental plus isn't a selling point. Pedal bikes fall in the same category, pretty inefficient, though better than walking. Electric bikes are the most efficient form of transportation by a pretty wide margin.

John

 

[deronmoped]

I bet it's nice to just take a pedicab places rather than try to find parking in San Diego beachfront on weekends. The city is most likey just having a problem with the pedi drivers not having a buisness licence, which means the city is getting shut out of the sales tax on the ride. With budgets as they are this year, this is serious shit. So they are going to have to find a way to hang a licence plate on those cabs, collecting a hefty fee. Once licenced, the driver will have to report at least some of the income.

That is the biggest motivator for the city, income, keeps them in a job and the more people they can put under them, the higher their status becomes.

So in the news today.

"By a unanimous vote, the council approved a long list of changes that it says will improve safety and protect consumers. Council members also made clear that they are not done cracking down on the industry and will have city staff study more measures to improve oversight."

"The new regulations cap the number of pedicabs allowed to operate in high-traffic zones at 250; require drivers to prominently display fares; and ban the vehicles from sidewalks and streets with speed limits of more than 25 mph, unless they use bike lanes.

Drivers of the three-wheelers also are prohibited from taking up metered parking spaces. And they must carry proof of insurance and ensure that their passengers wear seat belts. The new regulations will take effect in 30 days."

OK, so now this has me thinking of a new thread to start.

Deron.