View Full Version : getting people in you cab
caban4life
01-06-2005, 05:20
what works best?
do you ask every person you pass? if so what line do you just use the old whould you like a ride?
do you only ask people who show intrest?
do ypu troll or do you sit in one place?
iv benn trying a few diffrent things,just wonder what works for others.
thanx
caban4life
03-06-2005, 00:12
nobody come on
Trixi.com
03-06-2005, 00:23
I think that the mentality of Europeans and Americans is very different. We have a good experience to keep a certain physial distance to Europeans and give them flyers with fares and other information . If they do not take the ride now, the will do it maybe tomorrow. We focus a lot of people who shows an interest, taking pictures or whatever.
I'm still in my first month, but here's what I do. I'm seeing people all the time looking and smiling, obviously curious, but too shy to say anything. The way we operate is rides are free, drivers work for tips. When I see potential riders (yes, I've started profiling, but that's not nearly fool-proof), I'll ask them if they would like a ride. That almost always makes them pause or ask how much. I tell them that it's free. No matter what their response, I'll follow that up with "Yeah, it's really a free ride, but I do work for tips. If you think I've earned something, then great. If not, no hard feelings, I'll just try harder next time! So where to?" That almost always does the trick. That way they know exactly what they're getting into. It's technically a free ride but they know that I'm looking for a tip at the end. I'm always smiling and everyone who passes by gets a hello, regardless of the profiling. We have a little sign that says "Driver works for tips" hanging just below the driver's seat (we ride Mainstreet Pedicabs), so they have a reminder when they get on board. I can count the number of times that I've been stiffed on one hand, and every one of those riders told me ahead of time that they didn't have any cash. Like I said, no hard feelings. I gave them rides and had some fun and each one of them said they would ride again. Our tourist season hasn't even started yet but last Saturday night I rode from 10 pm to 2:30 am and made over $220 while pedaling about 12.5 miles! :D No joke. Of course everyday isn't like that, but on our worst days we're averaging $12-$15 per hour. Better than we expected!
Anyway, that's the language that is working for my partner and I. Good luck!
Matt
Well, here we have some laws against 'soliceting', which means you can't shout 'Do ja wana Pedicab!!!', as you never know who you are dealing with & out side of London they still have the old catch that if you are doing it for a 'reward' ie a tips, without (a very hard to get) street trading licence, then you are in dodo again.:eek:
So most of us just wait at a busy junction or theater & if people ask then we say yes but if not then we start a conversation. Like you see some one reading a map & you then ask 'what are you looking for? Free information' This then gives you a choice to say that you will give them a lift & its £ per mile or just directions if its around the corner. The cool thing is that its quite a friendly way to do it, so good luck to all
rickshaw92
10-06-2005, 21:46
Laws against soliciting in London? Are you for real!?!:) I worked there in 98 (for a bit) and the 99 season and I solicited everyone I saw:) Well I guess ignorance is bliss;)
Yes, it is against the law but it's one of the ones which you only get done for when they wana get you.
It was actually also part of the bits they got two Bugbugs riders with, during the first round with the PCO & taxi boys. The two riders who got set up by the enforcement team were actually taken to court for being unlicensed & touting/soliciting for business. All of it was thrown out of court thanx to a lot of money spent on a good defence but it was just the first step, so now many companies who do any training point out this catching point.
If you had your own trike in London, then they could get you stuffed with this (or a company that don't give a dam).
Laws against soliciting in London? Are you for real!?!:) I worked there in 98 (for a bit) and the 99 season and I solicited everyone I saw:) Well I guess ignorance is bliss;)
My method is simple. Talk to anything you see moving in the street.
People, trees, cars, truks, anything.
Never start a converstion by: Do you want a ride? NOOOOOOOOOOO
Say: Where are you going Folks? Yessssssssssssss
Put in my mind that we have millionaires walking in the streets and looking for something different. This something differents is you. You the gladiators.
Poeple like & respect us because we are strong and good looking people.
I always acknowledge people I pass or who walk by my cab; just nod, even. I'll say "good evening" to everybody (or "S'up?" to African Americans and variations for other cultures.) On International Drive in central Florida, it's like being at the UN: what language to use is the first consideration.
I stand near the entrance to clubs/restaurants/attractions and greet people. Period. Visitors to I. Drive are so heavily solicited that some will not respond or even meet your eye; some even shake their heads when you say "Good evening." Sad. But many are curious and quite a few want to ride; I let them read my signage (Complimentary rides - commissioned by tips only) and approach me for a ride. Occasionally I'll offer to help someone with their bags (of purchases.)
Mostly, I spin in place with my lights flashing, amusing the passersby. Often the children (or a tired woman) will convince others to use my services. I make quite a bit of money just spinning kids around the parking lot: "Oh, no! We're going into the Spiral of Death!"
In my month of service (this time; I've cabbed I. Drive with four other companies, going back to 1984,) I've gotten the most passengers from outside the 24-hour drugstores -! It's late, and they don't want to walk all the way back to their hotel with their purchases; they just get in.
I will solicit folks who seem interested, but I don't want to burden visitors by bothering them. I ring my bell occasionally, cruising around the lively spots, and let people make up their own minds whether to ride (as opposed to my solicit-anything competitors here.)
Here in the city it's less like that every day. I have discovered that if I sit on my pedicab, I become a ghost but hell, the minute I buy me a cup-a-T. Oh then they wana ride, so many times the ride was long enough for my T to get cold or picked up by the street cleaner. (I charge an extra £1 for that!!!):D
chas.pedicab.killer
08-08-2005, 20:40
heckling only goes so far. ive been pedaling in charleston, sc for about 18 or so months, now, and i've found the best way to make money is to get your name out there. that means flyers, that means business cards. we've got flyers that have all of our information on them, but also they have maps of the city. tourists, we must all agree, are dumb. they need maps. they'll carry your flyer/map around, and eventually get lost, and say, "hey, lets call this guy. it says he'll come pick us up in five minutes." also, get out there early. go to all, and i mean all the hotels, restaurants, bars, and make friends with hostesses and concierges. make your company a part of theirs. give them all stacks of cards and stacks of flyers/maps, which they'll hand out when their customers leave them. they look good when they're able to provide them with you; understand that. also, business cards. instead of heckling people, politely hand them a business card with your name on it and cell phone and/or dispatch phone number. say, "if you get stranded later," give me a call and ill come pick you up. if you're part of a company, or there's just two of you, get radios. that's a given. my record with riding is $654.00 in about 14 hrs and 100 miles. the record for my company is $856.00 in about the same time and distance. (oh, and a plug for my company: we build good pedicabs; we've supplied them to new york, boston, new jersey, charlotte, jacksonville, and other cities that have slipped my memory. go to www.charlestonpedicab.com)
Trixi.com
08-08-2005, 22:45
I think that 14 hours + 100 miles in a pedicab in ONE SINGLE DAY is too much.
What was the name of the company you work for? :cool:
How was the day after? Or the 3 days after ?
chas.pedicab.killer
09-08-2005, 22:49
it takes a while to get up to that level, and its only on friday-saturdays during the prime season that shifts get intense like that. we choose our own hours, so if you don't feel like busting ass all day, you don't have to. but it is pretty competitive to see who can make the most cash. it all depends on motivation. my company puts 12 bikes on the street at one time during the busy nights. it's just that the city we work in is ideal for the business— its "historic," so tourists love taking long rides through narrow streets, the downtown area we work in is a completely flat peninsula about a mile and a half wide by about 3 miles long. sometimes we get calls that take us a mile to pick up, then the people want a 25 minute long ride that can be another three miles, winding through the historic areas. we get a lot of drunks, too, and the two bar areas in downtown are spread out by about a mile... if you worked here, you'd probably do some crazy shifts, as well. they're really fun.
Trixi.com
10-08-2005, 16:58
Thanx for the information. I am really impressed. It is a lot of money. Congratulations :D
ALex Oslo
11-08-2005, 20:51
trees don't move much...
but yes, we are a handsome breed aren't we? i sometimes remind myself of hercules.
its also true that if you get people saying yes a lot then u can get them to say yes to anything!
however, its also works if u hold a puppy up infront of them and tell them you'll snap its little neck if they don't take a ride. sometimes they think your bluffing so its good to have a box full of em - then u don't run out at a critical moment.i recommend a combination of these techniques.
My method is simple. Talk to anything you see moving in the street.
People, trees, cars, truks, anything.
Never start a converstion by: Do you want a ride? NOOOOOOOOOOO
Say: Where are you going Folks? Yessssssssssssss
Put in my mind that we have millionaires walking in the streets and looking for something different. This something differents is you. You the gladiators.
Poeple like & respect us because we are strong and good looking people.
ALex Oslo
14-08-2005, 17:58
I've been riding for a number of years and the only thing i can say definitely helps to get rides is to be having fun...so much that its spilling out of you like a waterfall of love....then the passers by see that and want some of the good shit....they don't care about the ride or anything, they just want to get close and cuddle you. Then wen you've got them in just shut the hell up and let them feel guilty about how hard they're making you work! Shame and guilt are a riders best friend wen it comes to tipping.
Try saying 'do you NOT want a ride?'. When they say 'no', they have actually replied that they WOULD like a ride! This forms the basis for a verbal agreement which (depending on which country you are in) IS LEGALLY BINDING. The problem with this technique is that you need to have a good lawyer present and their hourly fee can be as much as 2000nok(350usd)...even student lawyers charge 500nok an hour! ridiculous isn't it? It means you have to do a whole bunch of riding just to break even every hour. Works best in tight jeans.
No but seriously tho i don't ask people if they want a ride because its soul-destroying. if they wanna ride they can come and get one. there i am! on the big bike! if they are looking a bit interested i may flash them a smile and open my arms in traditional viking greeting...but as far as trying to convince people to take a ride goes forget it...if people don't want to go because a)they can't make their mind up b) they are embarassed c) they think the reasonable price i have quoted is to much then my attitude is to not waste any of my sweet energy trying to help them. unless they have nice tits.
On of the best techniques i ever saw in london was by a rider called robin who wen people asked him the price all he would say was 'yep, i can take u there no problem...JUMP IN!'. The (almost) customer would the be like 'yeh ok, but how much is it?' and robin would be like 'YEP, JUMP IN!!' and then the customer would be like 'WOTS THE PRICE!?' and robin would completely ingnore this and be like ' OK THEN - GET IN!!!'. Then wen the customer is in and hes started moving he'd be like' ok its 50 quid for 2 minutes' and the customer would be all like 'wot the fuck!??!?!!' but because he was now sitting in a moving vehicle would not have the balls to say no(maybe he thinks its like a train or something) . THIS TECHNIQUE WORKS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LAZY.
I'm not sure if Robins luck has changed but this technique has always left him some what short of the old cash. My feeling is that thouse who can speak & have cheek & have balls & are flexable or don't understand 'SOD off' 1000x are the ones who can still squeez a good living.
To illustrate:
A Polish friend (Puta) of mein had the nose of a blood hound & the cheek of the devel.
His technique was to spot males looking for 'action' (easy - most nights in soho), start conversation (but never straight to the point) on topics of free information.
Next thing - a ride.
A second friend from Norway (horse - because of his huge stamina & strength) would just smile at any person looking & offer a ride. Then he managed to do a ride for what ever maximum they could pay (nearly any distance). He made a round trip with three people to Hackney from the west end - the way has lots of hills, they were not small for just £50 (all three). That night he still managed to earn on average £20 per houre.
The one thing I know is that if you follow the guy making the money, then you will learn (though you might not have any work :D ).
Dam! You're right, a box full of puppys (not quite politicaly correct BUT) though what happens if they don't like dogs. You could also have a in the box kittens & if they don't like them, then maybe also some Parrots but thinking about this, the space you have for your rider kit will be less & the noise from them fighting may attract the attention of passing police.
Hey, if you got the body of a god, then why not go for shiny latex suit (yellow or pink) & a sign that points out 'looking is free but a ride of a life time (plus xtras) at a most reasonable rate'.:D
When I next down a hot choc or T shall look at my gental curving belly in a much more noble kinda way :D .
trees don't move much...
but yes, we are a handsome breed aren't we? i sometimes remind myself of hercules.
its also true that if you get people saying yes a lot then u can get them to say yes to anything!
however, its also works if u hold a puppy up infront of them and tell them you'll snap its little neck if they don't take a ride. sometimes they think your bluffing so its good to have a box full of em - then u don't run out at a critical moment.i recommend a combination of these techniques.
a riding shift was for a Saturday night & I started at 3pm & finished at 4am (sunday). The speedo said I'd peddled a mighty 54 miles & it got me so down I took it off & have never measured since. The money was good but watching the amount of peddling it takes to do the money was not a happy thought, so don't measure & just earn till you need a break.
The long Thur, Fri & Sat shift, do leave you 'off' the shelf for about three days & I'm not sure if doing that for the rest of a live is so good for the knees. I now try to go swimming on a Sundays & go for a nice chilled tea, coffee or juice.
Hardly ever drink alcohol now, especially during the weekends because I find that the dehydration just adds another day to the recover & if I don't keep my salt, then the 'cramp fairy' pops down for a touch with her tickle stick.:D