USA: Pedal PUSHER East meets West with new rickshaw business

[Trixi.com]

Pedal PUSHER East meets West with new rickshaw business
October 19, 2006 1:34 am

Larry Hinkle shares a laugh atop the rickshaw with daughter Leda, 3, and
friend Michele Anderson near Hinkle's Charles Street garage.


By KELLY HANNON

WHEN you ride a tricycle around downtown Fredericksburg, you're going to attract some attention.

"Hey, it's the rickshaw man!" shouts a little boy.

"Nice evening for a ride," calls a passing jogger.

Tom Miller, 38, a structural engineer, honks the horn on his handlebars, acknowledging all the people who wave and smile. It's Friday at dusk, one of the busiest and most profitable nights of the week for Rappahannock Rickshaw.

The company is a partnership among three Fredericksburg men, all cyclists who saw an opportunity to make money by giving tourists and residents an old-fashioned, environmentally friendly lift in a pedicab.

"We can give them rides around town, show them the sights, or we can take them from place to place," said Rappahannock Rickshaw part-owner and driver Larry Hinkle, 37. "We have a phone, so we're on call. Someone can call up and ask for a ride."

Hinkle, a cabinet and furniture maker, got the idea for Rappahannock Rickshaw while studying abroad in Thailand, and later on vacation in India, where rickshaws are a common sight on city streets. Hollywood actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt recently took a short autorickshaw ride in Puna, India, before the paparazzi brought it to a halt.

"It's just an alternative form of transportation. It's basically like riding around in a carriage," Hinkle said.

Hinkle, Miller and Fredericksburg resident John McMahon operate the business together, taking turns driving the pedicab, which seats three in the passenger carriage and is equipped with seat belts and a canopy.

It's quite a workout for the driver. Miller recalled his toughest fare--biking several people from downtown uphill on Lafayette Boulevard to 7-Eleven. Hinkle said he'll attempt the hill at Marye's Heights only with an empty carriage to pick someone up--not bring them home.

"I feel like my legs are definitely stronger, and I'm a pretty active guy, so I was pretty much in shape," Hinkle said.

Rappahannock Rickshaw may get a motorized assist to help with steeper grades, he said.

The majority of passengers are from the Fredericksburg area, Miller said. Some riders are curious, others have tired feet or just need a ride home after a late night of socializing at a downtown bar or restaurant. The company has had a few inquiries from brides and grooms.

But unlike a horse and buggy, where there are several feet of distance between passengers and the driver, on the pedicab everyone's close together.

Miller said he senses when passengers want to talk or be left alone.

"I try to be discreet," Miller said.

Uncomfortable footwear and scarce parking has driven the success of pedicabs in America, according to Steve Meyer, owner of Main Street Pedicabs in Colorado.

Meyer used to be an urban planner in Denver. The city overhauled the downtown area to make it a retail and residential destination, not just a commercial center. Meyer knew the incoming flow of pedestrians would need help getting around, and a business was born.

His most reliable customers? Women wearing heels after a night on the town, families with small children, and people trying to walk to Colorado Rockies baseball games from distant parking lots.

His company grew into the largest pedicab provider in North America.

"The biggest markets are along the coast. We've sold a lot of them in downtown areas that are becoming more pedestrian-friendly," Meyer said.

There are fleets of pedicabs in Manhattan and San Diego, and the Four Seasons hotel chain is a customer, too. Rappahannock Rickshaw bought Main Street's Broadway model for $4,500.

Historically, a rickshaw was operated by human feet, walking or running. An autorickshaw has a motorized assist.

Pedicabs are powered by humans on tricycles.

But the concept is the same--people ride, and the driver does the work.

Eventually, Hinkle said, he wants to expand Rappahannock Rickshaw. Buying another rickshaw would allow them to carry more passengers at once.

Until then, the trio is enjoying the ride.

"People are really psyched to see it," Hinkle said.

To schedule a ride, or learn more about hours of operation, call Rappahannock Rickshaw at 540/273-3458.

Or, keep your eyes peeled in the downtown area on Friday and Saturday nights between 6 p.m. and 2:30 a.m.

Rides are 50 cents a block, per person. Generally, the rickshaw does not operate in inclement weather.