Pedicabs focus letter: Pedicabs would be useful if used enough

by Bill Marshall | Clinton
Tuesday February 17, 2009, 1:09 PM

I read with excited interest the pedicab articles of Feb. 9 and hope such a program works. I can't help but imagine, though, the frustration of some motorists who would likely find sharing the downtown streets troublesome, and view the pedicabs as impeding their speedy travel if they were not able to easily pass them. From videos I have searched for on the Internet, the pedicabs seem to move much slower than the motorized traffic. Heck, toss in a downtown traffic circle with pedicabs and I bet there would be no end to opinion page write-ins! I think pedicabs would serve a purpose in direct relation to their numbers; the more pedicabs there were, the more likely they would be accepted. The trick to this thing ultimately would be if the vast amount of people in the area affected would use them.

If that is accomplished, then pedicabs could work their magic.
Perhaps coupled with a Yellow Bike program (www.austinyellowbike.org/about_ybp.htm has links to other such YBPs) the pedicabs would make Ann Arbor even more of a bike-friendly city. Such a coupled program I personally would most certainly approve of and actively support, whatever city it was set up in.

I feel such ideas should be explored and wish Barbara Annis the very best in this matter!