Big Government Ruins Everything: Bye-Bye Chattanooga Pedicabs!
From a Chattanooga Times-Free Press editorial:
How many regulations are necessary to dictate how a licensed, responsible adult should operate an oversized tricycle? If those regulations come from the nanny-state tyrants responsible for drafting the City of Chattanooga's pedicab ordinance, the answer is 11 pages' worth.When longtime Chattanooga-area resident Christian "Thor" Thoreson and his partner Christina Holmes decided to launch Buzz Chattanooga Pedicabs in February 2011, the business seemed tailor-made for the downtown area.
Thoreson's pedicabs, which are pedal-driven tricycles with a two-person passenger compartment attached behind the driver, fill an important need for downtown. By offering a cheap and convenient way for people to get around between hotels, tourist attractions, bars and restaurants, Buzz Chattanooga is a boon for tourist and a convenient addition for locals.
The pedicabs prevent drunk driving, free up precious parking spaces and also cut down on auto emissions. The service is inexpensive -- it costs passengers only the amount they wish to tip their driver -- and it provides well-paying jobs for Buzz Chattanooga drivers. Thoreson estimates his drivers make more than $20 an hour. Revenues from selling ads on the pedicab and a small cut of driver tips fund the business.
The pedicabs seem like a win for everyone. They provide a needed service for tourists, help get people in local businesses, get drunk drivers off the road, are environmentally friendly and provide Chattanoogans with well-paying jobs.
...After dealing with the frustrating regulations placed on his business, the unwillingness of city leaders to allow him to serve customers on both sides of the river (pedicabs are banned from using the bridges that span the Tennessee River in downtown Chattanooga, including a pedestrian bridge) and difficulties in selling ads on the pedicabs, Thoreson decided yesterday to throw in the towel and close Buzz Chattanooga.
When asked what he'd tell another entrepreneur considering starting a business in Chattanooga, Thoreson replied, "Stay the hell away."
I heard Jerry Sandusky was very disappointed with their service...
Eric at August 24, 2012 7:52 AM
Anything that might compete with taxis gets squished like a bug in this city. (And when do we get the rickshaws pulled by pirates?)
silverpie at August 24, 2012 8:08 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/08/24/big_government_3.html#comment-3313573">comment from silverpieHey, silver - if you're in C-noogie (I love the name of your town - like jazz for my brain), can you request that the alt weekly pick up my column? Always best when readers request me.
Amy Alkon
at August 24, 2012 8:25 AM
A little off topic but does anyone else here visit San Diego? Ever notice how a large fraction of the pedicabs are powered by beautiful eastern European women? I swear there has to be some human trafficking going on there.
Here in reno they're all powered by American hipsters.
Pedicab and food truck owners had better be prepared to spend a lot of time at city hall these days.
smurfy at August 24, 2012 11:43 AM
See, Obama was right - you didn't build that.
Dave B at August 24, 2012 4:33 PM
Perhaps, this is a case of over-zealous red-tape; But, on the other hand some places are tailor-made for pedicabs (I can think of a few seaside boardwalks that fit this) while other places are not. Pedicabs do move much slower than motor vehicles and therefore can cause a dangerous situation on most city streets.
So which is the case here? Safe or a hazard? I'm not sure. Unfortunately, so many who are for or against something often have a hidden agenda and the real truth gets lost.
Lastly, I view pedicabs as a throw-back to the third-world. One man using another as his "beast of burden."
Charles at August 24, 2012 6:14 PM
Silver, spot on. Cities don't want their taxi service messed with (and will use city hall to keep it from being messed with).
Charles, I think the argument is about allowing the market place to decide which places are "tailor-made for pedicabs", versus having government decide. That the market place will most often produce superior product/service offerings versus government chosen ones.
As far as people arguing from the standpoint of a hidden agenda, it can be interesting to see who/how many come out of the woodwork to voice a position. But how is that germane to the actual question? Doesn't a stated pro or con position still need to stand on its own logic regardless of the motivation behind voicing that position??
TW at August 24, 2012 11:59 PM
I'd like to live in your reality.
In mine, we still have legislators trying to pass anti-discrimination and anti-gender bias laws more than 40 years after the last major civil rights acts. In my reality a white male has a steadily eroding place in the world, but is still blamed for everything.
Jim P. at August 25, 2012 7:06 AM
Jim P,
yes, people sometimes attack the messenger and not the message. So that makes discussions based on merits not part of reality?
Ideas that lack merit sometimes win (common within legislatures). Because that happens it makes discussions based on merits not part of reality?
ok.
TW at August 26, 2012 1:20 AM
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