San Diego Reader Article on Pedicabs
Posted By Thomas Bahde on September 9, 2009
The new issue of the San Diego Reader has a great look at the world of pedicabs, which provides a much-needed street-level view of the issue. Key themes seem to be that the industry is not capable of regulating itself and that the City of San Diego, before the death of Sharon Miller in July, had previously taken little interest in meaningful regulation. Of course, the underlying concern remains: do greater regulations for pedicabs threaten bicyclists’ right to the road?
My underlying concern is the knee-jerk legislating style of the City Council. I have a hard time believing that pedicabs are a bigger problem now than they were the month before Mrs. Miller’s very sad death, or that the number of pedicabs on the street had anything to do with that incident. If I was on the city council I would be embarrassed that this legislation is so obviously reactionary.
Sad is, Critical Mass is more up in arms about the attempt to stop them from riding the bridge, and less alarmed at the ongoing restriction on cyclist rights.