Bicycle taxi
A bicycle taxi , also known as cycle rickshaw, is a bicycle that is used to transport passengers or goods from bicycle couriers . In contrast to the traditional rickshaw , a cycle rickshaw is not pulled by the driver, but driven forward by pedaling . It is still controversial whether the transport of people with bicycle taxis is permitted in Germany without further ado. According to the only supreme court decision on this matter so far, the decision of the Dresden Higher Regional Court of October 11, 2004, the transport of people on bicycle taxis is permitted without prior approval. The same assessment came from a case from Augsburg, which received nationwide attention, in which a bicycle taxi entrepreneur fought with the road traffic authority between 2004 and 2006 and was awarded the Werner Bonhoff Prize in 2007 .
history
Very soon with the advent of the first bicycles, the desire arose to transport not only yourself but also a second person. First the cyclist probably transported his children (and luggage). Since this type of passenger transport is environmentally friendly and also enables faster movement in busy city centers, passenger transport appeared as a paid service as early as 1900. The transport vehicles were given the designation bicycle cab, based on well-known means of transport . Especially after 1945, people driving for a fee spread worldwide . As a result, the name bicycle taxi became common in German-speaking countries. Photographers from Berlin have documented bicycle taxis in the war-torn city center: The NBI from 1971 shows such a vehicle, a two-wheeled self-made trailer with a bench that was attached to the frame of an ordinary bicycle by means of a rigid rod. The picture bears the signature: "An early forerunner of today's ' Volga ' taxis: The bicycle taxi, built in 1945, on the bombed Alexanderplatz."
distribution
Most popular is the bicycle taxi in East Africa , where it is called Bodaboda . The passenger sits behind the driver on an upholstered rear seat on the luggage rack. This standard bicycle taxi (two adults on one bicycle) is not permitted in most countries. Since the beginning of the 21st century, motorcycle taxis have been used almost exclusively in the larger cities.
In many larger cities there are bicycle taxis for tourist purposes, but there is often a winter break. The bicycle taxis are mostly used for city tours or short to medium-sized trips to destinations. A visual distinction is made between front and rear loaders. Some providers have designed their vehicles in an elaborate way and attract attention with their local branding. Every bicycle taxi can cover a distance of around 10,000 kilometers per year. Furthermore, cycle rickshaws can be borrowed in some places, which is used for special occasions, such as weddings.
technology
The modern form of the rickshaw often has an electric auxiliary motor to assist with starting and on inclines. The rickshaws from European and American manufacturers are now technically more advanced, so that they sometimes differ fundamentally from the original rickshaws from the Far East. Gear shifts and electric auxiliary motors are the hallmarks of many modern cycle rickshaws.
Business models
Because of their presence in heavily frequented city centers, advertisers often book space on the vehicles. Some bicycle rickshaw entrepreneurs make a living from these line items primarily. They guarantee a taxi operation for the rickshaws at set times. The trips are usually carried out by independent drivers who drive on their own account and pay the owner a rent to cover maintenance costs.
See also
Web links
- Pro-Rikscha.de - manufacturer and operator overview of bicycle taxis
- Bicycle taxis in Africa
Individual evidence
- ↑ OLG Dresden, decision of October 11, 2004 , Az. Ss (OWi) 460/04, full text and reference to traffic lexicon
- ^ Winner of the Werner Bonhoff Foundation in 2007
- ↑ The bicycle cab . In: Berliner Volkszeitung , April 9, 1929, with illustration and description.
- ↑ Continuation series That was and is Berlin from Neue Berliner Illustrierte (NBI) around 1971, Part 3. The newspaper clipping that has been handed down is not dated.
- ↑ a b Bavarian branding
- ↑ 'Facts and Figures' at Rikschataxi Dresden ( Memento from October 9, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Representation of rickshaws from the 2010s in Augsburg ( Memento from October 19, 2013 in the Internet Archive )