Pedicabs return to Salt Lake City

When I was in Denver covering last year's Democratic Convention, I saw an abundance of bicycle taxis in downtown. I'm sure not all of them were local, but it was pretty cool to see. I didn't take advantage of them because they were expensive.

I remembered that there had been some here in Salt Lake a few years ago, but I had not seen them for a while.

So, I was excited to read this from the City Weekly blog:

You may recall how Wasatch Pedicab Co., which opened in February 2005, was forced off the road due to insurance issues. Pedicabs in other communities face hostility from taxi cab drivers and horse & buggy drivers. In New York City, pedicabs became so successful at navigating around the city's frequent gridlock that opponents tried to put a cap on the number allowed in certain parts of town.

So it remains to be seen whether or not pedicabs will be embraced by downtown Salt Lake's spotty and fickle crowds. Pedicab service could provide a great option for those needing to traverse the "wide stance" of our city's entertainment options, i.e., dinner at The Gateway followed by a show at the Capitol Theatre followed by after-theater toddies at the Bayou. That itinerary alone would stymie the "inner valet" in most of us.

Rides on Stick Dog Pedicabs are free; its eight drivers work exclusively for tips (for which people in New York compensate at about $1/block ... though we all know SLC's blocks run long). Stick Dog makes its "real" money off advertising posted on the brightly painted bikes.

So what say you, Salt Lakers, can you literally get behind this new nonpolluting venture? My biggest qualm, personally, comes from the guilt I feel at watching someone work so hard to move me around. But maybe with a few drinks under my belt, I could overcome it.

To summon a driver at Stick Dog Pedicabs, call them on their cell phones at 801-637-7036 or 435-631-9068. Owner Bret Cali can be reached at 512-554-5677.