Indian-American comedian
Hari Kondabolu recently
tweeted, “I’m in a bicycle rickshaw
in Austin being pedaled
by a white man. My Indian
grandmother would never believe
this.”
It does seem strange: while
cycle rickshaws are becoming
a rarity in Indian cities,
they’re transporting people in
more than 40 American cities.
Commonly known as pedicabs,
they’re used mostly by
tourists, partly because of the cost. In New York City,
where rates aren’t regulated, a Texas family paid $442
for a 14-block ride last summer.
While that’s an exception, it often
costs five times as much to
travel by pedicab than by taxi.
In Austin, Texas, where
Kondabolu got his ride, at least
one company, Metrocycle Pedicabs,
offers hand-pulled rickshaws.
According to the company’s
website, the rickshaws
are pulled by a “very fit runner”
and are available downtown
and for special events. They
must be quite a treat, especially
for tourists from India who want to remember the
old days.
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
[Comments? Contributions? Please email us at melvin@melvindurai.com. We welcome jokes, quotes, online clips, and more.]