Cycling Without Age Ireland has highlighted that not all rickshaw-like bicycles are all the same ahead of regulations planned for taxi-like rickshaws. The Cycling Without Age concept uses rickshaw-like cargo bicycles (pictured above) to give nursing home residents more freedom.
Legally, some rickshaw operating in Dublin city centre are classed as bicycles, while others are classed as motorised vehicles. The move to regulate them like taxis has come on the back of lobbying by taxi drivers and complaints about a lack of enforcement on road traffic rules around their use.
Founders of Cycling Without Age, Clara Clark and Charles Mollan, said in an email to supporters: “The National Transport Authority (NTA) is seeking feedback from the public as to the requirement of regulation of rickshaws bicycles. This is an opportunity for us, all those interested in and supportive of Cycling Without Age, to bring to their attention Cycling Without Age rickshaws, and to highlight how they are quite different in design, purpose, use and benefit to commercial rickshaws, as we do not want any confusion.”
They added: “As we now have four Cycling Without Age rickshaws in Ireland, with enquires and orders growing every day, this is an opportunity to ensure that the benefits, use, and purpose of Cycling Without Age rickshaws are protected, supported and catered for in any changes in regulation.”
The National Transport Authporty are currently looking for the public’s views on the issues around rickshaws, there is a survey for anybody to comment on rickshaws at nationaltransport.ie or you can email rickshaws@nationaltransport.ie by Monday September 25.
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Any chance the taxi drivers might lobby for the enforcement of the rule that bans taxis from bus/cycle ways unless they have a fare, the fastest moving object in Dublin traffic is a taxi without a fare and god help the cyclist that gets in their way
It seems the Taxi Drivers are jealous of the Rikshaws and want to try and get them off the Road. I think they are great (Rikshaws) very nice people unlike the Taxi Drivers who are downright dangerous on the Road. Breaking all the rules of the road. Darting in in front of you and blocking Cycleways to get a Fare. Speeding very fast and Skimming past Cyclists, also not using Indicators when turning.
I think there should be a public Survey on Taxi Drivers, tell the Government what you think of them. They are a Hungry Shower flying backwards and forwards to the Airport chasing fares at a terribly fast speed. You will find this out on the Malahide Road when they skim past you,
Well aside from the gripes, I would like to far more rickshaws in Dublin City. They are far better than having the streets congested with taxis. Such sustainable modes should really be encouraged as a cleaner option that’s fits so much better in the urban environment.
@bix I think taxis are allowed in the bus lane of the have a fare, are on their way to pick up a fare, or looking for a fare. It makes it quite difficult to enforce.
I agree with John M as far as when taxis are allowed use the bus lanes. Unfortunately this does have the effect of allowing them to use it whenever they like (going to get the shopping) because there is no way to tell the difference between “looking for a fare” and “going about my own business”. It does seem ironic that the drivers most likely to pull in suddenly, pull out suddenly, block the cycle lane and pass me too close and too fast are the ones leading the charge to ban these oh-so-dangerous rickshaws.
I do think rickshaws which are being hired out should be regulated like any other PSV. although obviously the regulations should be different for a taxi, a bus and a rickshaw. I do think that some of the rickshaw drivers(?) cause problems and there should be some way to get the ones who zip along the footpath or go the wrong way down one way streets off the road, but we already have FPNs for that so I’m not sure why we need extra regulation. It seems likely that they don’t really break that many laws.
Their main offences as far as taxi drivers are concerned are getting in their way and taking (a tiny minority of) their fares. I’m sure if the taxi drivers lobby group would love to get rid of bicycles in general if they could see a way.
We all need to lobby to ban taxis entirely from bus-lanes. They are just private businesses using cars. They do nothing to cut-down on congestion, and indeed, because they clog-up the bus lanes, I’ll bet money that they actually increase congestion.
In addition, they do speed regularly in bus-lanes and make a lot of close passes on people on bikes. They also stop wherever the fuck they like, often suddenly and without warning.
High-time to regulate taxis a lot more. And banning them from bus-lanes would be a good first step.