Pedicab Man

I'm on the pedicab at the corner of John Street and King headed south, about 1/3 mile from Francis Marion Hotel. A big Caddy with New Jersey plates pulls up next to me. I tap on his window, and ask if he wants to race to the next light.

"Yeah, how about for five bucks?"

"You're on," I tell him.

The light changes and we're off towards the finish line--the corner or King and Calhoun Street. There's about 200 yards of open road at the start, and he gets a big lead, but even a new Caddy can't make good time stopped in traffic. Pedicabs NEVER stop moving. We knock on people's windows to get them to move over. We have the right side of the road between traffic and parked cars. We have the double yellow line on the left of traffic to straddle, and in an emergency situation, there is always the sidewalk. I use all pedicab options even the regular traffic lane. Standing on the corner of King and Calhoun, I could puff down a whole cigarette (if I still smoked) before that Caddy arrives. When he finally gets there, the window of that Caddy zips down and five bucks appears.

Pedicab 5, Caddy 0.