Re: [workbike] Work (mountain) bike report (LONG)

Warren Morse wrote:

> > Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 06:14:44 -0500
> > From: "jim gregory" <jim@bikesatwork.com>
> > Subject: [workbike] More ride reports?
>
> <snip>
>
> >  So, how 'bout similiar reports from others?
>
> I know that I would enjoy such reports.  I'm new to forums such as
> this
> and finding them very informative and inspirational.  Until recently,
> human powered machines were the stuff of my private day dreams, but
> have
> lately been inspired by forum feedback to give generating electricity
> a
> go...and now perhaps pedicabbing among other things.
>
> I live in central Connecticut, USA and have never seen a pedicab at
> work. After reading Jim Gregory's report about using one at the Iowa
> Caucus, I got to thinking about similar events around here.  There are
>
> quite a few fairs celebrating various fall harvests coming up, and
> there
> are also quite a few shopping malls not too far away.  I'd especially
> be
> interested in hearing reports of anyone who uses a pedicab shuttling
> people around large parking lots to and from the (ugh) mall entrance.

The large festival are huge venues. Actually, anywhere there is a lot of
people, pedicabs can do a good business. And the beauty of it is no two
days, (or hours) are the same. We had contracted with a large mall here
in Green Bay to shuttle passengers during the Christmas shopping mess
starting the day after Thanksgiving. The problem is there are too many
entrances at these malls. Make sure you get good PR. Try to get the
merchants to pay for your services. You will get tips.

>
>
> The only human powered machines I've seen for moving more than one or
> two people for recreational purposes are the peddle powered swan
> shaped
> boats that propel tourists around the small lakes in Boston's Boston
> Common.
>
> I don't move people or cargo, but occasionally do use my bike for work
>
> and am always THINKing about ways to use it.  So this is a report
> about
> using a mountain bike as a work vehicle.
>
> I measure land and make maps for a living using, among other things,
> GPS
> satellites to position myself.  One of my jobs was to determine the
> latitude and longitude of every electric meter in a region of New York
>
> State. Each home and business has at least one and sometimes several
> meters. They are usually attached to the sides of buildings, but
> sometimes on separate poles away from buildings, and sometimes inside.
>
> So my job was to follow the electric lines and "hunt" for meters.
> When
> I found one, I'd stand beside it with my GPS equipment, take readings
> from the satellites for half a minute or so, then continue hunting for
>
> more.
>
> Some meters were well hidden and otherwise not easily found.  It often
>
> took some time roaming around a property before discovering the meter.
>
> Other crews used a combination of driving their trucks and walking,
> but
> I estimate that I was nearly twice as productive by parking my truck
> in
> the morning, working all day on my bike, and returning to the truck to
>
> drive home in the evening.  A lot of the time I was able to ride
> directly to the metere and take measurements without getting off the
> bike.  In rural areas where homes were spread further apart, I
> might've
> been less productive than other crews, but I'm quite sure I enjoyed
> myself more and got good exercise at least.  Since I was paid for each
>
> meter and there wasn't a rush, it was up to me to decide how much to
> do
> in a day, so sometimes that meant choosing to trade off dollars for
> using the bike.  It was also great being on a bike when a gate was
> closed and locked preventing trucks from passing (I had a power
> company
> badge that gave me permission to "trespass" on peoples' property for
> my
> purposes)  Some of the blocked roads would have meant a long walk!
>
> I was concerned that there might be liability issues or other concerns
>
> raised by the power company if they were presented with a question
> about
> allowing surveyors on bicycles, so I didn't mention it and figured I'd
>
> apologize if it turned out to be a problem.  I was extremely polite to
>
> everyone I met, especially if on their property, to avoid any problems
>
> (and that's my nature anyway, I hope)

Bicycles are legal vehicles. As long as the area you enter is not posted
for no bicycles, you have the right mode of transportation. People are
always amazed of the things we workbikers do with our vehicles. Try
commuting or doing your rounds in winter. People can not believe we can
ride our bikes in winter. It is actually safer than walking.

>
>
> Some people were very suspicious as you might imagine.  I wore a
> bright
> orange vest and a white hard hat and had my badge clearly visible, but
>
> the bike was just too strange for some.  The police were called a
> couple
> of times in the beginning, but I explained my situation and all was
> fine.  I took to using a B.O.B. trailer for supplies, towed behind the
>
> bike with a tall bright orange flag attached for safety.  Once I
> attached the orange flag the police were never called again.  I
> suspect
> that it, along with the trailer, looked more "official" somehow.

Could I suggest a regulation bike helmet?

>
>
> Dogs got VERY excited by the orange flag.  I never had to use pepper
> spray, but was close a few times.  Another advantage of having the
> bike
> with me was the ability to use it to shield me from angry dogs.  If I
> were simply walking I would have felt more vulnerable, especially any
> significant distance from the truck.  Tips and tricks: angry dogs seem
>
> confused when the response to their barking is being told in an
> assertive voice, "Good Dog!" and called "Buddy."  Someone told me a
> lot
> of people at least occasionally call their dogs Buddy.  I'd sometimes
> compliment them after taking my measurements by telling them they did
> a
> good job; that I was leaving.  Watch out for ones with a nose for
> sarcasm, though...
>
> In my field of positioning and measuring things there are a lot of
> opportunities for using bikes at work once they are thought of as
> tools
> rather than toys.

That is the million dollar answer. Too many people think a bicycle is
just a toy, not a legal vehicle. Even the avid sport cyclists do not
consider the bicycle as transportation.

>
>
> Well, that's MY workbike report.  I hope Jim's right and isn't the
> only
> one interested in hearing stories of bikes-at-work.
>
> On a completely different note, several years back I worked in El
> Salvador (land surveying as part of the peace accords) and was struck
> by
> the difficulty in getting produce from field to market.  The roads
> were
> very poor.  It got me thinking about whether "mountain bike"
> technology
> (lots of gears, other things?) might be applied to assist people
> hauling
> the products of their labors to the relatively well maintained main
> road
> where it could be picked up by trucks and taken to town.  Or perhaps
> bike trailers, or trailers with their own peddle assists, or bikes
> hooked together like train cars.

In this day of modern conveniences, the gears of a bicycle make for some
pretty impressive pulling power. We need someone to come up with beefier
freewheels. Any thoughts or opinions on the internal free hubs now
available. Do they make good work bike applications. Anyone try them in
winter. This is where I think they would shine, even though most are
only 7 speedsMike Gerke
Easy Living Pedicab & Services

>
>
> I suppose that's why I suscribed to the list, come to think of it
> (again)
>
> -- Warren --

• Follow-Ups:
  • [workbike] hard hat vs bike helmet
    • From: Warren Morse <wmorse@snet.net>

• References:
  • [workbike] Work (mountain) bike report (LONG)
    • From: Warren Morse <wmorse@snet.net>