55% of you don't want pedicabs at the Oceanfront. On Thursday Virginia Beach's Resort Advisory Commission (RAC) approved a one-year pilot program for them to operate on the bike path parallel to the Boardwalk.
The new question: should Hampton Roads have a dedicated funding source to pay for mass transit?
7 comments:
actually, I voted No for No Bike Path
Jessica,
"No" did mean no pedicabs.
This VBRAC ruling is appalling. Let me clarify. I am quite happy that they will allow a Pedicab company to operate at the ocean-front. But, for some reason, they have award this contract to a new, unproven company, when there is a perfectly good and proven Pedicab company that has been both petitioning for the program to be approved and operating in Virginia Beach for three years (Sandbridge and Town Center). If anything the approval should have gone to this company (SevenCities Rickshaws), instead of this new and unproven company.
Who gets the award might not be a big deal, but when we consider past pedicab companies at the oceanfront, we can find its importance. Previous companies have gone down there, and have operated unprofessionally and dangerously. Not many people realize that Pedicabs is a hard business that requires persistence and passion. Many people think they can run a pedicab business, but not many actually can. Why do The City and RAC think that they can award this to just anyone, given their past experiences, and not to the one company in VB that has proven their professionalism and dedication?
It's very clear that Hampton Roads does not understand the culture that a pedicab company must contain to truly be successful. This area (primarily VB oceanfront) is motivated on tourism and money driven concepts which leaves very little room for the more passionate business owner (ie. Seven Cities Rickshaws) to prevail. Good Luck to Seven Cities Rickshaws! Maybe the city will come around.
The City already tested the Pedicabs many years ago, and used common sense to scrap the plan.
It was obviuos that the Pedicabs were a serious danger to pedestrians, especially small children. We have a thin bike path
which should be strictly for bicycles. Our Boardwalk should only allow casual walkers,joggers, baby strollers and rollerskaters.
All the rest are tourist gimmicks.
History shows that many tourists didn't want to return to the beach because of traffic and parking restrictions, and because it was no
longer a peaceful, relaxing and family oriented resort.
We don't need Pedicabs, and we don't need to keep replenishing the sand. (Kerry D's, Sunny D article) These artificial beaches look nothing like a real tropical resort. Maybe because we aren't are real tropical resort. We are a strip mall of seasonal home rentals, and miles of giant hotels and timeshare rentals. The golden goose has been slaughtered by greed. Prior to 1989, the citizens owned their beach and they actually
were able to enjoy and share it with well mannered tourists.
What a bunch of knuckle heads. I've seen 4 pedicab companies come and go at the oceanfront. Who would want to sit in the back of one of those things. Boring!!!!
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