A global concept in central park?

Pedicab, Central Park, New York City, originally uploaded by Gordon Gerard McLean.

Cycle rickshaws are used in most large European cities, such as London, Barcelona, Budapest, Berlin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Milan and Rome. London boasts one of the largest numbers of pedicabs, that are mostly based in Soho, Covent Garden and near tourist attractions.

In North America, San Diego and New York City each host hundreds of pedicabs; dozens of other North American cities also have pedicab services. Kabuki Kabs, Victoria. The first known commercial use of pedicabs in North America occurred in 1962 at the Seattle Worlds Fair. There are several American and European manufacturers of cycle rickshaws, which often incorporate features not found in developing world vehicles, such as hydraulic disc brakes, lightweight fibreglass bodies, and multispeed gears.

In American cities, such as New York, human powered transport has caught on as an environmentally friendly means of transit. According to Peter Meitzler of New York's Manhattan Rickshaw Company, a passenger has an entirely different urban experience when one rides in a rickshaw. He says that he uses the word "rickshaw" in his company name because it is internationally known.

Rickshaws or Pedicabs as they are also known, have been operating on the streets of London for over 7 years in and around the West End, Soho, Covent Garden and Leicester Square areas. They are also common in the centre of Edinburgh, mostly as a novelty tourist transportation method.