The Wake

According to Wikipedia, the most reliable source for any information, the word rickshaw in Japanese literally translates to “human-powered vehicle.” Though actual rickshaws are not used in the United States, bicycle rickshaws, or pedicabs, have been around for a decade.

Right here on campus, you may see one of them zipping around on game days or when you are extremely intoxicated. The driver of that “party bike,” as he calls it, is Ben Young of Local Sports, Inc. If you are hammered, want a ride to Mariucci or just enjoy the novelty of a pedicab, then hop aboard.

The Wake: When did you start this homespun pedicab business?
Young: Well, I’ve been doing it for five years. This is my second year in the Cities. I’ve been doing it in St. Paul, and I’ve been doing Minneapolis for about a month now.

Wake: So what do you actually call these things?
Young: Pedicabs, bikes, party bikes, rickshaws.

Wake: What’s the most common name, because I don’t want to call them rickshaws if I don’t have to.
Young: Probably pedicab is the actual term. For marketing purposes, we call it party bike because people like that.

Wake: I’ll go with party bike. I write for a college publication so…
Young: Party bike works for me.

Wake: What made you want to drive a party bike/pedicab?
Young: I used to be a peanut vender at Wrigley Field and they had them before and after the games. So I thought, ‘Hey, a way to make a few easy bucks!’ Ride before the games, sell peanuts and ride after the games. But I’ve always loved biking. I just loved it so much as a summer job when I was in school, I had to find a side job up here, and it’s been going so well, it’s turned into a full-time job.

Wake: So do you just pick people up or how does that work exactly?
Young: People can call me anytime. I may be out or I might not. Generally I’ll be out after all sporting events: Wild, Gophers hockey and football, Vikings and Timberwolves, at their respective locations. On Friday and Saturday non-game nights, I’ll be in the Dinkytown, Stadium Village area. And I’ll be out until about 3 a.m.

Wake: If a terrorist took you hostage and forced you to tell one good party bike story what would it be?
Young: The best thing I saw was when I was in Chicago doing this. I took three girls on a ride and we went past a fire station and they decided they wanted to go down the fire pole. So then I asked the firemen if they could go down and the firemen told them they couldn’t cause they were sleeping. So they give the firemen lap dances until the firemen said okay. They dressed [the girls] up in all the fire gear and went down the fire pole.