Walking around downtown can sometimes be tiring for citizens and tourists who visit San Diego, and our auto accident attorneys know that some people prefer other methods of transportation around town.

KPBS reports that San Diego City Council has approved to prevent those bicycle accidents from happening by giving pedicabs their own parking zones.

Pedicabs — bicycle drawn taxicabs — are one option for some, but these cabs can be troublesome for drivers on downtown streets.  These bicycles can cause car accidents if either the driver or operator of the pedicab isn’t paying attention … especially when the bike is in the middle of the street parking.  

Auto accidents involving downtown pedicabs could be lowered with new parking zones.

The San Diego City Council approved creating a bevy of new zones for pedicabs, or bicycle taxis, to park.  A section of the road was ordained strictly so passengers have room to safely get on or off these taxis.  Operators will also be given a place to acquire riders without taking up other parking spots.

These new areas will help reduce the potential for bicycle accidents or pedestrian accidents.  The pedicab parking zones will be located at red curb zones so as to not take up other spots where cars can park.

“It does offer an opportunity for the pedicab operators to sit in a place that is defined and not be clustered in areas where they are coming into conflict with pedestrians and other traffic,” a Councilwoman a told KPBS.

Business owners downtown have complained that the pedicabs were taking up prime parking spots, with meters that could be used by paying citizens.  The problem is most troublesome for San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter section of downtown.

Creation of the zones depends on the approval of another City Council ordinance to be voted on in September, 2010, which would create tougher restrictions on pedicabs.  The cost of the parking zones and signs to identify them costs about $160 each, which will be billed to the pedicab operator when they apply for a permit.

Getting around in downtown is a mess and our auto accident attorneys in San Diego don’t want you to get hurt in the heavy traffic.  Pedicabs are a convenient way to stay off your feet while enjoying the scenery, and these new parking zones create a safer way to board and get off these pedicabs without causing personal injuries.

Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 for a FREE consultation with an experienced San Diego auto accident attorney or click here to submit your case for a FREE online review.  We work on a contingency basis, which means you pay nothing until we win your case.