Myrtle Beach postpones vote on pedicabs

Questions about safety, insurance and operating hours prompted the Myrtle Beach City Council on Tuesday to postpone a decision about allowing pedicabs to operate on city streets.

The council was scheduled to vote at the afternoon meeting on the final draft of an ordinance granting the franchises to two local men who want to offer short rides in the open-air, bicycle-powered carts.

But at the morning workshop, city attorney Tom Ellenburg said he had concerns about whether the drivers leasing the pedicabs would be covered by the owners' liability insurance.

"We need to be very diligent that the people we're allowing to be carried around on city streets are protected," said city manager Tom Leath.

Rick Ricker, one of the two local men proposing to run pedicab franchises, said he has already looked into the question of insurance, and was told the coverage does carry over.

Councilman Phil Render also expressed concerns about rickshaws operating on 21st Avenue North, where there's faster traffic, and about them operating late at night.

Councilman Mike Lowder agreed, saying he'd feel better if the pedicabs were only allowed to operate during daylight hours.

Councilwoman Susan Grissom Means said the fact that traffic is slower on Ocean Boulevard - one of the proposed operating zones - is a plus for her, but she was concerned about the 21st Avenue North trip, as well.

"But if I were operating one of these businesses and I wasn't allowed to go back and forth to Broadway at the Beach, I might think twice," she said.

Lowder also said he had questions about the business model, in which the drivers would work solely for tips.

But Ricker said that wasn't a question any council members had the right to decide.

"If I choose to work for tips only and my business fails, that's on me," he said.

Charles Moore, representing the Independent Cab Association, said tourists complain that it's already hard to get around in Myrtle Beach because of traffic, and pedicabs would just slow things down more.

But, he said, there's a bigger reason right now.

"With 184 cabs on the streets, we don't want the competition, frankly," Moore said.

He said this year's economy is substantially better than the last two years.

"I'm actually making money this year," he said. "We'd like to see things stabilize a little and let us make some money before someone comes to take it away."

Ricker said he's not trying to take business away from cabs, and wouldn't think people would be taking cabs for two or three blocks anyway.

He asked why pedicabs couldn't be operated at night if the pedicabs have all the same lights and turn signals and other equipment as mo-peds.

"I think people would like them," Ricker said. "I think it would be good for Myrtle Beach."

The council sent the pedicab proposals to the city's tourism committee to study, with the intent of having an ordinance in place for fall.

Also Tuesday, the city gave final approvals to an alley swap, a proposal for a sidewalk cafe and rights to use city air space for the SkyWheel, a 187-foot-tall Ferris wheel scheduled to open May 15 at 1100 N. Ocean Boulevard.

The developers also showed a video of a similar wheel in Europe that has an LED light show that is like what they are planning for Myrtle Beach.

The lights flash in changing color patterns at night.

Council members said they like the plans for the downtown district's latest amusement.

City manager Leath said people standing on the shore in North Myrtle Beach should be able to see the wheel's lights and movement on clear nights.

"It's very exciting," Councilwoman Means said.