Complaint Review: Ocean View Rickshaw

So I decided that I'd like to work a fun part time job and I notice these bicycle taxi's on the beach in Fort Lauderdale.  After talking to a couple of the operators I thought I'd look into it for myself.  I contacted the company at the number on their card and spoke a guy that goes by the name Pierre.  He seemed nice enough and asked that I come in and see him.

I found the business to be in a very seedy part of town right next to the railroad tracks not far from the local jail.  There were a few seedy looking characters hanging out in a garage area and I found Pierre in the only air-conditioned part of the building, a small littered office in the back. 

Pierre was nice enough to speak with and he told me how much fun  and profitable it was to be a pedicab driver.  He'd been doing it for several years and was now the head honcho.  He told me that if I wanted to become one of the "drivers" that I would have to complete a 2 hour training and I would have to pay for that since "a lot of people decide not to do the work after training". 

So I show up a few days later for my training.  As I was pulling in to the shop I see a guy walking from the nearby neighborhood.  He was dressed in the cheap beach shirt, dirty shorts, ball cap, and some of the most out dated sunglasses I'd see in some time.  The ones similar to what McDonalds sold for a $1 back in the 80's.  Sure enough this fine specimen would be my "trainer".

I figured correctly that it was a nice way for this guy to make a few bucks on a Monday afternoon when there were few tourists left from the weekend.  There was another lady there to train.  She was a small 42 year old woman that said that she had been a DJ in gentlemens clubs in another state for the past 20 years.  I had my doubts that she could have the energy to do such a physical job.

So part of my $37 training investment was one of those ugly beach shirts that everyone had to wear.  I was sooo greatful that it was a new shirt and not one that someone else had sweated in.  So the training begins.  He asked us to ride the bike for a few minutes in front of the shop to see if we knew how to ride a bike.  It seemed that it had been a long time for the other trainee.  I found it a little ridiculous after five or ten minutes.  A 80 year could handle the bike without much problem.

My trainer Abude or something like that was not a very friendly guy but fiercely proud of his 3rd in charge position with the company.  He set up cones to see if we could drive between them,  I was so simple but I complied and followed his direction.  Trainee #2 had a lot of difficulty.  At one point he said I could rest as he rode in the back of her riskshaw as she continued to practice.

After an hour of this we finally set out to be shown the course that we could travel.  The two hour training turned into 5 hours and about 15 miles of riding in the hot afternoon sun.  I literaly had to help trainee #2 by pushing her up the inclines.  She was having a very hard time.  Abubea was patient with her and we finally finished at the end of the route.   I asked if we were done and if I could head back and he said that I could.  So I peddled the 6 miles back to get rid of the rickshaw for the day and still thought that it could be fun even if the trainer and most of the others seemed like they were a step away from homelessness.  I figured I could be different.

The following day I called Pierre to see what was next and was told that I didn't qualify.  Didn't qualify???   We don't think you're a good fit for us was his exact statement.  I said no problem I'd my money back and you can have this ridiculous shirt although I didn't say it was ridiculous to him.

So a guy that has been in sales for over two years, that rides a bike for exercise 50-75 miles a week, and actually shaves and gets a haircut on a regular basis doesn't qualify.  In my opinion this routine is done daily and many don't qualify but they do sell a lot of shirts and get paid to "train".