A San Diego City councilmember wants to address noise complaints downtown by rolling out a new initiative that places tighter restrictions on pedicab drivers.
“My office is getting more and more complaints — a lot of complaints — about pedicabs and the loud music,” says councilmember Stephen Whitburn.
Under the City’s Rules of Operation and Code of Conduct, pedicab operators signed a statement saying, “I will not operate my pedicab with any amplified sound devices on a public street or highway, where the sound level is plainly audible from a distance of 50 feet from the pedicab.”
But some residents, business owners and visitors say not all pedicab drivers follow that rule.
Whitburn added during a Friday press conference that a big part of the issue revolves around enforcing this rule.
"It can be very difficult to enforce an ordinance that's based on a specific volume. Not everyone is walking around with a sound meter," he says. "By prohibiting the amplified music from pedicabs, it will be very clear if they're violating that rule or not — much easier for the city to enforce the regulations.”
And that’s why he’s put together a proposed ordinance that would ban noise devices on pedicabs completely, adding if drivers don’t follow the rules, they can have their licenses suspended or taken away.
This ordinance is also looking to put rules in place to tackle price gouging by making sure fares are posted.
ABC 10News spent some time in Little Italy talking to people who live and work in the neighborhood.
Reporter Marie Coronel found some residents, like Karen Dovigi, who says pedicabs are becoming disruptive.
"They are loud. They are extremely loud. The music is obnoxious, irritating and I find it brings a certain cheesiness in the area," she says. "I hate to say that because they're working hard trying to make a living. The tourists seem to enjoy it — they are probably good at what they do — but as residents it's annoying. They're so loud.”
10News also spoke to Pat Moran, who was a pedicab driver for 14 years.
He says music is part of the experience that comes with a pedicab.
“When you have nice music playing off your bike, it attracts people. The experience of sitting in a bicycle taxi cruising around the beautiful neighborhoods with nice background music is worth something," Moran explained. "You create experiences as pedicab drivers, and the music is certainly part of it.”
The next step in this process is to collect public input on the proposed ordinance.
