Roger and Me

Brian Anthony Miller, NBC5 Next
Have you ever seen a rickshaw in Chicago?

If you answered no, then check out my story on the Chicago pedicab movement. I met this fascinating man named Roger Rickshaw- his real last name is Brownstone- in case you were wondering. He has 2 full time jobs- one as a financial trader and the other- hauling people around the city in one of his rickshaws.

These are amazing vehicles. I was lucky enough to get a ride from the Ogilvie Metra station to the lakefront and over to the Columbia college building at 600 S Michigan. He picked me up, we did an interview and went for a ride.

Roger is a fun guy, and an avid bicycle enthusiast. He has not owned a car since 2004. He lives and works in Chicago and goes almost everywhere on a bike.

He told me one of rickshaws cost about $4,000, he buys them from a company that makes them in Denver. He now has 18 rickshaws in his fleet. Doing the math, he has invested a lot (around $72,000!!)into the rickshaws one might see peddling around Chicago.
Powered by human muscle, these modes of transportation yield zero pollution. If you’re not in too much of a hurry, these things are a great way to get around. Roger also offers tours- the most popular one being the Wrigleyville tour. You can also rent these rides by the hour, day, week, etc.

Roger boasted about his great employees and says without them his business would not be as successful as it is today. As those employees know, Roger stresses one thing as being the most important- SAFETY.

As far as the story itself, I was just trying to have fun with this one. In the editing process, I could not avoid some jumpo cuts, I jut have to get better at shooting, not nreaking the 180 degree rule.

There was no controversy, no official transcripts to read, no law to interpret. Just a good time riding around in a rickshaw with Roger. One thing I learned is that pedicab is not in the dictionary- I added it to mine.