ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — New regulations for pedicab drivers, the cyclists who cart pedestrians behind them, went into effect in Orange County at the start of the new year—but drivers who are obeying the new rules are frustrated that they are not being enforced.
During the day down by the Convention Center, pedicab drivers are able to ferry the hundreds of conventioneers who walk around the south International Drive corridor.
Michael Man uses nothing but leg power to move his tricycle through the district, but he said others are skirting new rules that forbid the use of electric motors and require specific licenses and insurance.
“If you're going to ban motors, then actually enforce it. Every single day that there's no enforcement, there's another guy with a motor out here,” said Man.
Channel 9's Steve Barrett visited a pedicab staging area near the Convention Center and confronted a driver with a large black power disk attached, which operators said is a telltale sign of a motor.
The operator left his spot in line when Barrett tried to confront him about the motor.
Driver John Forigone said he’s paid $200 in annual fees as well as $700 for insurance. He wonders why deputies aren’t doing anything about the motor on his bike.
“(Deputies) haven't said anything about it so I figured, why not give it a shot? I've seen other people do it so I figured I’ll try it as well,” he said.
The Sheriff’s Office said it is executing an education campaign before starting to crack down, but operators said more illegal bikes are showing up every day.