London pedicab scam ripping off tourists exposes lack of rickshaw regulation

Pedicabs or rickshaws are largely unregulated in London, and congregate around tourist spots. Photo / Stephen Knight, Flickr

An unwitting tourist claims he was "taken for a ride" by a London pedicab, after he was charged $1000 for a 10 minute trip across town.

After an unexpectedly large charge showed up on his bank account, he realised he had been scammed by the bicycle rickshaw.

The man said he had been "distracted" by the driver when he went to make a card payment.

The tourist, who wishes to remain anonymous, told local democracy reporting he wouldn't be surprised if other visitors had fallen victim to the scheme.

"I'd had a few drinks, and I should have realised but I blindly put my card in the machine," he said.

"He was good at what he did."

The tourist wants the Westminster Council to find the cheeky cycle cabbie and is calling for tougher regulations on what they can charge.

Brightly decorated pedicabs are designed to appeal to tourists but are largely unregulated. Photo / Christ Beckett, Flickr

Wild Westend of bicycle rickshaws

Unlike black cabs and taxis, bicycle rickshaws are unregulated. Pedicabs don't need to be licenced, cyclists are unvetted and there is little regulation controlling how much they can charge.

Pedicabs have popped up across London's theatre district and Soho in huge numbers.

Often brightly coloured and carrying loud bluetooth sound systems, the pedicabs target tourists and those on a night out in the city's entertainment district.

Read More

• Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan flight becomes most tracked aircraft on Flightradar24
• New photos of Kuta, Bali show a heartbreaking sight
• Tiny African kingdom has skiing as Europe sweats summer heat
• Airport baggage handler tells passengers how not to pack a suitcase

Westminster Council recently said they would be cracking down on "nuisance" pedicabs.

A driver was ordered to repay a $360 fare he charged a tourist for a three-minute trip in February.

Recently the Metropolitan police charged six drivers a total of $10000 for noise pollution and annoying locals. One was charged a further $2000 for trying to dodge the fine with a false address.

"They're the bane of my life" a Covent Garden store worker told the Herald. An impromptu taxi rank had been set up opposite the shopfront near the Piccadilly Line, music blaring, waiting to pick up tourists. " They've ruined Mariah Carey for me and would charge you £80 ($190) just to cycle down the road."

UK transport secretary Grant Shapps recently said that new laws would be brought in to regulate what he had called the "Wild West of pedicabs".

Westminster Council's Adam Hug told local media they would be protecting tourists from similar scams in the future.

"People visiting the West End deserve to be able to travel through our city safely without being ripped off. We will continue to work with the police and take action against any pedicab drivers who flout the law."