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-   -   Video: Toronto cops bust pedal-powered Buick (https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/video-toronto-cops-bust-pedal-powered-buick-211.html)

MetroMPG 12-06-2007 11:30 AM

Video: Toronto cops bust pedal-powered Buick
 
I knew of this one before it broke all over the interwebs. Too busy to post at the time, now I just look like a big, fat "me too!" guy.

Poor me. Anyway...

Along similar lines as the Green Hummer Project , only MUCH heavier:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSwig1tgUtY

MetroMPG 12-06-2007 11:34 AM

From the Toronto Star:

Quote:

Driven earlier this year in downtown New York, the vehicle attracted little attention. Driven later in Montreal, the artist's hometown, it merely received a police warning. But everyone should have known things wouldn't go so easily in Hogtown (Toronto) [...]

"Cruising at speeds of up to, oh, 12 kilometres per hour," writes gallery director Dave Dyment on the Mercer Union website, "we drove nine blocks (from Lisgar to Strachan) before being pulled over by the police." The charge? "Operating an unsafe vehicle."

Mercer Union spokespeople have been assured by their lawyer that they have a good chance of winning their case. Trial date is set for April 3.
http://www.thestar.com/article/282480

Buick installation @ Mercer Union - A Centre for Contemporary Art

MetroMPG 12-06-2007 11:50 AM

From a blog entry by two of the participants (Mercer Union gallery employees):
"The prosecution will have to prove that the car is dangerous, which we suspect will be difficult. In the last 50 years 200,000 Canadians have died in motor vehicle accidents. No pedal car deaths have been reported." (source)

Classic. I'll be watching this one.

Peakster 12-06-2007 11:58 AM

That's freaking awesome! I was actually thinking of doing the same thing (except with a fully home-made frame and body) at some point.

I'm going to be tuned into this situation too.

TomO 12-06-2007 12:06 PM

I had thought about doing that to a car when I was about 13. My vision involved removing the engine and replacing it with a shaft and pedal sets attached to a manual transmission. That way one could possibly achieve 30MPH for some city cruising.

Peakster 12-06-2007 12:26 PM

3 Attachment(s)
If the owner of the Buick wins in court (he might have to add things like working signal lamps, etc.), it will give me a huge boost of encouragement to make a pedal car out of a design I made a year ago:
Attachment 25Attachment 26Attachment 27

Peakster 02-08-2008 12:53 AM

So... Whatever happened to this? I'm sure it could be easily argued that the former Buick is really a now quadricycle.

EDIT: Ah, just figured out that the court date is set in April. Talk about a long time!

Gone4 02-08-2008 12:00 PM

"The safety factor is uhh.... unsafe"

Things will always go wrong around people who are ignorant of a cause. This cop just didn't understand and wanted to cover his own ass by not letting them drive.

This sort of thing can be done I bet, if you just don't make it look like a normal car. Three wheels is probably the best place to start.

Ryland 02-08-2008 01:59 PM

a friend and I have talked about doing something very simaler, in wisconsin a bicycle is defined as having pedals, and atleast 2 wheels that are no less then 16" diamiter, if operating at night is must have a front and rear light visiable from I think 500 feet... that's about it, no limit on number of wheels, no limit on weight or size, it just has to have pedals.
A motorized bicycle is a bicycle that the power source that can be removed without affecting it's use as a bicycle, and not alowed to travle over 30mph while powered by motor or engine.
it's not untill you get in to the relm of motorcycles and mopeds that they put wheel limits of 3 wheels, or a weight limit of I think eitehr 1,200 or 1,500 pounds.
That car defently is a bicycle, and if he was going to get a ticket I would think the only reason would be if his city required it to be regestared as a bicycle... :D

MetroMPG 04-04-2008 12:37 PM

Victory for the pedal powered Buick!

Update (with video!): Pedal powered Buick driver beats court charge

Christopher Jordan 04-04-2008 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetroMPG (Post 17803)
Victory for the pedal powered Buick!
]

Yep- thrown out of court. Nice day to take a drive.......:D

countersTrike

JasonG 09-15-2009 10:04 PM

When will the police learn that just because it looks different it's not illegal.

NiHaoMike 09-15-2009 11:18 PM

It may be slow, but hey, it gets infinite MPG...

bgd73 09-18-2009 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonG (Post 127994)
When will the police learn that just because it looks different it's not illegal.

this type of custom needs legal accreditation. In my own locale, welding a car doubled over can set off a few non-thinking inspectors about safety, and that is an oxymoron.
the buick on main roads, with framing other than oe (not a repair, or built upon oe, as the pan is missing in the buick, and a belly pan has more specifics than some do not need to ponder)
it needs a way to get respected, and more laws...it is on the main street after all.
I say the cop was nice about it, and the courts was even more graced about it.

Dan9 10-20-2009 07:38 PM

well, it was only art to begin with, right? So I doubt the artiste was thinking much about engineering.

I agree on the accreditation. Seems to me in the UK you need your modded car to be inspected/certified by an engineer, right? Why not have more of that. More work for engineers (good economic growth) and less tickets (baaad source of revenue, pointless).

My 2cents
D

gone-ot 10-20-2009 08:12 PM

...gee, I was thinking: "...gosh, we (USA) really don't have ALL the dense cops in the world after all..." (just a majority)!

Heli_ebook 12-11-2009 12:38 PM

Way to go there, Fred, Barney, Wilma & Betty!

Thymeclock 12-11-2009 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonG (Post 127994)
When will the police learn that just because it looks different it's not illegal.

As long as they have the support of their superiors, they won't learn.

I don't know about Canada, but in America any supposed violation would probably be thrown out of court for the simple reason that it is NOT a motorized vehicle. Non-motorized vehicles do not require registration or licensing. Obviously, it's illegal to drive it on the freeway, but short of that, locally it should be permissible, just as with horse-drawn carts, etc. They probably can't get a conviction of any violation of law, but they can make life miserable for him dragging him into court with charges that won't stick.

Unfortunately, if it catches on and becomes popular, the powers that be will quickly pass laws prohibiting it, as is done with non-conforming entities in this society. :(

Christopher Jordan 12-11-2009 06:28 PM

That Buick would be extremely popular in this area. I will keep my eye on Craigslist and hope it appear for sale :D

FSUspectra 06-15-2010 12:15 PM

Jumping in late on this one, but I can understand the police officer's concern. Being that it looks like an automobile, another driver may mistake it for a "normal" car. His concern was that they go through the next intersection and get hit by another (or should I say A car) car, and they are all injured and/or dead... there were no seat belts or anything. Glad they won their case though! Hope they stay safe!

SwamiSalami 04-26-2011 01:52 PM

This car is quite possibly the greatest thing to ever happen. I think with a little refining, this could be big.

Christopher Jordan 04-26-2011 02:25 PM

To come back after so many years, this Buick deserves a reward!!! :D Seems to me that in these high-price-gas days attitudes are changing a lot. People are driving almost as much but with more thought involved (many trips at once) and lots more understanding or acceptance of human pedal power.

Thymeclock 04-26-2011 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouMan (Post 234270)
I don't understand why they didn't choose a lighter car like a geo metro or something,
still can sit 4 pedellers ( never thought I'd ever say that :) and be a lot lighter and less strenuous and probley get up to 25mph. (that would be sweet) ;)

I'm sure you can figure out why: they wanted to attract attention to themselves, including that of the law enforcement authorities.

And they did. And so, they achieved their purpose.

Christopher Jordan 04-26-2011 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thymeclock (Post 234345)
I'm sure you can figure out why: they wanted to attract attention to themselves.

I bet they could have done it a lot easier than with all those heavy Buick parts. I found this photo on FordAspire.com - Festiva Kia Avella Forums Economy Cars Fuel Savings Sub Compact Sport Small 1997 1994 1995 1996 Modify Customized Pictures Repairs Mazda Club Racing (junk minicooper top, drop the car and that is an eye-catching Aspire!

Christopher Jordan 04-26-2011 11:29 PM

WHOA! That did not work out right! Went to Aspire <home> and didn't show the photo. Oopsie! The photo I sent was an Aspire: chopped top with about 3" tall windows with a Mini top and a custom green/silver. Oh well; use your imagination!

Thymeclock 04-26-2011 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher Jordan (Post 234359)
I bet they could have done it a lot easier than with all those heavy Buick parts. I found this photo on FordAspire.com - Festiva Kia Avella Forums Economy Cars Fuel Savings Sub Compact Sport Small 1997 1994 1995 1996 Modify Customized Pictures Repairs Mazda Club Racing (junk minicooper top, drop the car and that is an eye-catching Aspire!

You still are missing the point: The big old Buick could not be ignored. It was the hulking, steel elephant drifting (unmotorized) down main street.

"The mediium IS the message."

When an elephant camps out on your doorstep, and he has decided to do so for a purpose, it is impossible to ignore his being there. :cool:

SwamiSalami 04-28-2011 08:27 PM

that's a good point.

i think i would be more impressed if this wasn't their "point", though.

Capt. Pinbacker 06-11-2011 06:57 PM

How fast would you and/or 3 others have to pedal to turn a flywheel in order to charge/or keep charged a bank of batteries comparable to the capacity of, say a prius or volt or even a leaf? In other words, in this case the pedals would not be directly connected to the wheels.


(You can probably deduce what i'm trying to get at here) In effect, we've created a human-powered hybrid.

Overnite and at work plug and solar panels are allowed and encouraged in this case.

Cd 06-11-2011 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FSUspectra (Post 179104)
Jumping in late on this one, but I can understand the police officer's concern. Being that it looks like an automobile, another driver may mistake it for a "normal" car. His concern was that they go through the next intersection and get hit by another (or should I say A car) car, and they are all injured and/or dead... there were no seat belts or anything. Glad they won their case though! Hope they stay safe!

Agreed !

Thymeclock 06-12-2011 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt. Pinbacker (Post 244575)
How fast would you and/or 3 others have to pedal to turn a flywheel in order to charge/or keep charged a bank of batteries comparable to the capacity of, say a prius or volt or even a leaf? In other words, in this case the pedals would not be directly connected to the wheels.


(You can probably deduce what i'm trying to get at here) In effect, we've created a human-powered hybrid.

Overnite and at work plug and solar panels are allowed and encouraged in this case.

But at that point it becomes a motorized vehicle (as opposed to merely being a human powered, sophisticated form of a pedal car). Unless the solar powered electrical system is only providing lighting and audio entertainment...:rolleyes:

Once a vehicle has a motor of any sort, it is subject to being regulated and licensed as a motor vehicle.

Steven Wrigley 08-10-2011 02:00 PM

So with a 'unsafe vehicle" charge around, can a fully aeromodded car like the Aerocivic get pulled over for being unsafe? Theres a lot of things to fall off the Aerocivic. Not saying that it would however. After all this is Bassjoos Im talking about! :)

Ryland 08-10-2011 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thymeclock (Post 244777)
Once a vehicle has a motor of any sort, it is subject to being regulated and licensed as a motor vehicle.

Not True, at least in the USA, a motorized bicycle is regulated as a bicycle and only as a bicycle as long as the electric motor or gas engine are under a set size and it has a regulated top speed, of course the motor or engine size is small enough that the Buick would move at a walking pace.
The advantage of a fly wheel of course, is that you could store up your energy while at a stop and while braking.

Thymeclock 08-10-2011 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryland (Post 255450)
Not True, at least in the USA, a motorized bicycle is regulated as a bicycle and only as a bicycle as long as the electric motor or gas engine are under a set size and it has a regulated top speed, of course the motor or engine size is small enough that the Buick would move at a walking pace.
The advantage of a fly wheel of course, is that you could store up your energy while at a stop and while braking.

Technically you may be correct. However a motorized bicycle has the additional option of being pedal powered, unlike a motorcycle or motor scooter which can only rely on its motor.

Ryland 08-10-2011 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thymeclock (Post 255491)
Technically you may be correct. However a motorized bicycle has the additional option of being pedal powered, unlike a motorcycle or motor scooter which can only rely on its motor.

Sorry, I forgot to say, part of what makes a motorized bicycle a bicycle is if the powered part of the drive train can be removed without immobilization of the vehicle, in other words it has to be an add on that can be removed, not integrated like in a moped, and of course it has to be pedal powered to be a bicycle.

Piwoslaw 12-06-2011 05:45 AM

Pedal powered Trabant

MetroMPG 12-06-2011 08:32 AM

It's a trend!

Trabant video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IURibSzgqxA


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