Friday, September 07, 2007

Three-Wheelers


Speaking of transportation (last post)!

I've been collecting these 3-wheelers ever since coming to Amsterdam in April. I'm sure I'll keep finding other kinds but these are enough for now. I have never seen anything like this in my life and still get quite a kick outta them!


No regular car can fit in between these posts in Amsterdam, which is the point! But these 3-wheelers can, making parking easier for them.


Just think! You could have had your last package delivered by one of these!


The taxi 3-wheelers are often motorized.


You can hear them coming around the bend and need to watch out for them.


But just as many "taxis" are NOT motorized. Just pedal power!


See! How cool is THAT!


Look at how HUGE the driver appears to be!


And a different feel for size with Donica standing tall next to one!


I think what amazes me more than anything is how much construction business is carried on by them.





Like I said, I've never seen these in other countries (well, except for the taxi bikes). I wonder if they use motorcycle motors or what? And is the gas mileage the advantage?

So many questions, so little time.

**********
Tomorrow I fly to London for a Shutterchance meet-up and will return on Sunday (when Donica returns from Hannover). Isn't it fun how the blogging world opens up so many new friendships that never would have happened just a few short years ago!

24 comments:

  1. ;o]
    you might see the little red post and telephone saving boxes in London ;o]

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hahaha, this just tickles me, mostly because I can picture you in one of your gut-laughing fits!! :D You almost started me on one.

    Have fun tomorrow!!

    Were you able to meet up with JoAnn yesterday?

    ReplyDelete
  3. You know those little posts all over the city are actually called "Amsterdamertjes"? Notice the gigantic one at the Dam Square! I always thought it was funny that Amsterdam was full of these phallic symbols!

    Anyhow... we have these chinese 3 wheeled vehicles here too and they are really amusing. I'd never noticed them when we lived in Am'dam- maybe they are relatively new?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Inspired: Oh, yes. They'll be all over the city. I love them.

    Ruth: You really got me started! I never once thought of being INSIDE one and what it would feel like. I was still too mesmerized by the OUTside! :) Too funny. (And my meet-up with JoAnn is next week because she and hubby have had the flu!)

    T1: Oh yes, Kim. And they're all over the place--those posts! I guess you'll just have to come back to A'dam so you can see for yourself how many of these 3-wheelers there are! Just let me know when! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is threeling post - LOL. Fantasitic pictures.

    May we see you the last weekend ofseptember in Amsterdam?

    ReplyDelete
  6. i can imagine you getting a kick out of them...:)
    we see them all over India ..since what i know of automobile will barely fill the back of a stamp , i'm clue less about the milage advantage, if there's any...in India some of them run on CNG (in capital New Delhi, all of them do) : it's cheaper, and pollution free. I need to ask my husband , the auto-guru, about the answers for questions and get back to you :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I remember seeing three-wheeled cars in Britain many years ago when I was there, but not trucks. If most of your travelling is local I don't expect there'd be much problem with using a small vehicle like that.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Interesting little things, I saw a few on Mikonos years and years ago before the Casinos moves onto the island. I can see where they would be useful in the tight spaces of an old city.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I was so fascinated by those trucks too! Imagine that... You would have had a blast hunting in switzerland with me. ;-)

    And yes the blogging world has opened up a lot of doors!

    Great photo tour. Missing Europe more than ever and working on P to getting us there!

    ReplyDelete
  10. by the way, I was wondering what trouble you've been up to.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Now those are the coolest little rigs ever, wonder if they will ever come to the states.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Funny little vehicles, huh? We used to see much more here, but now there seems to be less around. As far as I know, most of them are made in Italy. They were very popular there. Maybe OX can give you more information.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Well Hi ! Ginnie,
    I was too busy laying in bed hahahha! Haaaaatsssjeeee! So sorry! So I did not visit this, not your other blog, good I do know for this good reason, 1 ) meeting Donica HI, Donica!!!

    And about the 3 wheels-cars, Yes I saw on the news, They are orriginally from INDIA , But..... there they are quiting down in this 3-wheels cars, This cars come from that countries, we ( B and me, sawa lot of these on our travelling) : in Thailand/ Indonesia/ Malaysia.

    Now this 3 wheels cars are imported from there ( the countries from above)< there they are no gonna use them anymore for several reasons.

    In HOLLAND we use them for many reasons :
    (as you said) for the easy traffic.... 1) Its smaller and easier to park, 2) as a taxi 3) as a tourist attraction, 4) we LOVE BIKING!!!6) it cleaner for the air!7) its cheaper than taxi's 8) You 'as an owner of this 3 wheel-car' don't need a drivers-licence....10) unemployed people find easier a wellpayed job, YTHIS 3 wheel -car...


    I Hope you have a good weekend!
    Haaaaaaatssssjeeee :) JoAnn

    ReplyDelete
  14. I like the look of these little vehicles. There used to be a 3 wheeler passenger car in England, the Reliant Robin, maybe there are still a lot of them on the roads, you can see a page about it at
    http://www.3wheelers.com/robin.html

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is a very interesting series, Ginnie. I must tell you that you cans still see some of those three wheel trucks in Italy and I have taken a picture of a fairly derelict and picturesque one in Naples sometimes ago! I may send you a copy for your "collection"! :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Actually, they are made in Italy! By the same company that produces a famous moped called Vespa. In fact these are "Vespas" only with three weels and a cabin, so very cheap to run indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am sure there are many Americans who would love the option of driving one of these small, affordable, gas efficient vehicles. It's too bad we don't learn more from Europe- so busy givin' it to everyone else- too proud to receive as a country.

    ReplyDelete
  18. These are awesome! I think they'd be great in the States, especially congested cities where space is an issue.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I saw one in Cochin, India.. painted black and yellow

    ReplyDelete
  20. Tor: Sadly, we will NOT be here in A'dam at the end of September! I really did have my months mixed up, didn't I!

    Moi: Yes, I'm quite sure India has many of these! Anything that is pollution-free is up my alley.

    Karen: I certainly can't see these out on the highways! A bit dangerous?

    Paul: Yes, in tight spaces they are very useful!

    ET: Maybe it will happen before you know it...your next trip back to Europe. I hope so.

    L&N: HA! Maybe they'll come to the States but where would we drive them? Certainly not out on the highways!

    JoAnn: You absolutely kill me! I love how you write. Your mind goes 100 mph (just like mine!). :)

    Ex-S: Unbelievable. I've never seen anything like that. Not sure I'd want one, though. I get the feeling they can be topsy-turvy!

    MDC: How fun to find you here, Marcello, after just meeting you. I am quite sure these come from Italy. Makes sense to me. Thanks for the added info.

    RK: You have definitely got that right!

    Mad: Exactly. I'm not sure they'd work in Atlanta where we have such long distances to drive on the freeways till we get to our destination...within the same city! I can see them in San Fran, if they can make it up the hills. :)

    RRD: Yes, I can picture lots of them in India, Stacey!

    ReplyDelete
  21. They where popular in Norway a while ago. Now the small electric cars called Think are more popular i think.

    Great post and pics Ginnie!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi Ginnie

    Thank you for your comment on my blog. Yes I saw your name on Joann's blog, it's a small world indeed. Maybe one day I find out why you are in A'dam and the USA. You probably already noticed my english is not the best but I can understand most things, writing is more difficult but I try to express myself the best I can. I didn't expect to have that much english visitors, but it's OK I like it. (How is your Dutch?)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Renny: Hmmm. I'll have to keep my eyes open for a Think car! Thanks.

    Dick: What a small world. Maybe one day we all can get together in Holland. :) Compared to your English, I'd say my Dutch is non-existent! Just when I was starting to get used to German (after 2 years there, going back-n-forth half the time), we moved apartments to Amsterdam! Dutch is another language altogether!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Maybe we can do a blogger-day somewhere in Holland, I think it is a good idea. Other people do that also, I saw it a few months ago when the Minneapolis bloggers had a meeting.

    Dick

    ReplyDelete

Texel Island, NL, 2024: Renovations

  To be honest, I thought I had already posted about our January trip to start some renovations in Jaap's bungalow, as a gift from Astri...