July 2022
The lowly tricycle flatbed deliverymen are the backbone of moving things around Bangladesh. Upon first glance, people from developed countries dismiss them as inefficient and exploitative of the poor guys who may have no other choice for work. I have seen these tricycle delivery vehicles piled high with empty cartons or helping people move house, loaded with furniture. What can be fit onto them is astounding. I recall my photographer friend RAL when he lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and his series of photos of what people were delivering on "motos" (motorcycles). His photos almost appeared like they should have come from the circus, not the street. Tricycles need less balance, so they can then be piled higher and heavier. The only limit is the scrawny guy tasked with driving (or pushing) it along.
In our world of looking toward making things sustainable, I think of New York's perpetually clogged streets. A lot of that congestion comes from delivery vans. How many of New York's deliveries in Midtown (where it is largely flat) could be consigned to an upgraded tricycle deliverer? For a moment in time, bicycle couriers were famous and even "cool". I would think that a bevy of young people wanting to make money (and stay fit) could ride a fleet of such delivery devices. Less pollution, less traffic.
Sometimes the practicality of poverty is hard to ignore. Rich countries would be a lot greener and a group of workers would be a lot healthier by adoption a simple, low-tech delivery method.