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E-Trikes: Convenient, Sustainable, Green Mobility

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As cities continue dramatic growth, the use of the automobile becomes seriously problematic. Huge parking lots, crowded roads servicing increasingly concentrated populations housed in high rise condominiums exacerbate transport and parking problems within our cities. Transit may be a partial answer but often the systems are only efficient at rush hour so become uneconomic beyond these times. As well, walking to transit service to and from home is not easy for seniors , especially if burdened with a load of groceries. An obvious solution lies in the use of semi-recumbent tricycles which are safe and capable of safely carrying generous loads..

Doctor and hospital visits with an electric assist trike eliminate the need for huge parking lots and parking fees. Shopping is often quicker than driving 2500 pounds of metal to bring home 20 pounds of groceries. Semi-recumbents as pictured are accepted in supermarkets and shopping centres as they occupy no more space than a shopping cart and require no parking lo space or shopping carts and their attendants.If we used trikes for local errands, think of all the parking lot space that could be used for productive purposes not to mention the waste of bitumen.

Some may worry about moving about in cold or wet weather. A suitable fairing will protect the rider from cold and rain apparel or a transparent umbrella from rain. Alternatively, if we chose the car or transit we are still stuck with coats and umbrellas and so are not as well off as the trike rider who has wind protection of the fairing for the whole trip. Snow boots are no longer required since it only the tires that contact the wet and cold snow.

It should be noted that a semi recumbent is relatively safe to ride because of its low centre of gravity.In the case of the tricycle in the photograph, the rider is almost completely surrounded by a curtain of steel tubing.

When riding, the trike takes up no more space than a 2 wheeler since the rider extends only minimally beyond the trike as does the bike rider.. For storage, delta trikes will stand on end so occupy a floor space of about 27 inches square.

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