Extreme human-powered delivery

By JoulesBurn, originally published by The Oil Drum: Campire

May 13, 2010

NOTE: Images in this archived article have been removed.

Image RemovedMost discussion on transportation alternatives to single-occupant fossil fuel-powered vehicles focuses on moving people from place to place. Options might include electric trains, walking, and bicycling. But also important for functioning cities is moving goods around, and most of the above options would seem to have severe limitations when one considers the variety of things that need to be moved. How does one carry a sheet of plywood across town? Surely not on a crowded subway. But a recent trip to China demonstrated for me that almost anything is possible.

What do you want to move today? Do you have any ideas for moving goods across town without a pickup truck?

Civic transport in modern China is a crazy mix of human and fuel-powered modes. Except on freeways, all habit the same roadspace with chaos being the usual result. I photographed the following examples in March of 2009, predominantly in Shanghai.

Image Removed Assorted Tools. Interesting that the guy carrying the ladder is not the one wearing the hardhat.
Image Removed Bottled water delivery is big business in China, where the tap water is often of questionable quality.
Image Removed It would be interesting to follow the logistics for water delivery.
Image Removed Besides tools, you also need materials such as piping
Image Removed All natural urban horticulture
Image Removed Coming home from Ikea. (there are 7 in China)
Image Removed Someone adding to his manhole cover collection.
Image Removed They do windows. Note the bicycle rider helping to stabilize the load.

Do you readers have any impressive examples of pedal-powered delivery?

JoulesBurn

Tags: Building Community, Transportation

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