Smooth riding

Tariq Malik

When Gary Hoisington takes his bike out for a weekend spin, he takes

his office with him.

The 20-year resident has brought something new to the city’s Downtown

area, a taxi service with a twist -- transporting tourists and residents

about town in a bicycle built for three.

“We’re on a trial basis for this summer, but I’d love to see this go

year-round,” said Hoisington, owner of a Huntington Beach antique and

classic bicycle shop.

The cabs at Surf City Taxi are modified industrial tandem bikes,

painted yellow with black and white checkered markings, and a thumb bell

mounted on the handlebars to alert other pedestrians and motorists.

Passengers sit in a wooden, booth-like bench sporting red vinyl and foam

cushions. It is mounted on springs to provide a smoother ride.

“It adds to the charm of Downtown, and I would try it,” said

17-year-old resident Naomi Irvine, while enjoying a sunlit Main Street

afternoon.

Hoisington, 48, and his 13-year-old son, Aaron, operate from Pier

Plaza on Fridays and Saturdays, servicing passengers along Pacific Coast

Highway from 19th Street to Beach Boulevard, and as far up Main Street as

Adams Avenue.

However, the idea for the cab service is nothing new.

Three years ago, Diane Baker, executive director of the Huntington

Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau, approached Hoisington with the

suggestion based on his experience organizing the city’s classic bicycle

show. It seemed like just another way of stimulating interest in Downtown

Huntington Beach, she said.

But Hoisington wasn’t interested. He’d seen similar services at Costa

Mesa’s MarketPlace, and in San Francisco, both pulling passengers behind

the cyclist and resembling rickshaws.

“I didn’t think that look was good for the city, but then I thought if

I could make it look like a Woody car, well that would reflect the Surf

City image of Huntington Beach,” Hoisington said.

And it was smooth riding from there.

“The hardest part about the job is getting the bike moving,” said

Aaron Hoisington, during a test run. “It takes a lot of strength.”

Beach officials said the bike taxis could prove to be more than just a

novelty at the Pier. The service could also provide transportation to

elderly and disabled residents to and from the end of the Pier, which

extends 1,800 feet, more than quarter of a mile, out over the ocean.

“Last summer, we had to issue some family members special permits to

bring private vehicles out onto the Pier,” said Lt. Steve Davidson of the

city’s Marine Services Division. “That’s something we don’t like to do,

but at the same time we can’t compromise by being a taxi service that

could tie up some emergency operations.”

Some residents agreed with the service’s benefits for the elderly, but

added that bicycle taxis add a distinction that sets the city apart from

its neighboring communities.

“I think they are very reminiscent of the horse-drawn carriage rides

of New York’s Central Park,” said resident Michael Caserta, of the cabs.

“Huntington Beach could use a little of that flavor.”