Explanation: Our old friend Kenny acquired a bicycle rickshaw from someone
who had brought it here from Nepal.  It didn't have any brakes, so he and
friend Jeff tried installing some.  Jeff lives at the top of a steep
driveway that descends between RR tie retaining walls.  From the driveway,
it's a slight jog to the right, and then you can sail downhill for half a
mile or more, should you be so inclined. . . or is that declined?  Jeff said
that jumping off this thing was never really an option -- you couldn't jump
far enough to keep from getting run over by it.

Here's the story of a brake test run:

Once before the rickety rickshaw rolled down the steep incline at 2897 S
2870 E without incident, no trouble at all.   On the second attempt,
this fine March afternoon, confidence is high, spirits loom big. (Skies
get gray, drums roll, impending doom feeling settles around those
present)  With brakes applied, the rickshaw creeps cautiously, ever so
slowly down the driveway.   Slow......  slowly it crept, with the newly
installed disc brake applied religiously to the rear axle via a mere
1/16 inch cable to the handlebar brake lever.  The rear axle snugged up
tight against the left wheel to allow enough friction to slow the
multiple hundred pounds rickshaw on a single wheel.  Then suddenly, as
quickly as it appeared on the horizon.....   the left wheel rotating
counterclockwise unscrews the axle nut enough to allow both rear wheels
to spin freely on the axle.  The disc brake stops the axle from
rotating, but the wheels now spin furiously on the axle.  Instantly the
behemoth craft lunges forward, accelerating quickly down and out the
driveway across the road, speeding directly at the neighbor's Honda
Accord parked innocently on their side yard, all hope is lost.
Impending doom......  Jump or ride, drop your feet for friction.  Gotta
stop, BOUNCE!

The driver madly jams on all brakes to the max in an effort to save
himself.  A loud POP and &^%$$#(@*&  (grinding, crushing noise) as the
front brakes get sucked into the wheel spokes and with no resistance at
all, immediately the new rod brake pads are sheered off......  The
rickshaw continues to accelerate, now with no brakes at all.  Steer
right to miss the Honda car, drop your feet for friction, BOUNCE, drop
your feet for friction, bounce, OUCH, gotta stop this thing, Ouch.
WHEW, just missed the car, YIKES, a rock wall, steer more right to miss
the rock wall.  Barely missing the car and bouncing slightly over the
stone wall, we find ourselves on the sidewalk, still rolling, still OUT
OF CONTROL......  JUMP ... or stay and save it???  DROP YOUR FEET FOR
FRICTION, BOUNCE, OUCH!!!

YEOOOW,  steer left to miss the tree on the right, Jump or ride.... drop
your feet for friction, BOUNCE, ouch, .... ouch....  JUMP or RIDE????
Barely missing the tree at Mach 1, we are relieved, the tree is saved.
WOW, Jump or Ride, drop your feet, gotta stop, bounce, ouch.......
ouch....... ouch!!  Turning right we roll back onto the street, the
rickshaw turns sideways to the hill, gravity losses, speed
dwindles, control is gained, humanity is saved.   PHEEEEWWWW.   Hearts
pump strong with adrenaline, calm settles in.....  life continues,  all
is good in Rickshaw land...............  Could have been disaster, could
have been death.  The axle nut 2 turns from removing itself and the
wheel, thus was the maiden voyage of the rickshaw Columbia.    Nepal
must be flat I surmise!  Must be!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KayDubEllEwe,
Test Pilot Log
Rickshaw Columbia,
StarDate: March 1 2003