Complaints about loud music coming from pedicabs in the Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy areas of San Diego have reached a fever pitch.
Third District Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, whose district includes downtown, promised to author an ordinance that would address the loud music and other complaints about the peddle carriages.
Arguably, pedicabs are as much a part of the sights, sounds and rhythms of the Gaslamp Quarter as any of the attractions.
“I feel like they are just trying to get attention. I don’t think they are noisy to me,” frequent visitor Alexya See said.
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But somewhere after more than a decade of driving, some say the industry got out of step.
“Every night up until 1:30 or 2:00 I have to listen to this loud, obnoxious music,“ restaurant owner Sean Shoja said.
Shoja also lives in the Gaslamp Quarter. He asked us not to identify his restaurant by name because the last time he complained about noisy pedicabs at San Diego City Council, his windows got smashed, he says.
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“There should be some kind of decibel measurement so that they cannot go past the decibel,” Shoja said.
If passed, Councilman Stephen Whitburn ordinance would ban amplified music.
Gaslamp Quarter Business Association Executive Director Mike Trimble says he’s inundated with complaints about noisy pedicabs, from residents and merchants. He’s behind any such ordinance but says it has to be enforceable. It has to have teeth.
“If they have the teeth to really crack down, it would eliminate the problem all together. If we didn’t have to have the amplified music that would be step one, “ Trimble said.
Veteran pedicab driver Anthony Pratts says he’s been a good citizen in the Gaslamp business community for 15 years.
“At 2:00 in the morning, I don’t feel like you should be bumping your music as loud as possible,” Pratts said.
He has music, but it’s not a blaring experience.
“Someone comes in from out-of-town and they have never seem one of these and they want to hear their favorite song. Put it on and they will have the time of their life under the right circumstances,” Pratts said.
Besides the music, the councilman’s ordinance hopes to address passenger safety and complaints of price gouging.
“I think it is a little ridiculous they would try to take money away from these guys.” Frequent visitor Joseph Robichaud said.
Gaslamp commerce is at stake for all merchants. Shoja says noisy pedicabs have drowned out his live entertainment.
“Sometimes we have the best singers performing and we have to stop for a moment,” Shoja said.
Maintaining the right tempo in a competition for attention in the entertainment districts is proving difficult.
Making the adjustment could be an equally complicated score.
Councilman Whitburn’s spokesperson says if passed, the penalties for disobeying the ordinance would include suspension or revoking operator licenses.
