RACINE - The other side of the world knows all about the rickshaw - and soon Racine will meet its modern cousin, the pedicab.

Gary Gibson, 52, of Racine will soon embark on a new venture, Racine Pedicab. A pedicab is a bicycle up front and an open, two-person cab in the rear.

Gibson has been testing his new pedicab the past few days and drawing a lot of amused looks.

Pedicabs are not uncommon in some larger cities, and Gibson said they operate in Madison, Milwaukee and Green Bay.

But here, he said, "No one knows what it is."

Gibson owned GPS Books, 1200 Main St., until 1990. He then tended bar at George's Tavern, 1201 Main St., until May. "It was time to do something different," he said.

Actually, Gibson's been planning to open a pedicab business since a vacation in Mexico three years ago. Watching the locals cart tourists between the parking lot and Mayan ruins, "I thought, you know, it would be great along the lakefront," he said.

Six months ago Gibson expected to start the pedicab business in early summer - and gave up smoking to prepare for the physical exertion.

He and business partner Mary Lavin bought a 21-speed Pedillac model, with an electric assist, for about $2,750. Production delays pushed back its arrival until last week; now they may or may not start the business this fall.

The pedicab is 9 feet long and 43 inches wide - just narrow enough to fit in one bike path lane.

It has a canopy over the cab, LED headlight, turn signals, running lights and brake lights; and the electric assist has a 20-mile range, Gibson said.

"The whole thing is as green as you can get," he said.

A friend of Gibson's dubbed the vehicle "not-so-rapid transit."

"With two passengers, don't expect to be in a hurry," Gibson said.

Racine Pedicab will be a one-vehicle, two-driver business operating three or four days a week, Gibson said. He has been out mapping different routes, looking at traffic patterns, street conditions and so on.

"We're just trying to use the rest of this year to evaluate the potential," he said.

Among the possibilities they envision:

• Rides during Downtown events.

• Tours of various lengths for visitors.

• Toting boaters from marinas to area destinations.

• Taxiing people from parking spots to large events such as the Fourth Fest parade.

• Leasing it for events such as weddings or proms.

Pedicabs are also made to accommodate advertising on the rear and side panels. "You don't really have to make that much money on fares or rides if you can get sponsors and give them a certain amount of time on the street," Gibson said.

For more information, contact Gibson at (262) 488-2117 or at: ggibson13@yahoo.com