The rickshaw riders used to do a roaring trade. Tourists used to queue up to pay a premium for this inferior product. It was like taking a horse-and-carriage ride in New York’s Central Park. People paid for the “old” experience.
I first arrived in Singapore in 1997. In those days, Boat Quay was packed. The area had been gentrified, and the filthy shophouses had been converted into bars and restaurants.
At the edge of Boat Quay, there would be a row of cycle rickshaws waiting for customers. The rickshaw riders were old men who were lean and supple. They used to charge $20 for a ride to Orchard Road, which was three times the taxi fare.
