The humble tuk-tuk, a fixture in Asian cities from Bangkok to Bengaluru, is rapidly becoming a common sight in the touristy parts of Paris — and the bane of traffic police.
The three-wheeled auto rickshaws, as well as human-powered pedicabs, first appeared in the French capital in 2011, and their numbers have since risen to around 50, lining up at landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, or the Place de la Concorde.
Like their Asian cousins, many are brightly painted, while others sport the iconic yellow with black-and-white trim of the New York cab. The growth in numbers has been fuelled in part by the recent downturn in the French economy and the need to find work.
The price for a tuk-tuk — imported from Thailand — can be as much as 9,000 euros, but buyers hope to make good their investment.
While tuk-tuks may be a cheap alternative to taxis in Asia, in central Paris, tourists are happy to pay an average of 20 euros per ride, easily more than regular cabs can charge. “Unemployment is everywhere,” one driver says. “We have found something that the tourists like.” The downside, he said, is that “the police hassle you” — checking a laundry list of items including registration, medical clearance, insurance, brake lights and turn signals, as well as maintenance.
Sofiene, who says he always dreamed of being his own boss, earns between 90 and 110 euros a day — from which he might have to subtract between 35 and 135 euros if he is unlucky enough to be fined.