I am glad to see that Pedicab drivers are getting more coverage and quotes in the local media.

This post take from the Austin American Statesman found here:

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/01/01/0101firstnight.html

Third First Night is second to none
125,000 join carnival-like atmosphere downtown to greet 2008.

By Patrick George

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

How did Austin ring in the New Year? With rock ‘n’ roll, funnel cake and giant insects, of course.

In front of Lady Bird Lake, thousands of revelers kicked off 2008 by attending First Night and turning the city into a massive carnival.

Bicycle parades, dancing librarians, sausage wraps and toddlers with glowing plastic swords all dotted the downtown streetscape Monday night. Approximately 125,000 people enjoyed the third year of this festival of creativity and local flair, according to city estimates.

Recent Albuquerque, N.M., transplant Jill Price brought her 3-year-old twin girls downtown and said she was impressed by First Night’s alcohol-free environment.

“It’s definitely family-friendly,” Price said. “It’s a good, safe place to bring your kids for New Year’s Eve.”

Traffic on Cesar Chavez Street, Guadalupe Street, Lavaca Street and the South First Street bridge was shut down from 2 p.m. Monday to 2 a.m. today to allow partygoers a safe space to view more than 60 public art showcases. A parade along Cesar Chavez Street included zany bicycle floats shaped like huge butterflies and even a gargantuan snake skeleton.

And what would any New Year celebration be without fireworks at midnight? This year, there was also a fireworks show earlier in the evening so kids could have some New Year’s fun before bedtime.

The event drew out odd contraptions, too. Austin-based tech-artists the Robot Group showed off Ponginator, a 20-foot-tall computer-controlled robot that fired pingpong balls at up to 160 mph. Robot Group president Vern Graner said the robot, stationed on West Cesar Chavez Street, could launch balls nearly to the top of the CSC building across the street.

“It’s been amazing. Kids love it,” Graner said. “It’s a big, giant robot, and kids love robots. It makes a lot of loud noise, and kids love that, too.”

The carnival atmosphere was strongest on the South First Street bridge, where the smells of sausage wraps and funnel cake filled the air and kids drew New Year’s greetings in chalk on the pavement. Toni Gonzales and her husband, David, said the fun on the bridge let their 4- and 6-year-olds enjoy the New Year’s celebration before their 8 p.m. curfew.

“We had fun making kites,” Toni Gonzales said. “We just had some sausage wraps over there.”

“The lemonade was good, too,” her husband added.

First Night was a big opportunity for those who serve the throngs of revelers. Just ask pedicab driver Jeff Raby, who, despite being new to the job, had big goals for the evening.

“Tonight, you can make up to $400,” Raby said. “I heard someone made over $1,000 last year.”