A pedal-driven rickshaw service could be a fun addition to downtown Lawrence. Doing it in a way that won’t create a traffic hazard could be tricky, but the city should try to give this would-be entrepreneur a chance to try it out.

Lawrence resident Shane Powers thinks there’s a market for a rickshaw service. His primary audience seems to be younger people who want to get from one drinking establishment to another, but the service also might be attractive to an older crowd that would like to catch a ride to or from a restaurant or movie and a parking space several blocks away.

There are some drawbacks to be considered. Many evenings, traffic on Massachusetts Street is moving slowly enough that a pedal-driven rickshaw might not cause much disruption. If Powers extends his service very far beyond Massachusetts, however, motorists may complain. We also wonder whether he has adequately considered the local terrain, which ranges from a subtle rise to Sixth Street to the more drastic inclines leading to the Kansas University campus.

His idea of using the rickshaw to give historical tours is an interesting possibility, but transporting football fans from downtown to Memorial Stadium doesn’t seem very practical.

City officials say they would have to create a new ordinance to accommodate the rickshaw business. Perhaps they will find the plan unworkable, but it would be interesting to give Powers’ idea a shot.