Pedicab with illegal motor catches fire

This cheating pedal pusher is in the hot seat.

A burned-out shell was all that remained after an illegal motor stashed under a pedicab driver’s ride burst into flames, leaving the dumbfounded operator with a slew of summonses.

The unidentified driver was making his way up a hill in Central Park with passengers aboard on Aug. 23 when the hidden golf cart-like motor overheated and began smoking, a source said.

The rickshaw went up in flames moments after the occupants bailed out, and watched as it was reduced to ash.

The FDNY extinguished the blaze and no one was injured. The city’s Department of Consumer Affairs said it is still investigating the incident.

The pedicab fire comes nearly a year after The Post first reported the widespread use of dangerous illegal motors by a scourge of lazy drivers looking to get a leg up on their competition.

But hardworking drivers who make their living through pure leg power said the practice is still rampant and seems to be growing.

“It seems like there are more and more of them,” said one driver who feels the added boost gives his rivals an unfair advantage because they can pick up more customers and reach potential fares quicker than drivers who get around the old-fashioned way.

“Personally I regard them as cheaters,” he added. “You no longer have to be tough or in shape or good with customers when you use a motor. You just have to be good at operating a joystick.”

Pedicab motors were outlawed by the City Council in 2008, but shiftless drivers like the one in last month’s Central Park incident have continued to flout the law by concealing the small electric devices under the body of the carriage.

They risk a $ 1,000 fine for a first offense, and as much as $ 4,000 for repeat violations.

“The guys that use them, they always give you sob stories about how they have arthritis in their knees,” said another outraged driver who asked not to be identified, and said he takes pleasure in seeing his dishonest brethren getting busted by inspectors.

“Here I am killing my legs, working hard, and these guys use a motor and don’t get tired, and are able to pick up more customers,” he added. “It’s very unfair.”

Attempts to crack down on the lazy bunch have done little, drivers say, because word gets around quickly warning them to lay low whenever the DCA sets up random checkpoints.

Additional reporting by Kevin Fasick

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