Google Street Views takes to a tricycle

Google Maps Hard-to-Reach Areas Using a Tricycle.

Google is [[xref:http://www.pcworld.com/article/136334/google_street_view_is_coming_for_you.html?tk=rel_news|mapping the world one street at a time.|Google Street View Is Coming for You]] However, some of those locations are not conducive to cars, let alone the Google Street Views van or even a small car. Locations like Europe pose an extra challenge — how to navigate all of those tightly packed, tourist-clogged cobblestone street in historic city centres?

Well, for all of those hard-to-reach areas, Google’s tactical strategy becomes obvious thanks to a handful of images that have surfaced today. The Google Street Views Car is replaced by the Google Street Views Trike (seen above).Also see [[xref:http://www.pcworld.com/article/161392/strangest_sights_in_google_street_views.html?tk=rel_news|Strangest Sights in Google Street Views"|Strangest Sights in Google Street Views]] and [[xref:http://www.pcworld.com/article/157488/the_wild_side_of_google_street_view.html?tk=rel_news|The Wild Side of Google Street View"|The Wild Side of Google Street View]]
Squeezing Through

The Trike is off again, pursuing its mission to capture every corner of world, image-by-image. As the Trike traverses this narrow, cobblestoned street, it goes where cars wouldn’t dare.
Hitting the Road

Everything is in bloom, and the weather is warm . . . it's definitely riding weather, so don’t be surprised if you encounter a Google Street Views Trike rider like the one pictured above. Also see [[xref:http://www.pcworld.com/article/161392/strangest_sights_in_google_street_views.html?tk=rel_news|Strangest Sights in Google Street Views"|Strangest Sights in Google Street Views]] and [[xref:http://www.pcworld.com/article/157488/the_wild_side_of_google_street_view.html?tk=rel_news|The Wild Side of Google Street View"|The Wild Side of Google Street View]]
Packed for Business

The Trike is clearly identified — there's no mistaking what this Trike is up to. Hope that box where the gear is stored is secured for those times its driver needs to take an espresso break.
Skinny Scout

Here, as the Trike winds its way through Rome, it demonstrates its versatility and manoeuvring advantage over a car on this windy, narrow cobblestone street.
Sightseeing Along the Way

The Trike is fully tricked out with the necessary camera recording gear, with a camera rising up from the mount at the rear. Even the Trike gets to do some sightseeing at the Fountain of Trevi in Rome.
Early Rising (With Camera)

When the Trike is taken into such popular, famously pedestrian-congested areas as the Fountain of Trevi [[xref:http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/145020/report_google_begins_taking_street_view_pics_in_milan_rome.html?tk=rel_news|in Rome,|Report: Google Begins Taking Street View Pics in Milan, Rome]] well, it becomes even clearer how Google manages to complete its mission: It does so in the early morning hours, before most of the tourists have boarded their tour buses, and before the locals are active enough to get in the way. Note the morning light in the above image.
Hanging with the Locals

Even the Google Trike needs a break during its touring day. Here, the Google Trike fits right in with locals. Sort of. Since it lacks a windshield, I wonder where the driver stashes his parking meter receipt (does a tricycle even incur the same kind of parking fine as a motorcycle would?)
Watch out Above

But not all is smooth cruising... whoops! The TrikeCam needs watch those low-hanging branches!