A nuisance, an anachronism, a traffic hazard, an environment-friendly means of transport, a necessity for short-distance shopping or commuting to work, an example of colourful popular art. There are all sorts of appellations for the humble, human-powered three-wheeler, depending on whether one drives a Pajero, or is a foreign tourist, an art critic, or a lower middle-class working woman. The sad truth is that in this era of globalisation, when wants are global and international bodies decide on what is good for a country and its roads, the colourful rickshaw is losing ground.Thanks to “modernisation,” more and more roads have been declared off-limits to rickshaws. The result has been inevitable. In the past, rickshaws were splendid examples of colourful traffic art comparable to that in other parts of the world, such as the decorated trucks of Pakistan or the colourful jeepneys of the Philippines. Today, more rickshaws are unadorned than before. Perhaps in a few years, rickshaws and the art that made them so attractive and joyous, will be found only in museums.