Pinoy tricycle makes historic crossing of Golden Gate Bridge

In what netizens has dubbed the “ultimate culture crossover,” a Filipino-made tricycle recently made waves after traversing the famed Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

The tricycle, called TNT Traysikel (a reference to “tago nang tago,” or illegal Filipino immigrants), recently became the first such trike to cross the famous bridge, which has become a recognized symbol of San Francisco.

The historic trek was made possible by two Filipino-Americans, Michael Arcega and Paolo Asuncion, who were joined by 60 other Fil-Am riders in the parade.

Pinoy tricycle makes historic crossing of Golden Gate Bridge from Yahoo News

The tricycle, which resembled the typical Filipino sidecar, was described by the Fil-Ams as a “mobile public artwork that operates as a cultural marker for the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural Heritage District” in San Francisco, California.

The tricycle, like the jeepney, is more than just a mode of transportation in the Philippines but has also become a symbol of the Filipino’s creativity and resilience.

Like the typical Pinoy tricycle, the TNT Traysikel was festooned with garish decorations that were customized to reflect Filipino-American culture.

The tricycle was festooned with signs like “God Knows Hudas Not Pay,” “Basta Driver, Sweet Lover,” and “TNT is Por Wan Pibe” in front (a reference to California Penal Code No. 415, which penalizes disturbing the peace such as playing excessively loud music, getting into a fight with someone, or using certain offensive language or fighting words).

Arcega and Asuncion said they plan to add a karaoke, another distinctive Pinoy cultural trademark, and bring it to Asian community protests against the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States. (RdlC)

Tags: #UnitedStates, #California, #tricycle, #FilipinoAmericans