The Housetrike

 

 

Functions and advantages

 

 

1    The Housetrike is first of all free means of transport. You can go wherever you want to go and it is even possible to cover big distances. The use of the Housetrike is totally for free because after purchase there are no further costs for gas, parking, insurance or tax and a driving license is not needed.

 

2    The Housetrike is easily transformed into a bed. In the extended box the user will sleep warm and comfortable and the rigid cocoon will give the sleeper a well protected feeling. The sleeping area can also be locked from within which improves the feeling of safety.

      The bed is assembled in no time, under one minute. This elegant feature tackles one of the biggest problem in living rough; the night. At night most homeless people feel extremely vulnerable. The conditions outside are though and most feel insecure. Using the Housetrike you can sleep anywhere, you can pick a safe and comfortable place to make camp, both in rural and urban areas, and sleep uninterrupted.  In addition you can keep an eye on the surroundings looking through the two portholes at the sides of the innerbox.

 

3    The box of the Housetrike is big. Its volume is almost 500 metric liters. Therefore it is possible to carry a lot of luggage.  For instance; clothes for all seasons, a mattress, a quilt, a pillow, tools, books, a laptop, kitchen utensils water and food for quite some time etc. etc.. All luggage can be left unattended because the box is also lockable from the outside. Moreover; nobody can see what is being transported because the box is closed from all sides. This will minimize theft of course and the situation of the user of the Housetrike will stay unknown for other people. This will give the driver an advantage because he wont be recognized of being homeless that fast.

 

4    The Housetrike can also be used as a delivery bike…Money can be made by delivering groceries or collecting scrap metal or sticking advertising on the sides of the box.

 

5    The lid or roof can be used as a counter top.  So no more working and cooking on the floor.

 

6    Repairs are easy to do yourself. This is not only practical but it also gives lots of peace. Repairing a camper for instance is usually very expensive, most of the time impossible to do yourself and there is always this feeling of the sword of Damocles hanging above your head. If you break down in the wrong place at the wrong time (and there are loads of those moments being homeless) it is very much possible that you have to abandon your last resort.

 

7    Costs of building Housetrike are estimated at 1500 US Dollars (Sale price will be around the same amount because all sales will be on a non-profit basis). This is still a considerable amount of money but much cheaper than all other solutions and for most still affordable instantly. For people already living in the streets and to whom it is impossible to save that amount of money in a short period of time an installment payment and/or rental scheme can be set up.  A non-profit organization later to establish which will sell and produce the bike will deal with that. Its main objective will be making the Houstrike as affordable as possible.

 

8    Because the night rest is probably better the user of the Housetrike will feel more energetic during the day. His decisions are healthier and problems due to the bad conditions, like addictions poor health and depressions are less likely to emerge. For instance intoxicating yourself before going to sleep is not necessary anymore. In the rigid cocoon you feel safe and comfortable in your own bed on your own mattress and pillow.

 

9   Using the Housetrike you are totally free and flexible to go and stay wherever you want. Therefore you can react swiftly to changes and make good use of opportunities.  Also you can make money working at a farm during seasonal work or escape the harsh winter by moving to a better climate. 

 

10  The practical advantages of the Housetrike will have a big impact on the mental state of the user. He stays in control of his own life and will feel more independent. This will effect his feeling of dignity enormously.  He will simply feel better about himself, take better care of himself, make more logical decisions and people will like him better so the gap with society will stay at a minimum (if wanted). The effects are significant and could turn a very difficult depressing and humiliating time into a interesting and even joyful period in one's life.