Carrying pole

This piece of equipment is used in one of two basic ways: It is still widely used in East Asia, and was previously used in the Western world, in particular by milkmaids.

This allows the wearer to orient the yoke along the path of travel, in order to more easily navigate crowded areas.

The gunwales of the inverted canoe rest upon the ends of the yoke, which is normally positioned slightly ahead of the centre of gravity of the vessel.

This allows the bow to tip slightly upward when being transported, giving the carrier a view in the direction of travel when being portaged.

A vendor fills the baskets with goods, normally fruits and vegetables, a small stool, plastic bags, and a scale, and selects a roadside location in a place with plenty of foot traffic.

The carrying pole has distinct advantages over the vending cart, the other main manual conveyance of goods in East Asia.

Independent vendors are also often allowed to transport their carrying poles on intercity buses, and can be seen entering cities to sell their goods.