Our Cartagena tour guide shows my son Matt the basics of handling a Segway
Business Car Manager: Editor’s Blog
WHILE I was away on holiday, I experienced my first taste of personal transportation of the future. And the good thing is this – it’s here now!
It was the Segway Personal Transporter. You might recall seeing these – they are the two-wheeled self-balancing battery-powered transporters. They look a bit like those old rotary lawnmowers, except you stand where the blades would rotate.
They also look like you should fall off, or unbalance.
But, uncannily, you never do.
I was at the old Roman port town of Cartagena in Spain. And noticed that tours around the town were being offered on the Segway. We had to do it.
It was a great way to see this spectacular old port, without wasting boot leather.
Once you get used to the idea that you won’t fall off the Segway, they becomes remarkably intuitive to use. Stopping, turning right, left or turning towards someone to talk become second nature – surprisingly quickly.
Both for personal and business use, these Segways could have a great future – as long as there is the correct environment in which to use them (ie special cycle/transporter lanes). Particularly for firms that need to transport items quickly and emission free over short distances.
It really did feel like the future. And I can’t wait for more.
