A Set of New Wheels

The Segway came on the scene in 2001 to much hype and to much teasing. Steve Jobs made sweeping predictions about its success and one of the main characters on that brilliant-but-cancelled Fox sitcom, “Arrested Development,” hilariously zipped around on one, giving it some television PR. But, its hefty price tag ($5,000!) and safety issues (sharing the sidewalk with pedestrians?) tamed its popularity.
 
Now that gas is more than $4.00 a gallon and rising, Segway sales are way up. Segways are battery-powered and are charged using a regular outlet in the wall, going about 25 miles each charge. Obviously, they are only good for short trips, not to mention that their highest speed is about 12.5 miles per hour.

But that's not stopping people from finding ways to use the Segway. An Italian restaurant in New Hampshire wanted to deliver pizza, but found the expenses associated with car delivery to be too high. Their solution? A Segway! Outfitted with a little ledge for the pizza and a sign for advertising, delivery service is now feasible.

Would you consider purchasing a Segway, or have you found car alternatives of your own? [The Wall Street Journal]