When I saw a group of middle-aged men and women in biking helmets but no bikes the other day in downtown Washington DC I thought it was just a group that was walking too fast. But their limbs were not moving at all. In fact they looked like some statues transported in the back of a low-riding pickup truck. Then when I got near, my jaw dropped - they were all riding Segways, the bike-like transportation contraption that sells about five grand a piece. At a closer scrutiny I also realized that this was an organized group, with a leader up front, explaining the various landmarks as they cruised along silently and effortlessly, each feeling a bit self-conscious perched on their unusual mode of transportation. What I witnessed was the City Segway Tours, a company offering 3-4 hour long tours of the downtown for $70 a pop. What an idea. I understand they hold similar tours in Atlanta, Budapest, Chicago, New Orleans, Paris and Vienna as well. I think it is a very interesting way to see the White House, National Archives, Washington Monument, Capitol building, and a half a dozen world-class museums right there on the mall within a few hours. Try to do all that on foot, you'll be so tired you won't be able to walk the next day. And try to do the same with a car, you'll go crazy because there are no parking spots readily available in downtown DC (visitors, beware!). Thus a Segway sounds like a happy medium in between that provides both speed and ease of navigation in congested but worth-to-see downtown DC. Smart idea indeed. Next time you are visiting the nation's capital, check out the Segway crowd. |
