| When you think of human powered vehicles what | | | | responsibility and more expenses. Now you had to |
| comes to mind? Most will think of different forms | | | | worry about car insurance bills, tune ups, maybe |
| of bikes. There is the bicycle, unicycle, and tricycle. | | | | tickets, cleanings, and the most lethal of expenses |
| Did you also consider these vehicles? Consider | | | | now gas prices. Gas prices are hovering around |
| these the canoe, ice skates, roller skates, kick | | | | $3.00 per gallon. |
| scooter, skis, trikke and skateboard. All of which | | | | It has never been cheaper and more beneficial to |
| are fun to use and our powered by muscular | | | | go back to those self human powered vehicles |
| movement on our part. | | | | that we all loved so much growing up. Growing up |
| For most of us the very first vehicle we drove | | | | self powered vehicles were used strictly for |
| ourselves was not an automobile. It was most | | | | recreational proposes. Now as adults why not use |
| likely some from of transportation powered by | | | | self powered vehicles for those short journeys? |
| yourself and not a motor. It was nothing fancy | | | | Not only is it beneficial financially, but also is a |
| just another way to get from here to there. In | | | | good source of exercise. |
| most cases it probably wasn't even faster than | | | | A recent HPV that was recently invented is the |
| we could have done crawling or walking, but it | | | | IT Segaway scooter.by Dean Kamen of New |
| sure was fun. This vehicle was called a tricycle: a | | | | Hampshire? This is a human powered transporter |
| simple 3-wheeled contraption that used handle | | | | which moves by the motion of the person on it. |
| bars atop a rotating front wheel to steer and was | | | | It is self balancing. It only has two wheels it looks |
| powered by your very own legs. | | | | like an ordinary hand truck dolly. To move |
| Once you mastered the use of your tricycle you | | | | forward or backwards the person leans slightly |
| were ready for the big time, a bicycle. Now this | | | | forward or backwards to go in that direction. |
| was much faster and more challenging than a | | | | Inventors are very inspired by human powered |
| tricycle. The transition went smoothly as it came | | | | vehicles. They have been inventing ways to travel |
| with the subtraction of one back wheel, but was | | | | using the human muscular motion for years. |
| accompanied by the addition of two training | | | | There is an International Human Powered Vehicle |
| wheels. Then when you were ready you could | | | | Association which promotes improvement, |
| remove the training wheels and after a few falls | | | | creativity and innovation in the use of human |
| you were off and loving it. | | | | power vehicles, especially in the design and |
| Then you got a car and transportation would | | | | development of the HPV's. There are also many |
| never be the same again. That care free joyous | | | | contests and races involving the HPV. HPV's can |
| feeling is gone. With a car came much more | | | | ride on land, water and even in the air. |