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