It may not even be Halloween yet (glad you asked, I’m thinking of going as Carmen Sandiego), but the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book is already out. Alongside designer pieces and holiday decorations is a new vehicle (listed at $25,000) that would be the sweetest ride in the neighborhood. The cupcake car can get up to 7 mph (here’s hoping it runs on a blend of sprinkles and frosting), but there doesn’t appear to be storage space for your trusty road atlas.—Hilary Solan
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Segway PUMA by Bob Carey/Segway |
Skokie, Ill.—My interest in gadgets, gizmos, and whatchamacallits has been piqued again with GM and Segway‘s new two-wheel “urban mobility” vehicle even though it doesn’t appear to be all that different from the latter’s existing flagship product. The builders say this new urban transportation will handle similar to a car. (Or, I figure, a car propped up on its back wheels.) And this wheelchair-in-a-tent is called the “Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility.” (As in, PUMA. This is great.)
When the first Segway was announced, I remember people going nuts—this is going to replace walking! Then that didn’t happen.
But like walking, Segways are hardly used to travel great distances. They’re used to tour parks and add a few inches of height in a crowd. They seem to be more of a novelty than anything, though I imagine an architectural romp in a busy urban downtown would be great on a Segway. Then again, putting one of those into traffic never seemed like a bright idea to me. Not to belittle the product—it’s my own sense of balance I’m belittling. This new “Segway car,” which involves sitting, should eliminate some of that distrust. Like they say, you can’t fall off the pommel horse if you’re just sitting on it. — Andy Dost
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Blue Bear at Denver Convention Center by firepile |
Denver, Colo.— The city’s obsession with big blue animal sculptures has reached boiling point. Last year, the city of Denver added a 32-foot wild horse statue to Denver International Airport, raising the blue count to two. However, Mustang has turned off many fliers. It is not as beloved as the whimsical bear-looking-for-the-honey-pot-convention statue (pictured right). Some people say this horse statue looks evil, citing the red eyes and (not as often) blue color. A protest page on Facebook has even sprung up, and people in Denver are calling for the city to send the sculpture packing.
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Blue Mustang at Denver International Airport by gregor_y |
Mustang is an imposing figure on the airport’s landscape, and it was meant to be. When the statue was to be installed indoors, its artist, Luis Jimenez, sued. He would say that the statue recalls the frontier spirit and freedom of the American West, not evil curses. Though, delays did plague the construction of the statue, the cost to the city was more than double the expected, and an accident with the torso of the horse killed its artist. None of that helps the statue’s “not-evil” plea.— Andy Dost
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Megabus by jasonyungny |
Chicago, Ill.—UK import Megabus is making a name for itself stateside with its cheap fares to destinations across the country. Some fares on its city-to-city routes have been as low as $1, and now the company is giving away 100,000 free seats for travel in the new year.
By entering promotional code greenbus on its Web site, megabus.com, customers will get the opportunity to receive a free seat on certain express routes. The trips must be taken from Jan. 14 to March 18. The free seats aren’t available for every departure and every date, so finding a trip that works right for your schedule might take some flexibility and a bit of clicking.— Hilary Solan
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Rental car by wanderingone |
Las Vegas, Nev.—On the Road has blogged a bit about the availability of renting hybrid and fuel-efficient cars. Making its debut here, Vroom Vroom Vroom is touting its environmentally friendly car rental booking service. The Web site helps customers make reservations at many large rental companies at over 2,000 locations. Don’t be confused, the Australian company isn’t just focusing on hybrid and alternative-fuel cars, but at no additional cost, it is giving its customers carbon offset credits through its partnership with The CarbonNeutral Company. Next time you’re looking to rent, here’s another place to look when comparing prices. And cutting down carbon? That’s a lot more appealing than Vegemite.— Hilary Solan
