The Shweeb – A Pedal-Powered Monorail

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The Shweeb (Images courtesy Shweeb.com)

The Shweeb (Images courtesy Shweeb.com)
By Andrew Liszewski

I have my doubts the Shweeb will become the defacto standard for transportation in crowded cities, but as an alternative to cars and even bikes, it does have some merit. Each capsule holds a single rider who has to pedal in order to get from point A to point B, and besides the whole eco-friendly aspect of not relying on a motor or electricity, the Shweeb is actually faster than a bike. And since you’re suspended from a rail on a set path, you’re free to make phone calls or check your email without the worry of having an accident.

In a practical sense, setting up a network of rails to accommodate single riders all going to different places is a logistical nightmare, which is why the Shweeb only exists as an amusement park ride at the Agroventures Adventure Park in Rotorua, New Zealand. And if you happen to find yourself in their neighborhood while visiting your Kiwi pals, a 3-lap ride around their course will set you back about US $30.

[ The Shweeb ] VIA [ TreeHugger ]

5 COMMENTS

  1. Years ago (decades?) Popular Mechanics or Popular Science had an article about someone proposing a similar pedal powered, tube based human trains in Winnipeg no less…

  2. Does a toothless kiwi carny help you into the ride too? $30 to go nowhere .. sounds like the typical taxi ride in Detroit.

    Seeing how you cant pass anyone on the same track I imagine the first time you get stuck behind a sleeping homeless person and have to push them to your destination you'de lose interest really fast.

  3. First of all I dont write stories about 'Africa' but if I did I would know the difference between an egregious racial slur such as the one you infer when you speak of the multi-colored continent of Africa and the worldwide common use [ even in New Zealand ] of the term Kiwi to describe a person from New Zealand.

    Theres nothing 'racist' or derogatory about the term at all, no more than calling an Australian an “Aussie” or someone from the USA a “Yank”. So youre either trying to stir controversy where none is needed [ read as eTroll ] or you lack the cultured education to know the difference.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwi_(people)

  4. First of all I dont write stories about 'Africa' but if I did I would know the difference between an egregious racial slur such as the one you infer when you speak of the multi-colored continent of Africa and the worldwide common use [ even in New Zealand ] of the term Kiwi to describe a person from New Zealand.

    Theres nothing 'racist' or derogatory about the term at all, no more than calling an Australian an “Aussie” or someone from the USA a “Yank”. So youre either trying to stir controversy where none is needed [ read as eTroll ] or you lack the cultured education to know the difference.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwi_(people)

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