In an article about ways in which people are trying to beat inaugural transportation hassles, the Washington Post mentions the situation at Cap Hill’s Capital Segway:

“Calls have flooded Rep Burks’s Segway rental store in the District. “People get excited about taking a Segway to the inauguration,” he said. A Segway is one of the few private vehicles that will be allowed, like bikes, on city streets and across bridges. “But then they find out they can’t get inside the secure zone with it, and they realize it’s not such a great option.” Segways, like bikes, strollers and other wheeled vehicles, are not allowed near the Mall or parade route.”But even if they were, Burks’s Segways have all been snapped up by Obama’s people.”

Capital Segway General Manager Steven Orr says yes, the phone has been ringing a lot and yes, “Obama’s people” have reserved the business’s thirty electric chariots.”They may or may not need all of them.”

Orr assumes inauguration volunteers asked to travel long distances will be mounting the vehicles.

Obama’s peeps are scheduled to pick up ten machines today. Won’t it be a cold ride? Obviously it’s going to be a little colder on a Segway, Orr says, but the vehicle only goes up to 12.5 miles an hour, so there’s not a lot of wind.

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