Israeli Assaf Polivoda was a tour guide with a novel idea: offering tours of Jerusalem's narrow alleyways and streets aboard a self-balancing, zero-emissions personal transportation vehicle powered by a rechargeable battery.
"When I saw the Segway on the TV, I thought, 'Actually, why not do tours ON a Segway?'" he recalls.
After buying six of the vehicles at about $9,000 apiece, Polivoda started his business and soon had a hit. Today he owns a fleet of 22 Segways and offers several
guided routes in Jerusalem - complete with instructions for operating the "green" vehicles.
"The only thing you need to do is just to lean forward and go," he says.