By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
THERE’S a new way to take a spin in Dandenong.
George Banjac and daughter Diana Papasavva have made an unlikely expansion of their babywares business, Baby Second Heaven in Walker Street, by importing two-wheel self-balancing human transporters for an upstairs indoor track.
The Dandenong Segway Centre, believed to be the only such indoor circuit in Melbourne, has been Mr Banjac’s dream for 17 years since he saw the machines overseas.
Mr Banjac hopes he’s on a winner. The machines — otherwise known by their US-brand name Segway — have already proved an intriguing novelty for all ages, attracting a crowd at Dandenong Show for 15-minute rides.
At the show, he says, it was particularly popular with police. However, they wouldn’t be allowed to use them on the beat — it is illegal to drive them on public roads and footpaths.
The devices provide speedy stand-up travel, after the driver has acclimatised to the unusual mechanism. There are no pedals or levers. The machines respond to the driver’s weight transfer: lean forward to accelerate and back to brake.
Within minutes, controlling a Segway becomes intuitive. “After buying my first Segway, they were so much fun I couldn’t keep the grandchildren, family or friends off so I bought another and another,” Mr Banjac said.
Segways travel up to 30km/h but there’s a 9km/h speed limit around the tightly weaving Dandenong circuit. “We don’t want anyone flying out a window,” Mr Banjac said. There is a smoke machine, colour lighting, a giant soccer ball and a raised bridge to spice up the adventure. Mr Banjac has plans to add a see-saw obstacle.
The venue will open this Saturday. Up to 10 people can hire out the circuit for 2½-hour sessions.
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