The March issue of Popular Science has an intriguing article on some innovative options for human powered transportation. Among these is the Human Car, powered by up to four people riding in it; the Velomobile, a single passenger recumbent tricycle with an aerodynamic fairing to slice through the air; and even a human powered monorail. That last one is pretty far out there, though I don’t know how the magazine missed that someone has already built a concept track. Hit up the Agroventures amusement park to ride it if you ever visit New Zealand.

If you don’t have a hard copy of the magazine available, I highly recommend reading the article at this website.

The video below gives you a chance to see my favorite one, the Velomobile, in action. I have often pondered the viability of an aerodynamic fairing on a commuter bicycle, and it turns out these sleek machines make it possible for an average person to zip to their destination at speeds of 30 mph. Not to mention providing protection from rain and a little more protection from wild drivers in the event of an accident.