They call me mellow velo (+pic)

ROSS GIBLIN/The Dominion Post

LAID-BACK TRAVELLER: Neville Whitlock in his recumbent, user-friendly, environmentally sound 'silver bullet' velomobile.

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Neville Whitlock's silver bullet velomobile turns heads almost as fast as he can turn the pedals.

Spiking petrol prices do not apply to Mr Whitlock as he whizzes past rush-hour motorway traffic - with room to stow the groceries in the boot.

He spent $5500 importing the three-wheeler from the Netherlands and took 70 hours to assemble it. "The velomobile is wonderful - everything I had hoped for," he e-mailed the supplier, Dutch Speed Bikes, boasting that he had so far clocked himself doing 40kmh.

Mr Whitlock pedals 13 kilometres from Petone to work in Thorndon most days in about 35 minutes.

"It's often faster than a car during the peak hour."

A velomobile is a three-wheel human-powered vehicle which takes elements from tricycles and reclining-seat bicycles and always has either a full or partial canopy for streamlining and protection from the elements.

Mr Whitlock said he liked driving a car but was concerned about the environment. "I looked around and I thought what would work better?

"This is one way you can make a difference."

Mr Whitlock shares a single car with his wife and drives only if he is with others.

Despite regularly attracting negative attention from motorists on the urban motorway who thought he should be in the cycle lane, he said feedback was "95 per cent" positive.

- © Fairfax NZ News