RTE'S finance guru George Lee is well-known for predicting trends in the world of economics.

But now he claims to have seen the future of transport -- and it's a Segway.

The economics editor of RTE news has been leaving his car at home in favour of the electric eco-scooter, and has declared himself its "number one fan".

After several sightings by surprised south Dublin motorists, George has confirmed he is one of the country's first Segway commuters.

"It's a remarkable piece of machinery," he enthused on Ryan Tubridy's radio show.

"It really is incredible. It's got two wheels but they are beside each other rather than behind each other like a bike.

"A stick comes up with a handlebar across it and you hold onto that -- it's like a space age scooter. It's like nothing else you've ever experienced.

Future

"It's the future in terms of personal transport," he continued. "There is an electronic key which growls and beeps if anybody touches it, so it's not easy to rob. It's so versatile and moveable. I'm its number one fan, I have to say."

So far, George is the owner of one of only around 80 Segways in Ireland.

While the craze is sweeping the Far East, it has been slower to take off here because it is not known how strict Irish law will be.

A spokesman for the distributors said he was "delighted" with the vote of confidence by the economics expert.

However, the company said it is unable to market the Segway as a real commuting option here because legislation on its use has not been introduced yet,

In the meantime, it is advising owners to use them only on private property.

"We have been lobbying at Government level for two years to try to get progress on this," Segway Ireland's spokesman said. "Until then, we cannot aggressively pursue the commuter market. That market is what distributors around the world are working towards."

The device has a top speed of 20kph and can travel 38km on a single charge. The company says the machine can comfortably manage 9km in half an hour -- the distance from the city centre to the Red Cow Roundabout.

A basic Segway doesn't come cheap at €6,000, but costs little to run -- at just 15c worth of electricity for a full charge.

Despite the small numbers sold here so far, there has been a huge number of hits on the the website -- 129,000 in August alone.

Dublin Airport police are currently following the international example of using Segways for security and policing purposes.

- Andrew Phelan