Sarvani Chavali 16th November, 2020
Friends Alessandro Russo and Vinicius Sanctus riding monowheel scooters. (Source: Reuters)
Two men named Vinicius Sanctus, 39 and Alessandro Russo, 28 have invented what seems to be a treat for Harry Potter fans, known as 'Broomstick Scooter’. The broomstick is attached to a single motorized wheel and serves the illusion of a flying broomstick.
They were seen riding down the busy streets of Sao Paulo in Brazil. When in motion the broomsticks look very similar to the brooms used by witches and wizards in the Harry Potter universe, the popular books turned hit films by J.K. Rowling. It is used as a steering wheel for the vehicle to run through the city roads. To steer, the duo lean onto the broom in the direction they wish to travel.
They said while talking to Reuters, that it takes a bit of practice at first but gets more effortless and fun with time. The broomsticks can reach the top speed of 60 kilometres per hour, and it's pretty useful to commute on a day to day basis. It's also sustainable and eco friendly. Religious Harry Potter fans always wait for a letter to come their way from Hogwarts, but this invention will take them closer to the magical world of the Harry Potter universe.
Speaking to Reuters, Alessandro Russo said he jokes about travelling to work on the broom, with his friends, "Actually, I tell my friends that now I only go to the bakery using my broom". But for Sanctus, the broom gives him a liberating feeling. While speaking to the news agency, he said: "it's a freeing feeling, it feels like you are flying. You glide through the streets. It requires balance, but once you get it the feeling is amazing."
So far their invention for muggles—non-magic people is limited for their personal use, but not for long. Russo and Sanctus want to take this invention of theirs into the market soon. They want to sell broomsticks at 4000 reals, which is nearly 50,000 in Indian rupees.
These scooters are indeed a delight for Potterheads. Russo, whose golden tie and waistcoat make him entirely in place for Hogwarts, the school of wizardry attended by Harry Potter, said, "I tell my friends I go to the bakery on my broom, But it's not a joke, I actually do that."
The duo hoped that someday these broomstick scooters could be used to play a game similar to Quidditch, the most played sport in the Harry Potter's magical universe.
(Sources: Times Now News, The Indian Express, Reuters)
Edited by: Chirag Arora, Tanya Jain, Anjali Dinesh