Blow up dolls I know, but Blow Up Traffic Cones? As wacky as it might sound, it could actually be more useful than you originally thought.

This traffic cone is even more effective than the standard – not only does it feature two reflective yellow bands – but it also lights up!..and it blows up. They’ve really thought about this one! It’s inflatable, so when you don’t need it, it’s tucked beneath the seat or in the boot and when you do need it, it has a built-in hand pump that inflates it in seconds. The Emergency Traffic Cone features a sturdy base that resists movement. Even without the flashing red LED light – it’s super visible. But when you activate the LED - you’re ready for whatever the highway holds.

This puppy will retail for $19.95 Australian, which roughly equates to $19 Stateside.

Product Page via Nerd Approved

The Engineers at Tecnologia Aeroespacial Mexicana seem to have a death wish. And it’s usually associated with rocket powered flight. Fresh off their James Bond-esque rocket jet pack design, TAM has announced the design of a rocket powered helicopter backpack which will enable rotor driven Rocketeers to jump into the sky and head anywhere in total freedom. Or kill themselves in a spectacular event only director John Landis could appreciate.

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Summer is coming and before you know it, you’ll be out frolicking in the sun without a care in the world. Most people will head for the beaches or lakes, as water-based activities are always a popular choice. Next time you do so, why not bring the Performance Water Cycle along with you?

This is the single-seat water cycle that combines the exhilarating experience of riding a recumbent bicycle with the smooth water displacement of an open-topped kayak, allowing you to navigate smoothly around lakes, harbors, and ocean inlets. Appropriate for those wishing for a relaxing cruise or a vigorous workout, the craft has an efficient, smooth pedal crank that uses an 8:1 gear ratio to drive a 15″ two-blade propeller through the water, allowing you to reach a speed of up to 7 MPH–as fast as an Olympic swimmer and faster than typical paddleboats. An aluminum recumbent bicycle frame extends from the hull, providing a sturdy platform for its cushioned adjustable bicycle seat, allowing you to achieve an optimal pedaling position. The cycle frame separates from the hull for easy transport. Highly responsive turning is provided by a rudder controlled by the frame’s adjustable handlebars; stopping and reverse are accomplished by pedaling backward. The craft’s fiberglass-covered, high-density foam core hull is buoyant, seamless, and leakproof, with precisely-balanced integral pontoons for a stable ride, even in waves as high as 3′. Its shallow 17″ draft allows you to pedal into water only 2′ deep.

Sounds like the perfect summer toy - only if you have a rather fat bank account, since the Performance Water Cycle will set you back by $2,999.95.

If you’ve ever owned a car that doesn’t have air conditioning, you know that wonderful feeling of sitting in the middle of traffic sweating through your clothes. Without that wonderful component of your car, there’s really no good way to keep cool when stuck in traffic. That is unless you had one of these shirts.

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Back in 06 we reported on the ESG Gryphon Personal Flying Wing, and it had military applications written all over it, or, a cool opening scene to the next James Bond Flick. The latest version, rechristened the Gryphon Attack Glider by SPELLCO (the new company name), has slimmed down the weight by 30 pounds and also offers the ability to carry up to 100 pounds of onboard gear and even carry weapons hard points for mini missiles and bombs. Yowsa. And with a maximum glide speed of 135 MPH, that makes this not only an attack glider, but a serious special ops platform for attacking well behind enemy lines.

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Bicycles are supposed to be great vehicles when it comes to keeping the earth green and giving you a good workout, right? Well, apparently newer bicycles these days tend to let up on the sweating part by allowing a little electric-powered engine to help you out during the steeper moments in life. Optibike is one of those companies, and their 2008 range of electric-powered bicycles will have the limited edition OB1 as the flagship of the series. Its main component is the patented Motorized Bottom Bracket (MBB) that drives through the derauiller gear system to optimize acceleration and range at all pedaling speeds. This special system is now oil cooled and is capable of delivering 850 continuous watts of power. Other goodies include carbon fiber handlebars, brakes, derailleur, chainring and cable ferrules, a customized paint job, GPS satellite navigation, plus a wireless PDA interface that provides real-time feedback on remaining range, battery charge and motor temperatures - are you drooling already?

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Unless you live in a very large city and rely solely on public transportation (or your own two feet) to get you everywhere, there’s a good chance you’ll be buying a car sometime in the future. Unless you’re buying a brand-spanking new car, there are certain things you need to look at to make sure you aren’t getting a lemon. One thing that helps to know is if the car has its original paint job. If the vehicle is newer and has been repainted, it’s very likely that there has been some damage (and thus repair) to the car that you haven’t been told about. Here’s a handy little device that will let you know the status of the paint job.

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So you’re driving around at night with no idea where you’re at, and your partner is having trouble reading the map? Obviously you haven’t heard of GPS navigation devices, so the next best thing is to flood the map with a light source, and what better way to do it than with the Seatbelt Light?

Just clip it onto your seat belt and turn it on when you need to read a map or follow directions. Passengers can use it without distracting the driver. Two levels of brightness from 4 LED lights (included). Uses 3 AA batteries (not included).

A set of two will retail for $14.99, although I’d say that using your car’s ceiling light ought to be good enough. Still, maybe you have a really old jalopy whose light has already expired a long while ago, making this little auto accessory a necessary purchase.