Segway Hits the Auction Block

fmita writes: "Amazon.com is auctioning off 3 Segways to the public. The proceeds are to go to a foundation started by the inventor. These are the first Segways to go to the public. Since there are only three, they sure aren't cheap." Women drool over a man on a Segway.

Comments

Sudden stop?

[richie2000]

I still haven't figured out what happens if you should run into something that blocks the wheels, like a curb or any random piece of debris that may be lying on the road/sidewalk. Would the Segway suddenly throw you off like a high-tech mechanical bull? Should you wear a helmet on this thing?

Re:Sudden stop?

[segfaultdot]

Better question yet: If your segway suddenly stops and throws you off, would that be called a seg fault? [rimshot]

Women drool over a man on a Segway??

[TechnoVooDooDaddy]

Women drool over a man on a Segway?
..
Women drool over a man on a Segway????

is that because they're laughing so hard they can't help themselves?

Re:Women drool over a man on a Segway??

[discogravy]

I think it's because it shows he's got money and isn't too bright with it or particular in how it gets spent.

Segway final bid betting pool

[mr.ska]

Hey, CmdrTaco, how about setting up a pool like you did for Mir's touchdown time? We all know when these bids will end, but we don't know at what price. So pick which Segway you're betting on (1, 2, or 3) and pick its final bid price. The three closest win a T-shirt or something.

How about it? My bets:

1. $137,550 USD
2. $112,950 USD
3. $114,875 USD

I'm sure there are some CEOs, well-to-do technophiles, and even speculators that would pay that kind of cash for them. Me? I'll wait a couple of years. And then I'll buy a good bike instead. : )

Re:Easy to ride?

[dhovis]

I thought these things were supposed to be easy, and intuitive to ride. I wonder how long the training is.

I'm sure the training involves more than just how to hop on and go. There is probably some maintenance that must be done.

One of the things I remember reading about the Segway company is that they were developing a set of "rules of the road" for their scooters. People will start cursing the scooters if the people who use them just drive like assholes all the time and don't follow any expected rules. They probably will be tring to stress those rules on the early purchasers so the scooter itself does not get a bad reputation.

SegOC

[ksw2]

Coming soon, Segway Overclocker geek sites...

d00d, check out the blowhole in my s3g, i'm getting THIRTEEN mph...

I rode one

[cprincipe]

The balancing system is generally very forgiving. If you run into a curb or some similar obstacle, it will generally stop forward movement altogether, giving you the choice to climb it or go around it.

I can't speak however for what would happen if you were barreling ahead at full speed and not watching where you are going. The Segway is not a mountain bike, so if you try to abuse it you will get the same results as when you abuse any other piece of machinery. Just as you would pay attention when using a bicycle or a car to the state of the path in front of you, you need to pay attention to what's going on in front of you on a Segway.

Re:why put the wheels on the side?

[mr.ska]

Three words: Zero. Turning. Radius.

Any other scooter would take up more room (longitudinally) as well. Essentially, it's a space-saving feature. Total footprint is reduced.

industrial uses

[kin_korn_karn]

My dad came up with a good point. He works in a steel mill and when they have to travel a long distance, they use 3-wheeled bicycles. Segways would be great for them, because the bikes are slow and cumbersome.

Re:industrial uses

[Pope Slackman]

works in a steel mill and when they have to travel a long distance, they use 3-wheeled bicycles.

Did anyone else just get image of a big, burly mill worker frantically pedalling a
G.I. Joe BigWheel around the factory floor?

C-X C-S

It is brilliant

[Carmody]

This auction thing is brilliant because

(1) The publicity is amazing. I was watching morning TV today and it was like a huge infomercial for the Segway

(2) He is getting people to pay a fortune for the privilege of beta-testing the device.

(3) By only selling three, he is taking a leaf from business mastermind Eric Cartman's book. "Only three people get to ride today." The people who bid $100,000 and LOST will gladly pay any price once a few more become available.

My only worry is this: As a teacher, I am going to have to deal with a generation of students who cannot spell "segue".

$9000 and rising?

[Rogerborg]

So, we're looking for people with more money than sense, who don't give a damn what they pay for transportation, or how effective it as, as long as it buys them something that nobody else has. Candidates?

• The US military.
• John Romero
• Er...

I give up. Who's number 3?

Customers who bidded on this segway also bought..

[Frank of Earth]

- A trip to outer space in a russian rocket
- 2 tickets for the Taliban reality tour
- 100 acres of soon to be beach front property in Arizona
- Authentic area-51 paper thin like metal that can't be bent
- The elephant man's bones
- [insert porn star name here] underwear
- the red pill

Re:why put the wheels on the side?

[segfaultdot]

S-T-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y

A three wheeled cheapo version of the Segway would not be nearly as stable. Why? Just look at how close the two wheels are together. Adding a castor would only be stable if you were standing perfectly upright. Otherwise you'd topple over or backwards. IANAE, but the segway is really the only stable way to make such a small mobile platform for someone to stand on. Partially, the segway is like the old seal-with-a-beach-ball routine. As your weight shifts forward, the motors move the segway forward to keep everything in balance. The gyros and sensors help a lot, but that is the basic principle. The other main stabilising feature is its low center of gravity. Take a closer look at it. You are actually standing just a few inches above the ground, and the wheels' axis is above your feet. It's a lot more stable than say, a bicycle, where your center of gravity is way up high. Just my observations.

Hotrodding the Segway?

[Greyfox]

I want to be the first guy to fit a Chevy Smallblock V8 onto a Segway device...

Segway EULA??

[starman97]

From the web page: "Additionally,
you shall operate your Segway(TM) HT only in accordance with the guidelines provided to you by Segway."

I guess that means no Segway/halfpipe tricks...
But what if you do, will they take it away?
How about if soneone takes it apart and posts the link to pictures on Slashdot??

The seller has 0 feedback!

[The Wing Lover]

Well, gee, I was going to bid, but I don't think I'll send $13,100 USD to someone with 0 feedback...

Pogo!

[Quixadhal]

Hey, if these things are selling for >= $12k right now, how about a healthy alternative?

For those who want to improve their coordination, excercise, AND still look like a fool, the POGO-STICK is the right tool for you!

No wimpy 10MPH speed limits on these babies, you can go as fast as your muscles (and the pavement) will carry you!

Act now, before anyone else makes their way to their local toy store and gets one first!

Diary of the first segway owner

[gad_zuki!]

http://www.everythingisnt.com/features/segway.html

8:30am

I checked the voltmeter and it looks like it charged up nicely overnight. I haven't worn kneepads or a helmet in ages, they make me feel kind of awkward. After waving goodbye to my wife I'm off to work which is about six miles from here. I can't wait, this thing is so cool. I feel ten years younger.

8:45am

Holy shit, where did all these kids come from? I thought the district bussed them to school. I can't ride on the street because everyone keeps yelling for me to go faster and I can barely maneuver the sidewalk with all these kids. Someone just called me "Spaceman." I thought kids loved technology. Sorry to the girl I knocked over, but in all fairness I did yell, "heads up!"

9:08am

Okay I'm officially late for work now, but I did find a bike lane. What's with this town? I thought all the granola-loving bikers forced the city to put bike lanes on every street. There's maybe a mile's worth from my place to downtown. The bikers were pretty nice. One man said to the rest, "Let the dude on the rascal get through." I don't know what a rascal is, but they did let me get through.

9:19am

Holy fuck is downtown packed and no one is letting me through. The way I tip cabs around here you'd think they would let ride on the side of the lane. The doorman at my building yelled at the crowd to let the "handicapped guy" through. I was going to correct him, but they were already letting me past. I did get to ride up the handicap ramp and park in the building. Now I need an AC outlet. This trip nearly drained the battery.

9:22am

I'm not the fittest guy in the world but they need to make these things a little lighter. You drag a 70lbs Segway up the stairs and tell me how your back feels.

12:04pm

I'm taking my Ginger, I mean my Segway, to lunch. I tried to get a co-worker to ride with me, but we fell and nearly broke our necks. I hope no one tells my wife that my hand got caught up in Jane's skirt as we were trying to get up. She didn't say anything and I think she really didn't noticed. A guy on one of those old time italian scooters yelled, "yuppie" at me and disappeared into traffic. Real mature.

12:12pm

I had to ride all the way to that bike store in the Village to pick up an extra-long Kryptonite lock. Looks like the "no bikes" sign applies to the Segway as well in restaurants. I barely have enough time to stop and get a sandwich before getting back to work. I have to call my lunchmates and tell them I didn't get into an accident. If I keep yelling, "Beep, beep coming through" every block I can actually make some time. This thing really needs a horn.

5:15pm

A cop called me over from the bike lane and told me unless I have a handicap permit I'm going to have to get motorcycle plates and a city sticker for this. He let me go this time, but he said if he sees me again mucking up traffic on my "razor scooter" I'm going to get arrested. I ran over a really big guy's toes pulling into the bike lane. He was really pissed. Four more people called me "Spaceman" on the way home. At least the doorman didn't call me handicapped again.

5:55pm

I'm home and I came this close to hosing off the dog crap on the wheels before I saw the electric shock warning sticker. The first thing my wife told me as I pulled into the garage is that I look and smell like shit.

6:15pm

I just called and the Shaper Image won't take returns. Great. I gotta get some good pictures of this thing for ebay. My 14-year old is gonna use it to get to her Lacrosse practices until I can sell it. I overheard her call it an "electric ass-mover." Her friend responded by saying, "Oh, that geekmobile thingy your dad dropped three grand on?"