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Personal Transport?
NaturePhotog asks: "IT clearly isn't "it", at least as far as personal transport goes--price and weight rule that out. I live in the SF Bay Area, and while regional transport such as BART is pretty good, there are a lot of gaps and annoyances in local transport. I'm looking for something like the RAD2GO E10 or Zappy to help fill those gaps. It doesn't need to be fast, but it needs to fold and be light enough to carry on BART, be able to handle some hills, and ideally have a range of about 10-15 miles on a charge. There are hundreds of electric scooters and dozens of sites, so figuring out what would be best is difficult to say the least. Any in the Slashdot crowd have experiences (good or bad) with something like this? Or suggestions for other alternatives?"
These are cool toys, but the 40-60 pound weight means that they're not something you want to carry around.
However, as a longtime cyclist commuter, the 10-15 mile range is easily done on a bicycle. Better for you and the environment than a scooter. Yes, hills suck, but not as much as fighting with cars in traffic.
There are some collapsable bicycles, but I've never found these to be worthy of riding more than 1-2 miles at a stretch.
If your local transit company is forward thinking and has bike racks on the bus, then you're set. (Santa Barbara, I recall, had one bus per hour that dragged a trailer meant for bicycles, and I'd usually see it with 10 bikes on board.)
Buy yourself something theft-proof, like a Schwinn, which is still great quality. My Schwinn mountain bike is my city commuter, outfitted with street slicks, fenders, a rack, and hasn't been touched or mauled once in 12 years. I've ridden it through snow, rain, below-zero weather, and it saved me a bundle and kept my weight down.
Everyone comments that riding a bike in cold weather is cold, but it isn't as cold as you think I frequently had to ride slowly so as to not break a sweat. Your legs are very big muscles, and they generate a lot of heat once you get going. I'd be cold at the start of my 3 mile commute, then I'd be warm after 4 blocks, and perspiring for the last mile.
Snow was no problem with street slicks, but ice is. Fresh, untracked snow is easy to ride in, but once the cars start packing it, your tire wants to follow the random crossing tire tracks, and it gets squirrely.
If you're going to commute, get a good, reflective vest, a strong headlight, two tail lights (and clip a third one on you), and get another headlight for your helmet. Shining that head-mounted light into left-turning drivers, who are looking for a break in traffic and not anything else, are stopped cold by a bright light hitting them in the face.
Finally, always carry a cell phone. It depends upon the area, but some areas have motorists that enjoy scaring cyclists. I've had cars cross four lanes of traffic, coming toward me, just to try to scare me. Or they'll speed up past me, dynamite the brakes, and cut me off in a right-hand turn. Ride defensively, live to be old.
Above all, skip recumbant bicycles. Neato, but when you're sitting down that low, you can't see as well, and that little orange flag on a stick isn't going to protect you from motorists. Quite frankly, it is better to be thrown over the hood of the car that cuts you off, than to be whacked in the chest by the grill because you were riding a recumbant.
The rules for bikes on the Commuter Rail in the Boston area were the same deal when I lived there (probably still are). Insane!
P.S. Those recliner bikes also put your head at bumper level. Bad for the brain.
Why is Grand Theft Auto a much more serious crime than Reckless Driving?
I'm almost certain they won't let you take that on BART.
Somebody told me that they go up and down stairs. I didn't believe them. Is it true? If so, then maybe it is an option.
The escalators and elevators are always busted on BART, so you can't rely on being able to get a lift to street level.
Why is Grand Theft Auto a much more serious crime than Reckless Driving?
If you are staying within SF, try a skateboard. Im not talking about the kind of skateboard you see people doing tricks on, im talking about one meant for going places. During commute hours, i can get places faster on my skateboard than i can on muni. As for distance, i skate 60 blocks all the time, no problem. You can take a skate board on every public transit system.
If you're looking for a good place to buy a skateboard for transit, try purple skunk at 23rd and geary.
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It was OK, but a motor would have been better. Also, the wheels are too small, so It's kind of dangerous if you are not constantly leaning back and ready to assume a standing position.
I wouldn't use it on any serious hills, and even on a flat surface the wheels are too small to keep your momentum, even with good bearings (they come with crap).
Why is Grand Theft Auto a much more serious crime than Reckless Driving?
On the skateboard subject, it can be a serious drawback to a commuter that skateboarding is illegal in SF (stupid). You may not care, but it could mean being very late for work on an important day. They do haul people off in cuffs for skateboarding sometimes, and often take their board, stranding them if it is not walking distance (although everywhere in SF is technically walking distance).
Commuting wants to be reliable, which is the problem with bikes on BART during rush hour. You could probably get away with bringing your bike most of the time (I don't know), but the one time they stop you, you are stranded.
Why is Grand Theft Auto a much more serious crime than Reckless Driving?
A bike is really your best bet. Depending on your needs, you could get a racing bike (fast on flat and slight hills), mountain bike (good for steep hills, cutting cross country) or some snazy folding one (good for taking on other modes of transport). As a bonus, you can keep fit at the same time.
I currently use my bike for a half mile commute, but have previously used it for a six mile one. It is all nice a flat, so I've got a racing bike. I normally beat cars on the way in, cycle lanes are great for that :)
I'd say the only things to worry about is somewhere to secure your bike at work (you could probably get some green grant towards installing something if you don't have anywhere) and changing facilities at work (after a 6 mile cycle you'll need to change, and suit + cycle chain is never pretty...)
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Pilot magazines are full of ads for folding electric and gas scooters. They are designed to fit in the tiny little baggage compartments on a Cessna 172 or a Piper Archer, so they're small and light. I've seen them on the web, but I'm too lazy to do the search right now since I'm supposed to be on my way to work.
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Because it is SF - I haven't been to SF many times - but I remember it being rather "hilly". But I don't think the whole thing is, and may not be where you are going to use your transportation...
With that said, I have to agree that a bike is a good thing - however, I would imagine it would be tough to bring onto a tram or whatnot (maybe even annoying to other passengers). Others have suggested skateboards, or scooter devices, which are smaller and lighter weight - but may not be legal in SF. So, what about a compromise here?
Try a unicycle!
Now, I have never ridden one, so I don't know how easy they are to ride - but I have seen people ride them, so they can't be too difficult. They can be rather small, fit into the "footprint" of a person on the sidewalk, have the ease of a bicycle and the portability of a skateboard. I don't know if it would be possible (or if it has been done) - but you might look into rigging a Sturmey-Archer multi-speed hub to the pedals to get some "gears" for inclines and such! Would probably take some serious machine work - but I am certain it could be done.
I have posted here before my situation - I live in Phoenix, AZ (relatively flat), and I am in the process of building a recumbent electric vehicle from bicycle parts (a 26 inch and a 20 inch), and a pretty powerful electric motor (heh, that I have to later refit new bearings into - ugh). I have already got the pieces of the frame cut and ground to fit - this weekend will be "welding weekend" to bring the frame together - then test fit the wheels, etc. I then have to plan the steering system (under seat recumbent-style) and the motor drive and positioning.
Actually, if you have a small welder, a grinder, a hacksaw (or angle grinder), and some time - building a recumbent really isn't that involved of a process, once you have the bike frames (I picked mine up at garage sales for $15.00 total). While it won't fit on a tram or BART easily, it might be something that can get you all the way in, instead...
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Well, his question is asking for alternatives to the Segway, because of price and weight.
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Just to add to the previous poster:
Bike Friday bikes are not folding bikes. They are bikes that fold. My roommate of a few years ago had one. He loved it. He was a serious bicyclist and would do 150+ km on a sunday ride on his Bike Friday. Not to mention his trips all over the world. Bike Friday bikes are the best for the international traveller. The bike folds down to fit into one suitcase which becomes a bike trailer.
This dosen't help the SF commuter though. Bike Friday bikes don't exactly fold down to fit in your back pocket, and you can't take bikes on BART.
Thanks for the replies so far. As noted, bikes aren't allowed on BART during commute time (it's very crowded then, so it makes sense...unless you're commuting by bike). The Segway, aka 'IT', is right out--I doubt they'd ever let that on BART because of the size and weight. Plus there's the cost for me...
However, folding bikes are allowed, so the Bike Friday looks like an interesting possibility.
The area of SF from BART to my destination isn't too far (unless I run errands, too) or too hilly. The problem comes at the other end. BART is at about 200' above sea level, and home is near one of those 1200' markers and about 3 miles from BART. I can drive and walk, but I'm looking for something to get rid of the driving part. The Bike Friday's seem better designed and geared, so the hills might be doable with them. I haven't ruled out an electric scooter, and have been referred to a scooter dealer in SF to start looking.
Nah, that's for wimps. What you want is something like these :-)
The real reason the Segway isn't an option right now is that you can't get one. The company is concerned about legal ramficiations, and doesn't want a bunch of reckless new Segway users destroying their chances of getting favorable laws passed. So, they'll first be deployed by places like the US Post Office, and it'll be a while before you'll be able to buy one, other than at the eBay auction currently in progress.