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Segway HT Starts Selling
Ninja Master Gara writes "The much-hyped "IT", Dean Kamen's Segway Human Transporter, started selling Monday with a no-refund deposit of $495 on the $4,950 people mover for deliveries starting March 2003 on first come first serve basis.
"The Segway Human Transporter is one of the most famous and anticipated product introductions of all time," Jeff Bezos, chief executive and founder of Amazon.com, said in heralding the availability of the vehicles on the online retailer's site." It's also the most overhyped and overpriced toy ever, and I'm kicking myself for posting it since that just contributes to the problem.
I live in London, England, joyously enough.
1) No room to drive any longer - cars are everywhere.
2) No room to stand on the tube (subway) - people are everywhere.
3) No room to stand on the mainline (overground) trains - people are everywhere.
4) Segway is still useless.
Looks like we'd better start bringing out the guns...
I'll go out and watch yet another way motorists can take you out...
Julie Moult is an idiot.
Let's see how much better it sells than the C5...
It's also the most overhyped and overpriced toy ever, and I'm kicking myself for posting it since that just contributes to the problem.
Why did you post it then?
Really though, if you want to get around in areas that a car is not practical, use a bicycle, or walk, and get some exercise while you're at it...
"I'll have a Guinness, no wait, make that a Coors Light" -Grad student I work with, who shall remain anonymous...
.... I WANT ONE! :)
It will be interesting to see how popular this will become over the next few years (and subsequent price drops). Remember when push-scooters first started to become fashionable? People looked on at the owners, and thought "What a ridiculous concept".... Switch to today, and there are many businessmen using this mode of transport to get around the city (at least in Paris).
Do you think that the same will happen to the Segway?.... Time will tell....
-- 7 string electric violin + live loop samplers
I was disappointed that it wasn't a unicycle. Imagine a seat on a wheel that moves and swivels to keep directly underneath you. Sort of like a magic one legged stool.
And I was also disappointed that it didn't go faster. If it can balance, why not make it go 50 miles an hour?
This is America, damnit. Speak Spanish!
If you've ever been to Italy and seen the way they handle their Vespas, and where they try to drive them knows that "Seven mostly rural states have no prohibitions on the use of powered vehicles on sidewalks." could mean trouble.
Except from that, I think that it is nice to see that this actually became a product (or looks close to becoming). I doubted it earlier.
How long will it be until we see urban kiddies with mis-matched kustom wheels and unpainted ground effects on these things? (oh yeah, and don't forget the obligatory NOS and MOMO stickers)
At least you won't hear any annoying exhaust systems that sound like a beehive in blender with these, due to the electric drivetrain.
-This sig intentionally left blank
5 Grand? Buy a car.
I remember, many years ago, there was a similar device. It promised to revolutionise transport in ourt crowded infrastructure. It cost about £400 ($800 or so at the time), could be driven by anyone, was efficient, and affordable.
It was called the Sinclair C5 and it was a complete failure.
The Segway is almost the same, except it has a price tag high large enough to buy a cheap used car, and looks even more stupid.
Never mind I found it
0 07EPJ6/104-2780283-4735950
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00
I think one of the major difficulties for it will be the legal situation - what is it classified as?
I live in the UK. As I understand it, it will be illegal to ride on the road (since it is a powered vehicle) and also illegal to ride on the pavement (sidewalk). Where the heck can I ride it then?
Then there's the problem that you look like a complete goon. But I ride a unicycle so who am I to comment?
Sig (appended to the end of comments you post, 120 chars)
How did this get labeled off topic? Anyway, I think it is relevant, so...
It has gyroscopes inside so it can tell what it's orientation is, when the rider leans in any direction he applies a torque to the machine using his weight. This torque is the control input for the vehicle, and onboard computer translates that into different voltages for the two motors (one on each side). The same computers (with the gyroscopes, again) makes sure the machine 'keeps it's balance'. It is really an overpriced simple control system with a couple motors and some gyros...
"I'll have a Guinness, no wait, make that a Coors Light" -Grad student I work with, who shall remain anonymous...
A vehicle that can move you along at about 15 mph without making you sweat while in a suit and tie...or whetever work clothing you are wearing.
So what do you do with this thing when you get to work? Are they going to have a parking lot for them? Ride it into the office? Will the HR department enforce a 2mph speed limit in the hallway? Will part of your pay be the electricity to recharge your unit on the company electric circuit?
(imagine your favorite HR person standing in the hall of your office with a radar gun.) ha.
Don't Tread on Me
Don't like it, don't buy it.
However, do not deny the technology in it is very cool. In fact, the Amazon.com order page has a very nice semi-detailed overview of how everything works, with diagrams, etc.
I can't wait to try one of these one day when they come down in price.
"And like that
The moment a "clone" brand comes out which the user can actually get under the hood of and make insane mods to. Nobody ever races the same vehicle that just anybody can go to a shop and buy. It has to be all custom. Heck, even atheletes who race their bodies tune and shave and tweak every last muscle fiber before that starting gun goes off.
I think that 90% of the race happens before the racers are at the start line.
I had the opportunity to see a Segway in use at, of all places, the Toledo Zoo. Aside from looking really cool in action, this thing is supposed to of interest to companies as a productivity enhancing tool. The guy I saw moved along smartly with a package in a basket on the Segway. As I continued to watch, he pulled up at his destination, dismounted and then stood there watching the Segway to make sure it didn't roll/drive away on its own. I would have dismissed this, but he made such a deliberate effort to assure himself that it would stay put. He spent perhaps 15 seconds doing so. I have to conclude that his experience on the Segway taught him to be certain it stays put. If he has to do this every time he dismounts then there is more productivity to be gained. Maybe a little voice recognition system should be added to these things. "Segway, sit! Stay! Good Segway!"
-- Instant Karma's gonna get you! [320848 = 2*2*2*2*11*1823]
I remember reading a while back about how people who were shown IT/Ginger in it's development have basically said Segway is not it. ZDNet has the story.
I was curious why Steve Jobs was getting all excited about something like this, doesn't seem like him.
"Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door." - Emily Dickinson
I just can't wait for 'Segway XXX' on the PS2, Gamecube and X-Box!
Blaming GW Bush for the Iraq war is like blaming Ronald McDonald for the poor quality of food.
Dean Kamen's super advanced robotic wheelchair is far more impressive (a lot of the technology behind the Segway comes from it). It is 4 wheel drive, can stand a person upright so that the wheelchair bound can look "norms" in the eyes, climbs stairs with ease, is faster than a Segway, and is as compact a normal non-folding wheelchair.
And he has been working on a true compact Stirling Engine using modern materials for quite some time. Supposedly is quite close to getting it working affordably. Such a device could do wonders for the energy problems of today (not to mention providing electric power even in the most remote areas).
This is also the guy that invented several key medical devices used in much of modern cardiovascular and vascular medicine. Things such as a blood pump that due to the design of the turbine blades within it does not damage blood cells as they pass through the device.
Dean is also the founder of the US FIRST program designed to get children of the US (and other countries) interested in science and invention at an early age. The US FIRST robotics competition has inspired some very interesting advances in robotics.
Once more unto the breach dear friends...
According to this link and this one The C5 was made by sinclaire research. So yes, in actual fact, both machines were made by the great Bald Boffin Sinclaire
Sure, the Segway HT has been hyped. Duh. Take a dictionary and look up the word "Marketing". This doesn't make it a bad product.
I can't wait to try one. I expect it to be like the Palmpilot and the original Macs: if you try them, most people "feel" that this is not your average new gadget. Ofcourse I could be wrong.
I am very excited by the chance to purchase a new Segway Human Transporter. While I understand that the Segway is the most important invention in the history of mankind, I feel that it could use a few improvements:
-I don't feel like standing up while I travel. Segway needs a seat.
-I can't picture myself leaning around to control Segway, especially when sitting down. Add two more wheels and a better control system. Maybe a steering wheel and a couple of foot pedals will do.
-I'm certainly not going to ride around in the open air, especially in bad weather. Add a roof, a heater, and an air conditioner.
-17 miles an hour? Two hours of operation? Sorry, I have places to go. Add a nice 6-cylinder engine.
-Where am I supposed to put my groceries? Add a trunk. And a back seat. I have a family, you know!
Add all this, and maybe a 4-speaker CD system, and I think you'll have a winner!
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Sorry, I'm only a 1336 h4x0r.
Like most of you all I am feeling a bit of jealousy at those who can afford it, but at the same time I am equally skeptical. What's the solution? Let some people buy it, and if they like it and it fills a need, the word will spread, more people will buy it, the price will go down, and maybe you or I will get one and you soon we'll be bumping into each other. Or not. Either way, more information about the thing is always valuable, and whether this comes from brochures, reviews or word of mouth, I don't care; they all allow me to make a better decision in the end.
cleetus
I know that there is a wheelchair called the ibot which is made by John Williamson. Part of the attraction is that when the chair is in "standing" mode, the wheelchair bound person is on the same eye level as able bodied people. (is abled bodied people the correct term for people with working legs?) anyway, what would happen if a paralysed person braced their legs straight and then balanced on the platform of a segeway and got that same six foot tall feeling of looking a six foot tall person in the eye for 1/20th the cost of an i-bot wheelchair?
I think that's what my box will be saying after posting this...
I got to ride one of them last August -- it was pretty wild.
http://sethbuckley.com/gallery/Segway
help fill in hidden movie endings @ End of the Credits
Well, if it goes over 30mph, it'll go faster than most of the traffic in Northern VA during rush hour. If you could brrrm down Hwy. 66 and pass all the other traffic on the extreme left, it would be pretty cool. Heck, near all the "popular" exits, the right lane is usually moving at walking speed anyway. The only real problem I see is that business about leaning forward to go forward & v/v at high speeds. I am probably not that coordinated. Also, people who are concerned about their hair-styling will not be pleased. However, if you can get your dog on the back, s/he would love it. That's it. The ultimate dog-walker!! Thank you, thank you very much. }:{)||
How'd he pull that one off?
I guess they decided to sell to the govt first.
Northern NJ towns are already regretting that hasty cave-in, according to this article. The state law Segway lobbyists pushed through prohibits towns from banning any "electric personal assistive mobility devices,'' says that story--the law " was passed after Segway, maker of the "Human Transporter,'' lobbied New Jersey's Legislature and others throughout the country."
So what's the problem? As a result, New Jersey towns have been unable to deal with the latest fad among local teenagers, electric scooters, which they ride on the sidewalks.
Note that the scooters now terrorizing North Jersey pedestrians are not "assistive devices" that deserve protection by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)--neither is the Segway. These are vehicles you have to stand up on to drive. But affluent parents who bought these toys for their teens are calling on the protection of the ADA to keep them on the sidewalks and out of traffic. We can expect to see the same with the Segway.
San Francisco plans to fight back, according to this Examiner article. Senior-citizen activists and walkers protested they don't want to share their space with a 95 lb machine traveling 12 mph. "The whole point of sidewalks is to separate vehicles from pedestrians," says Walk San Francisco director Michael Smith.
IMO, the Segway is a pyramid scheme waiting to tumble. Early investors put up the cash for a massive publicity and lobbying campaign. They now have until March to lure unsuspecting buyers to buy their Segways, and unsuspecting investors to buy their stock.
In March it's all over. Once Segways hit the sidewalks, the pyramid crumbles. Whoever has money in Segways in March will take the hits for liability claims that already have class-action lawyers licking their chops. State legislators will quickly rescind Segway laws, and Segway owners will be riding their white elephants in the street--if they feel like admitting they own this year's version of Edsel.
Making trouble today for a better tomorrow...
The Segway has been criticized mercilessly since it was first revealed. I think this is largely the result of the secrecy surround its development. A great deal of speculation ensued about what it could be, and then when it was launched, people felt let down because they had imagined something more.
Where else have I seen this? Oh yeah, it happens before every Macworld Expo. It's some kind of clinical condition that relates to people never being satisfied and the grass always looking greener elsewhere.
Anyway, I think it is pretty stupid to call it overhyped.
Firstly, the rampant speculation was NOT hype. It was speculation. Hype is when you talk about the great features of a product and how much you want one. Anticipation of the next LoTR movie is hype. Speculation about "IT" or "Ginger" was more like wondering about whether aliens exist.
Secondly, I think hype can only really be determined after the product is launched to see if it fails to live upto expectations. We have no idea how well the Segway will do. How can we tell whether or not it was overhyped?
This kind of shooting-from-the-hip editorial commentary fundamentally lowers the level of discussion around here sometimes.
Paris has always been good for Bikes, Bladers, Scooters et al. The wide pavements, the properly enforced cycle lanes.
Lots of people Bike/Blade/Scoot to work in Paris because you can and lets face it Paris is a nice place to see as you go. The Scooters allow the suits to zip around with less hassle than blades, but many people still use blades. And while you look a little silly on a Scooter you are still part of some form of sub-culture, and they are not hanging around.
The Segway makes you look like a muppet. Parisiens will forgive many things, but not looking cool or stylish isn't one of them. This is a city with Policemen trained by the Olympic skating team to be bladers.
I await to be corrected but somehow I can't imagine 2,000 Segway owners meeting at Bastille on a Sunday afternoon for a great high speed crack around the city. Exercise is cool in Paris, being Fat is very uncool.
Vive la differance and all that, but Segway will be as popular as American tourists in Paris.
An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
I can't wait until someone tries a ride-by on one of those and falls off :) I'll be watching the news.
While the Segway sounds like a great idea, I'll wait for the following improvements:
1. The weight of the unit has to come down. The current 65 pound weight is a bit much to carry up and down staircases.
2. The unit should be collapsible, so you it makes it much easier to carry on and off means of public transport (trains, trolleys, buses and ferries).
3. The cost has to be much lower than now.
I really hope a company like Dahon (famous for its folding bicycles) will work with Kamen and develop something akin to a Segway that weighs no more than 25-27 pounds, folds and/or collapses to a manageable size, and costs no more than US$2,000 to start and then lower the cost as technology improves.
It's also the most overhyped and overpriced toy ever, and I'm kicking myself for posting it since that just contributes to the problem.
Why the sudden change in policy? Or is Segway just not paying you?
Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
"It's also the most overhyped and overpriced toy ever, and I'm kicking myself for posting it since that just contributes to the problem."
Yeah, far be it from you to listen to your loyal readership who take the time and effort to search the Internet for "Stuff that Matters" to others than just yourself at the same time helping to make your bottom line look a little better.
Overhyped and overpriced is certainly your opinion which I could personally do without. Do you know how much it costs to make one of these? Do you know the specifics of the R & D went into these? I think not.
Do you realize how fantastic an achievement in technology this is? Well, I guess not if you think it's just a "toy". (BTW, Nice lame-ass attempt to trivialize it.) The engineering that went into creating a device that balances the human body while moving forward, backward and turning and most importantly anticipates sudden movements to maintain that balance is fantastic!
Perhaps more important (and certainly undervalued by many) are the potential advances that this type of technology could lead to that we can't foresee right now. (Like this wheelchair that Kamen also invented.
For a nerd who supposedly likes anime, science- fiction, technology, etc. You seem just a little negative and short-sighted.
But of course, these are just my opinions.
Co-founder and designer at Music Nearby: http://musicnearby.com
...I could buy a top of the line custom built titanium bike and have money to spare. The bike would be smaller, lighter, cheaper, easier to maintain, not run out of power, go faster, access more places and give people exercise. Ooops! I said the nasty E word, exercise!
Seriously, it's amazing how much money can be made off of human laziness. People are willing to pay 5000$, along with the effort of maintaining these things, to not have to move their legs
Outdoor digital photography, mostly in New Engl
You get the feeling that the $495 deposit covers the cost of the raw materials of the machine, then the rest of the $5000 deals with assembly labor and profit?
I was wondering why the digitally remastered "Easy Rider" DVD I bought from Amazon had Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda riding around on scooters. I had figured it was just the director's cut.
Ergonomica Auctorita Illico!
Walking is great until you realize many people are hurting themselves because of the shoes they're wearing. :-(
In their zeal to make fashion statements too many shoe companies make shoes that look stylish but in fact are bad for humans walking or standing for long periods of time. You'll be amazed how many foot, leg and lower back problems could be avoided by wearing a proper pair of shoes.
That does explain why Birkenstocks and Rockport shoes are quite popular--both of these companies make excellent, very comfortable shoes that are great even for long walks.
we start seeing engine upgrades and battery upgrades, maybe even the computer chip upgrades. A whole new generation of extreme sports will be created! I can't wait to pull a superman off some motocross jump on 'IT'! You guys just wait!!!
What happens when you crash into something, or when there is a computer failure, and the Segway stops working? Why is it that no one mentions the word death?
No, acctually it is "not a goddamn scooter": "Inventor Unveils Machine That's Not A Goddamn Scooter, OK?"
Do you realize that some Americans are actually thin? Heck, there even exists a subset of people who are unable to gain weight effectively no matter how much they eat! Claiming that every user who is not a "foot patrol cop or delivery personnel" should be walking for the sake of their health is thus a gross overgeneralization made on account of the subset of people to whom the lardass generalization applies.
Would you make this same objection to Vespa owners? How about people who ride bicycles? (For a given distance, they do provide less exercise than walking).
Y'all make me sick (those making wide insults and gross overgeneralizations without having details on a single specific case). Silly idiots.
I really hope that the states allowing(requiring) these things to be ridden on the sidewalks doesn't bleed over into the bicycle world.
Bikes are much too fast to mix with peds safely. The speed and maneuverability are too different. But they may eventually get lumped in with these Seg's as "non-cars", and be required to use the sidewalk. Then the already declining bike use will drop even farther. And we will get fatter and fatter.
Even the Seg is too big and fast for a crowded sidewalk. "Just like being hit by a pedestrian" doesn't begin to convey the kinetic energy behind a 320 lb lump hitting you at 12 mph. Roll right over most people.
Heh. Please wipe off the special McD's sauce from your fingers before operating your computer, you are writing gibberish.
I fully intend to waste my money on an ultralite, not a silly toy meant to make fat, lazy people fatter and lazier.
That clown who devised the segway has a couple of REAL useful inventions, one of which lead to the breech baby segway: a wheelchair capable of going up and down stairs and other useful things. His other invention (still in the works) is a Sterling-engine-driven power generator and water purifier (about the size of a large tower case).
THESE are useful. The seqway is for lazy fat idiots, fat lazy wannabes, or people with more money than sense. The segway is doomed and overhyped. Beat cops and mail deliverers, mark my words. After the first few mega lawsuits due to snotnosed punks or lazy fat asses plowing down Grandma and Grandpa on a sidewalk (or plowing over little Suzy), the segway will be a gonner.
In Bushworld, they struggle to keep church and state separate in Iraq as they increasingly merge the two in America.
The English C5 was a plastic electric car. The design ignored the fact that plastic develops cracks when flexed often. It was quirky in the English tradition. It died immediately after introduction.
Uhmm. You have it the wrong way around: 32 states have so far passed legislation that explicitly allow it on sidewalks.
Well... I'll file a lawsuit against both the operator and the city (for allowing it on sidewalks) AFTER I use the toy to beat the sh*t out of the idiot that ran into me or my wife.
In Bushworld, they struggle to keep church and state separate in Iraq as they increasingly merge the two in America.
Something I've been wondering about here...
I recall a few years back a friend of mine telling me a story about his experiences in the military. He did aircraft maintenance on a number of different craft.
Apparently, many of them make use of extremely high RPM gyroscopes in their on board guidance systems. While I don't recall the technical specs, I do remember him telling me that there were specific regulations for how long you had to wait after the aircraft was powered down before you were allowed to begin servicing the systems. Otherwise, there was a very real danger to both the mechanic and the machine. He related that on one occasion he and his team waited the regulated time period and then began to disassemble the planes systems. As they removed the housing with the gyroscope and began to lower it to the tarmack it suddenly flew from there hands and took off - thereby destroying itself. They were all a bit shaken and one of the long time crew chiefs remarked, "Guess that was a good one" because it still hadn't come to a stop.
Now the SegWay supposedly uses, "aircraft quality gyroscopes" for balance and control. If these are powerful enough to keep an adult human upright they must be spinning at a terrific RPM. What are the dangers involved in this? That is to say if someone on one of these were to be struck by a car, would one of these gyros take off and remove some unfortunate soul's head?
As a result I see these all the time.. average is about 2-3 a day. Now a lot of you are saying what's the point, they're stupid, use a bike, use a car.. For Manchester they are very well suited. We have this long strip downtown.. going from one end to the other is a pain by car (lots of traffic, lights, no parking) going by bike sucks since you can't bike on the sidewalk (unsafe, and I'll get to that later) and if you only have 30mins for lunch then you probably can't walk to your favorite lunch place and back in that time (Even more so now that Capri burnt down).
The Segway is great for this task and that's what most people use them for, going to work further then 2-3 miles but not to far, getting lunch, and doing in city things.
As far as the safety thing.. I don't care how good you are on a bike you can't stop on a dime if you'er going at a good speed.. Until you actually see it in person you can't fully understand, but I saw a guy (from Deka) going down the side walk at probably 8-10mph.. he got to the intersection and STOPED, on a dime, because you have to lean back to make it stop you are already adjusting your center of balance, if you stopped that quickly on a bike you would either flip over the handle bars or wipe out. This is why a segway is safer.
You go to your friends house and he lives up a flight of stairs? you get off, stand next to your segway, it a button on it and it will walk itself up the stairs (you can't be on it because of the extream angle it's at)
Over all they're cool, I would get one and use it to get to work (about 7-8 miles) rather then drive my car. I would have never used it when I was living in Goffstown (next town over, small town) since there wasn't anything of interest for about 20 miles around me.. And if I lived in the building above where I worked, or a few blocks away, sure I would probably walk rather then use this, but not if I was 3 miles or more away.
With all this being said, I still can't wait to see how they are in the snow :)
Free Mac Mini
Maybe the AIBO is even more outrageous seen from a usefulness per money aspect, however there are many more serious disadvantages with such a high price (as any bike-owners in big cities knows).
What kind of munchkin-LOCK are you going to use on a 5 GRAND personal vehicle??? Where're you going to put it so it remains safe? As a bike-owner, I recall I once strolled in a bookstore for 5 minutes. Once I got out, my locked-down bike was a total goner. The thieves never got caught.
Of course, a segway will attract attention, which may scare off some thieves. But are you willing to bet nobody is going to try?
Then there is sabotage and rampage, you better have a special insurance for this baby..
I guess I'm the only person here who doesn't think the Segway has been overhyped.
This is an incredible product that realistically could change have a big impact on the way cities are planned and the way lives are lived.
The grumps who are wailing "what about us poor schmoes on the sidewalks" haven't taken a close look at the thing or thought about it very hard.
Barelling down the sidewalk at 17mph is like running full-bore. Whether you are traveling that speed on foot or on a seque it is still poor social ettiquette. People don't drive their cars 80mph down 25mph residential streets. Why will they start to careen down sidewalks?
I could see cities bolstering their bike-police force. It's no problem for a reasonably healthly person to bike at least 17mph. They'll help enforce safe sidewalk laws.
Well, that's looking at the social aspects of the machine.
Looking at it as a geek I'm in total-fucking-awe of what they've done. They've simulated the inner-ear for all intents and purposes. The machine is rugged, polution free (ignoring manufacturing wastes), and it is really reasonably priced. I'm willing to bet in a year or so these will be available for ~$2000. That's only slightly higher than the price of a decent road, mountain, or commuter bike.
I saw Dean Kamen a couple weeks back. He was up in North Dakota for one of our Technology Conferences. He focused more on his pet project of more, better science and math education but he did have a seque along. I came away convinced the seque could be a year-round commuter vehicle in our larger cities. If it's good enough for North Dakota in the winter it's damn well good enough for the rest of the country year round.
obviously no deficiencies vs. no obvious deficiencies
In America, 250 lbs almost always means tremendously fat. Australia, so I read, is hellbent on matching America as the lardo center of the world but they have a lot of catching up to do.
In any case, the sidewalk is not the place for this, anymore than it is a place for bicycles, motor scooters, etc. Everyone would be better off with more walking or bike riding and less driving or Segging. Thin people will BECOME fat as their last bit of exercise (walking) goes out in favor of using their new toy.
In Bushworld, they struggle to keep church and state separate in Iraq as they increasingly merge the two in America.
No kidding, but personally I think this could potentially be useful for my 85yr old grandmother. Of course, we'd actually have to try it out first. You don't just throw grandma up there and say 'lean forward!' - ZOOM! There goes grandma.
"I can't give you a brain, so I'll give you a diploma" - The Great Oz (blatently stolen sig)
1) Bring the price down about an order of magnitude. ...until then, all they have is an expensive toy.
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2) Design it so that it can be collapsed down to
where a commuter can easily take it with them on a bus/ train.
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A goal is a dream with a deadline
Segway has hyperthreading! Wow, I gotta get one now! How many megahurts will it give you?
--
If you moderate this, then your children will be next.
There is no mention of a warranty anywhere. This would kinda worry me if i was going to be plopping down 5Gs on a device which hasn't had too much field testing.
Until somebody steals it and then you have that 5k dream.
What is music when you despise all sound?
..be aware of this website of a bunch of lawyers already making plans to soak Segway for millions.
Making trouble today for a better tomorrow...
15 (really 10) miles of charge
Doesn't seem very far to me. I think I'd be endlessly charging the thing.
Payload: 250 lbs
Geez, there is a significant portion of the population that weighs in excess of 250 lbs. I guess it's just not for us, er them, huh?
NiMH batteries
The website states they get 300-500 full charges before needing replacing. That's only about a year and a half or so before an expensive part needs replacement if you're using it daily (and for the price you'd better be).
Insurance
I didn't find anything involving insurance. How would a device like this be underwritten? Personal property? Auto? What?
Pricetag
Besides, the price tag is WAY too high (even if it were 1/10 of what it is now I would be unlikely to buy).
In case of collision, the Segway "backs up gently when it bumps an object and has low pressure tires that soften the force on anything it rides over."
Making trouble today for a better tomorrow...
Yep, there is another C5. Specifically, Sir Clive Sinclair's (he of the ZX Spectrum 1980's computer fame) failed electric vechicle. The Segway and the Sinclair C5 have been compared to each other quite a bit here in Britain....
(1) Second parallel battery pack -- "turbo edition" ;-)
(2) Holder for a plastic flower -- "nostalgia edition"
(3) Lowered suspension and purple neon lighting underneath -- "urban edition"
(4) Pedals instead of a battery so it becomes self powered -- "amish edition" (or alternatively, "Greepeace speical"
-psy
I had read about the Segway, but when I saw one demoed with my own eyes, I was profoundly astonished. I suddenly felt I was in the 21st century. When I say that, I realize that there isn't much about the Segway that couldn't have been developed years earlier (I'm not talking about possible novel improvements in energy density of batteries or the like). Say what you will (and I'm about to), but I think that *some* of the hype is deserved.
But, after the demo, I really started to wonder about the real usability of the thing and I think I came upon a kind of Achilles' heel that I don't think the design of the Segway addresses: uneven surfaces that induce a roll. Imagine a perfectly flat sidewalk, and then imagine that on the right half of the sidewalk I lay down some humps - let's make them 1/2" high and 6" wide, and let me space their centers 12" apart. Now, on the left side of the sidewalk, let me lay down similar humps similarly, except I'll offset them relative to the other set such that they are in line with the gaps in the other set.
Now, here I come with my Segway at four feet per second. I get to the bumps, and each wheel is forced up and down 1/2" four times a second. Aren't my Segway's handlebars going to be jerking from side to side very rapidly, displacing maybe 3"-4" or so? What's that going to be like to hold on to?
I also wonder about "failure modes," i.e., one-person collisions and falls. Also, what happens when there's a gyro failure? I can imagine the thing falling over like a leaf rake if the pitch gyro stopped working.
It's not quite as simple as that though. Cycling often means having to carry multiple clothes and showering at the far end, so you need towels, soap, shampoo etc. It can easily add 15-30 minutes to a commute of a few miles. A segway needs, at most, rain gear; although its top speed is not as fast it's probably still a win.
-WolfWithoutAClause
"Gravity is only a theory, not a fact!"Yes, that is correct. It was kind of a recumbent scooter. It didn't really matter since you couldn't turn the front wheel very far to the left or the right.
... quite so fast!
It also came with a little flag that stuck up so that other motorists wouldn't kill you
I am not a number! I am a man! And don't you
I would highly disagree. People who live in cramped cities appreciate the Segway since it provides an alternative to bikes and mopeds. You don't get sweaty from using it, and it is potentially safer than a moped. However, if you live in a more open area where traffic jams don't really pose a problem, sure it is makes less sense.
Before you pass judgement, look at how much time people spend in traffic jams, and what the real average speed is when you drive in downtown areas.
Stop the brainwash
At last there's a better way to blow 5 grand than a RealDoll. Well, I don't know if it's more useful but at least you can let your mother use your Segway.
My deviantArt site
Do we really need a replacement for walking? It seems to me that bicycles fit the bill quite nicely, with public transport coming up right behind. I have to admit, I live in NYC and have never felt that I walk too much. What we need is a replacement for cars. Make this thing faster and lower to the ground and then... wait, that's a motorcycle. Just seems like a solution without a problem. The inventor is an arrogant monster too. Trying to change the laws in cities so the fools with these things can endanger our lives on the sidewalks.
Americans ARE stupid. They support Homeland Security which means destruction of basic "American" civil liberties. They think that freedom of speech goes too far. They don't give a damn about DMCA and related things that directly affects them. They ARE lazy and stupid. Bovine, as an adjective, or a load of sheep also applies.
Lazy, idiotic, fat bovines...to a overweight man/woman.
In Bushworld, they struggle to keep church and state separate in Iraq as they increasingly merge the two in America.
Please, can either one of the parents back up their claim with evidence? I am considering reserving one for my father for Christmas and I would like to hear how legislation is affecting the viability of the Segway.
I know they are trying to sell this thing to the post office and security forces.
First of all, if you are lucky enough to have a job that let's you keep in shape while doing it, why the hell would you want to throw away your fitness to ride around on a gay little scooter. I'm glad this thing costs an arm and a leg, the higher price will keep people from making fun of fat americans...
To me, this is like something that would only be useful if you lost the power to convery youself to a destination.
Does speaking one's mind AND speaking the Truth automatically make one a troll?
This ain't Candyland full of Candyasses who only speak sugar and syrup. This is the real fat world.
In Bushworld, they struggle to keep church and state separate in Iraq as they increasingly merge the two in America.
"one of the most famous and anticipated products..of all time"
Ok, so maybe I'm being a little rash, No it's not. But that's only because I have no interest on something to stand on.
I am how ever interested in Kamen's iBot, the Standing, all dancing, crap of the world. Wait wrong thread. Any way, from my PPV (Personal Point of View) the iBot is a much neater geek toy then the Segway. Sure, it's neat in it's balancing abilities, but have you ever heard of this indangered species called humans? They have this wonderful sense of balance, and it's built in. Grab a skate board, hop on a scooter, if you're going for distance try a bike.
Now, back to the geekiness that is more the iBot then IT. This chair, can balance on two wheels. Some humans have trouble with that--and consiquently would probably wind up going in circles on the IT. That's the product I'd like to see.
--
Yes, this was all of course biased in that I can't walk and require a wheelchair. Don't worry, I'm comfortable with my disability and don't need to attack any one. I don't know any other life then being disabled, the only thing I attack is human stupidity.
Computational Madness in a round package.
As cool as these segways may be the price is astronomical but understandable when we consider the engineer behind it. This does bring up the issue of people stealing Segways or worse yet "jacking" them as they say in the hood. I bet that within the 1st 6 months someone will have this happend to them and get their assed kicked in the process. Anyone? You'd think that with all his whiz-bangery Mr Kamen would conceive of an out of this world security technology to mate with this =). nobbist
I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to ride a Segway last April. It was by far one of the most amazing things I have ever had the oppurtunity to experience. I was only able to ride it for about 15 min. And after about 3 minutes it is already more natural that walking. Those who have placed all these posts bad mouthing it should wait till they get the oppurtunity to ride one. After that I am sure that most of their opinions will change. If I wasn't a poor student I would have ordered one early this morning.
For a fraction of the price, you can get a bicycle and keep in shape. If you need something that stowes away more easily than a bike, get a folding bike--smaller, lighter, and cheaper than the Segway. Or, you can get a scooter. And for $5000, you can already get a pretty nifty motorcycle. All of those will get you to your destination faster.
"The Segway Human Transporter is one of the most famous and anticipated product introductions of all time
No, that's called "hype". And it's amazing the number of state legistlators have already signed off on making a 12mph scooter sidewalk legal so quickly despite major safty concerns.
Sorry, but Bezoes little project reeks of desperation and cut corners.
You need a FREE iPod Nano
I saw some of these at EPCOT in September, 02. I also noticed that the stroller rental stands were clogged with people renting those battery-powered carts (moto-thrones) that are occasionally seen in grocery stores for, I assumed, handicapped folks.
The alarming thing was that based on overheard conversations, a surprising amount of the people who were getting these appeared not to be handicapped, just too lazy to walk all over the disney parks.
I am in favor of coexisting with technology as much as the next guy, but I have to question things when it makes our (US) overfat and lazy culture more overfat and lazy.
How sleepless is the egg, knowing that which throws the stone forsees the bone.
She's 65, lives close to a downtown core, and her eyesight is getting bad enough that driving a car is becoming problematic, or will in the next couple of years. Segway would be a good solution for her.
Try to look outside yourself when you judge the worth of a product.
On the whole, I find that I prefer Slashdot posts to twitter ones because I don't get limited to 140 chars before
And when people start using Segway instead of walking or cycling, the population capable of using them will diminish exponentially.
--
If you moderate this, then your children will be next.
I have not ridden one, but I was very impressed with how Disney employees managed them in very heavy crowds. They were able to zip around and through some of the heaviest of gawking tourists (toughest kind of crowd) without any issues. If Disney trusts them not to cause lawsuits, I think that says a LOT!
I recall when I got my first modem. The concensus was that it was "like having the first telephone, who do you call?"
Lesson: never think you can see the whole picture from a piece of isolated technology. Modems begot the internet, broadband, and who knows what next?
Who knows what the Segway will beget 30 yrs in the future, not I. Maybe it will not catch on and maybe it will become as ubiquitious as the internet is now. Who knows? Certianly not I.
It's always safer to write off any new technology cynically, because odds are that a given technological advance won't catch on. On the other hand, noone ever gained anything writing off a technology before they see what comes of it.
Try to open your minds a bit folks!
Minupla
On the whole, I find that I prefer Slashdot posts to twitter ones because I don't get limited to 140 chars before
It's destined to fail because you have to stand.
"I am a student. Please do not fold, spindle, or mutilate me." -Slogan of the Free Speech Movement, 1964.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/ch ronicle/archive/2002/11/19/BA152460.DTL
I was wrong he was right. Paragraph 4. I skimed and made a mistake. Sorry:)
Of course now I wonder why we have to pass laws to allow things. I thought we were free minus the laws/restrictions.
The ASIMO's lawyer was quoted as saying "1001001110001010".
An experience of mine comes to mind when thinking of the effects of an ill-handled Segue-- The rollar rink. Yes, that place you haven't visited in ages. The experience? Being at the bottom of a multi-skater pile up. It hurt.
The point? Bodies absorb impact. hardened materials don't. It wasn't nessisarily the people falling on top of me that hurt, but the impact of their 5lb (or so) skates. Now don't get me wrong, I don't doubt the Seque can stop on a dime. It's a cool piece of technology. BUT, their operators are human. And I suspect Segues will be like communism-- Both tend to go wrong when humans are involved. People are idiots. On bikes. On powered motorscooters. In cars. And i will be waiting, yes, waiting, for the first idiot on a plastic/aluminum hardened Segue to maul a pedesterian on a sidewalk because he wasn't paying attention. Not only does he stand a good chance of being sued, but so does the state for enacting this idiotic mix of soft, mostly slow pedesterians who have to seriously try to break 5mph and the hard and heavy (skooter + body weight!) segue that effortlessly obtains it's top speed. Mark my words, that day will come and lots of people will find themselves either ass deep in lawsuits or out of court settlments.
You need a FREE iPod Nano
And I really mean no offense to your Mom when i say this...
Her eyesight is bad enough driving a car? How about her reaction time? Attention span? One, if not all of these might not bode well for her motorized segue future...
You need a FREE iPod Nano
I have actually got to try one of these in the snow monday ( I also live in ManchVegas ). They handle surprisingly well, although I did lose control going down Central St on a patch of ice. The machine just kinda "slipped", for lack of better term, forward. But it didn't feel like I was going to lose control at all. Very impressive that it only happened once in about a 3 mile jaunt as well.
--The space between my ears was intentionally left blank--
I agree with you about the sweaty thing being a nice aspect, but what I whish we would do is, instead of making ways for us to get around without sweating, why don't we make it more convenient to clean up after getting sweaty? I live 12 miles from where I work, in Connecticut, so I know about traffic, and it is this traffic that makes me wish I could ride my bike to work, but being the profuse sweater that I am, I could not got to work once I got to work (did that make sense?) There is a company health club (really big company...) but it is 2.5 miles from my desk. If one of the bathrooms in my building (or even anywhere near my building) had a shower, I would ride my bike to work whenever there is no snow on the ground... but instead I sit in traffic getting pissed off, just like everyone else, and then I spend an hour exercising after I get home. Doesn't make much sense, does it?
"I'll have a Guinness, no wait, make that a Coors Light" -Grad student I work with, who shall remain anonymous...
We've had "Aggressive Inlines", now all the rich kids are gonna start the next craze, 'Aggressive Sedgewaying'.
Anyone with $5000 can dye there hair green and look a tit trying to do tripple 360 bone-outs down at the local ramp.
Plenty of merchandizing oportunity here:
Tony Dawk Pro Sedgeway for the X-Box anyone?
I bet you can even nick one in the next GTA.
Offtopic, Inflammatory, Inappropriate, Illegal, or Offensive comments might be moderated up.
It seems fast because it moves at the speed of laughable.
personal attacks hurt, especially when deserved
Well, that or start eating celery.
"It was a summer's tale: Just a boy, his Linux, and a head full of dreams..."
Considering the number of times I've been almost seriously injured by people using blades, scooters, mopeds, and bicycles on sidewalks, I'm quite happy to not have Segways allowed.
I don't trust people to not be stupid with them, and I see no reason to risk public safety before proving that people are stupid and can't use Segways responsibly.
It's a fantastic achievement in engineering, or at least it will be if it takes off. It's common technology... in aircraft, industrial equipment, and spacecraft. Expensive vehicles, to say the least. But gyro-stabilisation is hardly common around the home.
It's not easy to get any product off the ground. To get a completely new concept, with custom parts, gyros, redundant control and so on to sell, and to become a common consumer item is the challenge. Not really the technology itself. If that happens, it will certainly have changed the world, although probably not in the ways Kamen intends.
Plenty of workplaces have a room or area set aside for commuter bikes. Those that don't should. Encouraging fewer cars on the road is a good thing.
The price point is still too high. This thing should be manufacturable in volume for around $1000. Basically, there's two good wheel drives, an electronics board, a battery, and a case. The wheel drives are the only hard to make item.
As a tool for delivery people, this has potential. Maybe.
Ask and Ye shall receive
In addition to the states that have explicitly made it legal, 7 more doesn't have restrictions that would stop the Segway from being used on sidewalks. So it's really only 11 states where it may still be prevented from using the sidewalks.
"It's also the most overhyped and overpriced toy ever..."
This coming from the owner of an Aibo.
C'mon Rob, you'd pay $1400 for a stupid plastic dog, but you think a transporter has no use or function? Thanks for your input, but I think I'll trust Jeff Bezos over you. He does know a thing or two about selling things...
Next, on the price, yes it's high, but we all know it will come down with greater mass production.
Yes, I have a (very) nice bike that cost less than half this, but bikes have their limitations. A lot of Americans seem to be forgetting that bicycles are not legal on most if not all sidewalks (for good reason). That leaves the street, which for many, is not a safe alternative. In my town, riding to work is a dangerous exercise. I do it occasionally in the warmer months but not without plenty of honks and screams (e.g. "Get the f*ck out of the road") from passing cars. (Even though bikes are legally allowed the far lane of traffic according to my state's laws)
The segway, on the other hand, IS probably safe for sidewalks, since it maneuver like a human and not like a bike, scooter, etc. This isn't about exercise folks. You CANT ride a bicycle in a busy pedestrian path without running over feet and hitting people. Ditto for rollerblades. Dean and friends probably would have made a human-powered one if they could have, but that wasn't really a design point.
It pains me to see everyone scoff at it without knowing anything about it or actually having seen/ridden it. There are probably more engineering man-hours into this thing than in the average human lifespan, and by some of the best engineers in the country. Reading the spec sheet is like reading about the space shuttle. C'mon, at worst case, this is the ultimate geek toy, and at best, it might be useful to a lot of people in a lot of places in the world.
$5000 of course is way too high, but I might pay $500. Maybe by then it'll be stirling powered as well. In the mean time, I'll wait to criticize until I have actual facts. Oh yeah, I guess this is slashdot. Nevermind then...
250 pounds? My bike can carry me, a loaded backpack, and a few grocery bags (a total in excess of that weight) at twice the speed of a Segway, and I have no reason to believe it could handle another hundred pounds if it had to. Besides, I have no expectation that Segways will be allowed on the train any more than bikes are, so what does it get me? Less exercise, I guess, and less money, definitely. If I want to spend $5000 on something to move cargo, I'll buy a 3/4 ton truck.
and here I am using my legs like a sucker!
What's not to be worried about? Everything!
I'm missing something... How is it more efficient to use a bike trailer and your own power to tote around 100lbs of gear than to use the segway?
Is there some weight limit on the segway I'm not aware of, or are you unaware of the trailer option for the segway?
I live in Seattle, and the bike-couriers here are SOLID from runs in and around the hilly downtown. I'm in reasonable shape, but I couldn't haul anything up six blocks of hills.
-Zipwow
I don't know which is more depressing, that 2/3 didn't care enough to vote, or that 1/2 of those that did are crazy.
Is $400 cheap enough for you? These electric scooters have the same range and speed and fold up smaller. The only coup of the Segway is that its creators lobbied hard to get this thing allowed on sidewalks. A lot of people mentioned bicycles and we could sure use the exercise, but sometimes you don't want to arrive all hot and sweaty, and very few cities have safe bike paths along commute routes.
Sadly, the elderly don't get it. The Segway could be a liberator for a lot of them. The relative slowness would allow them to continue moving about independently after their reactions and vision has detoriated so far that they have their license revoked. I for one would much prefer to have grandpa on the sidewalk on a Segway going 9mph, rather than in his car putting everyone at a much greater risk.
Hopefully, the availability of the Segway might lead to medical doctors being less reluctant to revoke the driver's license from elderly people they have known most of their adult lives. They can now give them a good alternative that will suffice for most uses (visiting their family, going to the grocery store, visiting their friends). If you need to go far, you can drive a lot of taxi for the price of having a car.
Stop the brainwash
How Stirling Engines Work
On the November 13 edition of 60 minutes, Kamen showed a working stirling engine, and talked about how the three initial uses Deka was focusing on were water purification and cheap power source for third world countries, and an engine for the Segway.
Flout 'em and scout 'em,
and scout 'em and flout 'em;
Thought is free. - Shakespeare [The Tempest]
Yeah, until they start making [as a co-worker calls it] "Admin Sized" versions.
Maybe they'll be like Jeep and have a special edition kinda like the Eddie Bauer Cherokee; but it would be the R.M. Stallman Edition Segway.
"Supports up to 400 lbs. Comes complete with cup holder and Palm cradle."
- I am made of meat.
...is disregarded by motorists but should not be used on sidewalks...
I feel really sorry for the first guy who runs into me ridding one of these things because he was riding it on the sidewalk at 10+MPH and stopped paying attention because he saw some hottie. I will beat the s#!7 out of him!
On the plus side, your comment made me realize possible positive side effects of this toys popularity... Maybe they will Segway lanes and the cyclists can use them...
"I'll have a Guinness, no wait, make that a Coors Light" -Grad student I work with, who shall remain anonymous...
IMO these would be much more helpful to old people than a Segway. And if you need one, your medical insurance pays for it, according to a TV commercial I saw there.
Yes, they ride them on the sidewalks--slowly. And they all seem to be bright red. It looks very cheerful!
Making trouble today for a better tomorrow...
Before you jump to any conclusions, please read Dan Bricklin's commentary based on his real life experience in riding a segway:
Thoughts before riding one
Impressions after riding a Segway HT: part 1
Impressions after riding a Segway HT: part 2 Especially note the sections "Isn't it just like a bicycle or a scooter?" and "How does a Segway fit in among regular walking and standing people?"
Wow! Modded down and heavily criticized for saying something is funny!
Exactly!!! And, before the C5 was introduced, there were lots of photos like that! What could they have been thinking? My pick for the world's worst marketing.
Good trademark. "Because death is a part of travel."
Body heat will be extracted via thermal probes at the conventional points used by thermometers. See South Park episode 511 "The Entity" for details.
I'm not convinced that this is an earth-shaking development, either. And it doesn't sound anything like what was hyped as Ginger, that is, if Ginger isn't the Segway... But who cares. This guy really shot his wad on the Segway-- if he comes up with something truly amazing, I'll be impressed when I see it running.
That's an interesting idea. One of the big problems with Segway is that it costs a lot of money for something that doesn't offer a huge value. However, when you're talking about golf, a certain fraction of the market is about conspicuous consumption and doing things for fun, among people who have disposable income. So they might sell to either the golfers or to the courses, and for golfing, they really are superior to $300 electric scooters. How much does a basic golf cart cost, though?
Bill Stewart
New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
Cyclists older than first grade who ride on the sidewalk aren't safe - curb cuts, driveways, pedestrians, etc. are pretty dangerous, and cyclists are dangers to pedestrians. It's much safer for them to ride on the street, aggressively taking the middle of their lane, unless there's a bike lane available. Occasionally they'll get assaulted by cars (it's happened to me a few times), but then it cuts down on how often little old ladies stick umbrellas in their spokes.
Bill Stewart
New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
the segways are coming in, and they will accept them, even welcome them.
just get a few germans to drive them in, no prob. they will probably even have a parade.
There's nothing Intelligent about Intelligent Design.
I'm pretty sure we'll see companies trying to lease or rent segways to the end consumers similar to cars.
The news story we are commenting on is not "Segway invented." It is "Segway for sale." If someone is thinking about buying a Segway, that person should consider the speculation about reliability, insurance, state laws, public acceptance (whether or not the thing is *perceived* as safe). Because you could end up with a $5000 vehicle you use everywhere, or you could end up with a $5000 doorstop.
Making trouble today for a better tomorrow...
It was by my own request. I actually had one run into me (at a low speed), and had it run over my foot (at a low speed).
This was to test the claims of safety that 1: the automatic braking stops the vehicle before momentum is transferred and 2, the wheels are large and soft enough to absorb most of the weight of the device.
I am pleased to announce that I still have full use of my foot, and it did not knock me down (I am a 6'1 man who weighs 150 lbs.) A wheel rolling over my foot hurt a heck of a lot less than if that same person stepped on my foot. And again, this thing is so agile and can be operated so slowly and carefully that it would be very hard to run over a foot by accident.
So people, conjecture all you like, and draw comparisons to bicycles and skateboards, but learn HOW this device works before you argue to ban it.
I've actually had it hit me. Can anyone else here say that? It has a rubber-padded handlebars that contacted my shoulder first. Contact with my shoulders forced it upright, whereupon it stopped immediately and broke no traction with the ground. These aren't skid-brakes, they are anti-lock regenerative brakes. Had it been going faster, it would have hit me with LESS force than a man travelling at the same speed.
People picture these things whizzing up and down a sidewalk at full speed, or picture bicycle speeds. A segway in crowded situations reqiures slower speeds than bicycles. But unlike bicycles that become uncontrolable at low speeds, the Segway retains control. I saw one operating in literally shoulder-to-shoulder pedestrian traffic at Disneyland. Children in front of it, and old folks to the sides of it, in a sea of people, and it was perfectly safe. Try that with a bike or skateboard. Anywhere it is safe to use a wheelchair, it is safe to use a segway.
The only things to worry about with these things is people who use them unsafely. But that's a personal responsibility issue, and a personal liability issue, and that exists already with bikes, skateboards, roller-skates, walking, etc. I'd expect the Libertarian Slashdot Brigade would at least accept THAT argument!
Not in my book. I find this thing really great, the only problem being the seemingly low power supply. Here in Germany, Mercedes started to sell a card called a "smart" which is basically a tiny, light, cheap, two seat car. (Probably avilable internationally too, I am not an expert on cars.) First, everybody made jokes about them, but guess what - they sell! Why? They get people around, they are cheaper than normal cars, they need relatively little gas, and above all they are small and can park where normal cars do not have space.
;-)
Enter the segway. Yes, it's not for long distance travel and yet it's not for people who want to lug around a lot of stuff. But for those short-distance trips, it's perfect. Especially in the US - When I was in southern Maine, we would drive everywhere, even if it was just 5 minutes away, simply because there were no real sidewalks (and way too much car traffic for my poor safety-loving European mind).
Also don't forget that a lot of people (especially the elderly) cannot walk well anymore, and while they still do not need a wheelchair, they are really not very mobile. Maybe a segway would be the perfect solution for them.
I do not see it replacing the car, mostly because you cannot transport anything with them that doesn't fit a backpack; but it might well take some load off of the roads and reduce some parking problems.
You see these things ALL OVER Tokyo...Cool!
**>>BELCH
I looked at the spec sheet for their Zoom 3 model, here's how it stacks up against a Segway's specs on Amazon.
Weight: Segway: 83 lbs Zoom: 96 lbs
Width: Segway: 25" . Zoom: 22"
Seat: Segway: no. Zoom: yes
Range on full battery: both claim 10-15 mi.
Warranty: Segway: 12 mo. Zoom: 18 mo.
Available: Segway: March. Zoom: now. Top speed: Segway: 12 mph Zoom: 3.5 mph
Price: Segway: $4950. Zoom: $1695.
These scooters, like Segways, are meant to be used on a sidewalk.
Making trouble today for a better tomorrow...
I noticed the electric scooter sales started going up shortly after the announcement of this wonderful device.
Only the scooters are better designed for the avrage consummer. In otherwords they are cheap.
I've thought buy a new video card or buy a scooter. I ended up updating my PDA but I could do it on a whim.
The street legal scooters are bulky enough but I could pack it up and take it with me on the plane. Asumming they don't lose it in luggage I don't need to rent a car or take a taxi.
Eah but who am I kidding I don't like driving.
I don't actually exist.
Damn my lucky mailman/woman!!!!
We have the nations Postal Training Center in Norman (it's off Hwy 9).
My wife was doing some temp work there in college and got to meet the postmaster general. Everyone there thought it was cool. She was unenthusiastic to say the least. Kind of like meeting Nimoy when you're not a Sci Fi fan!!!
Anyway, FWIW, I'm sorry that I was an ass
S'ok. We all act like an ass occasionally. I only decide someone's a real ass if they do it consistently.
If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.