Arjun Ram writes "MSNBC.com is reporting that renting a segway would cost as much as $20 for each 30-minute increment, for up to 90 minutes. Users can also pay $5 for a test drive, or 'pre-glide' as Lambeth calls it. Neat!"
...and go where?
by
Anonymous Coward
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· Score: 5, Interesting
So, aside from pedestrian-friendly cities like Boston and New York, where the hell would you take it from one place to another and back in a half hour?
Re:...and go where?
by
Anonymous Coward
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· Score: 2, Funny
Segway won't work in NY. Sidewalks are too crowded. If some dumbass on a Segway ran into me as he blabbed on his cell phone, I'd punch him. And some punk kid would steal the Segway.
Re:...and go where?
by
larry+bagina
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· Score: 2, Funny
But, but... Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs told me that whole cities would be built around it! Are you saying they make incredible claims with no basis in reality?!?!?!!?
-- Do you even lift?
These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.
How to ruin your social life
by
A+Proud+American
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· Score: 3, Funny
... in three easy steps.
1) Rent a Segway 2) Cart on over to the neighborhood Barnes 'n Noble 3) Rent an Internet station, browse Slashdot;-)
What portion of your tax-dollars are spent on highways, bi-ways, 4lane roads and other elements of urban-sprawl? Cities are being DESIGNED TO REQUIRE an automobile. Not only is the auto *personally* expensive, but sprawl costs your community big-BIG $$$. More roads to clear of snow, more roads to patrol, greater distances of electrical/water/sewage services all NEEDLESS spending because people are encouraged to WANT this mindless suburban-commuter lifestyle.
If you *aren't* forced (because of city-design) to spend $$$ on a 'truck', how much less would you be required to maintain the same standard of living? Could you turn in your auto, move downtown and vacation an additional 4 weeks per year? maybe.. maybe-not. The bottom line is that NorthAmerica needs a re-think on its personal transportation / city design ideas....
Im not saying the segway is the future of the world, I *am* saying it is welcome in a more reasonably-scaled urban environment.
Im tired of paying for sprawl and highways... not only is it irresponsible for the planet, it is expensive. I want a reasonable public transit system, and human-scale transportation (bikeways/walkways/segways(maybe))
We have different tastes than you do, so please stop trying to impose your "taste" on us Do you commute to work? do you live in a suburban or (truly) rural environment?
Here we go again with this taste/fashion arguement of "sprawl"
fashion and taste are irrelevant. SPRAWL is real. Drive between detroit and dearborn. Between Toronto and Mississauga. Between %yournearestcity% and %somebedroomcommunity%. People who are buying $150k cookie cutter houses on 120x200 lots anyplace the land is flat is the problem. They depend on massive highways and byways to get their kids to school, food for dinner, a cup of coffee (starbucks drivethrough..). It is ecological suicide. The property that we are building these suburbs is (nearly gauranteed) to be the most productive in NorthAmerica (thats because communities in NA where plopped ontop of good agricultural land)
The part payed for by my fuel taxes. Unfortunately, much of that gets robbed for bike trails, METRO rail and busses
Do you *really* believe this? Reread my earlier post - your FUEL taxes dont even pay for the paving/maintenance/building of roads(!). The other issues (the sprawl itself) IS NOT payed by you -- its payed by everyone. BTW, each situation is different, but public transit is a minor expense in relation to the roads themselves... and bike trails/pedestrian transit routes -- really, common, are you joking? Most NA cities pay little more than lip service to these needs, let alone spend actual $. ARe you bloody kidding???
Shh, be careful not to give away the secret of carlessness. I don't own a car and hence live as if I'm rich, even though I'm not. That extra several hundred dollars a month I don't spend on payments, fuel, insurance, and repairs goes into other fun stuff, like flying from the pathetic east coast to Arizona 2-3 times a year first class on America West so I can hike Picacho Peak, The White Tanks, Estrella, eat big steaks at Crazy Eds and Pinnacle Peak Patio, etc, etc...
But it is a choice and I'd not want to force others to follow it. Not owning a car can be inconvenient at times, but for those times, there are car rentals. You also need to ensure you buy a house near a decent transit line... But if done right, it's fairly painless.
Wow! That was about as authoritative as using the WWP as a source for union issues, WSWS as a source for Economics, or Pacifica Radio as a source for ANYTHING to do with free choice.
Nice try though.
BTW, your in your sig, you use the same time tested method, well documented by George Orwell and others, that the Communist press has been using for ages to cease arguement. Then again, that is what you used when you invoked the dreaded "sprawl" word.
As Orwell wrote, in the closing passages of chapter XI, in Homage to Catalonia: "It is as though in the middle of a chess tournament one competitor should suddenly begin screaming that the other is guilty of arson or bigamy. The point that is really at issue remains untouched. Libel settles nothing."
If people want to live in less densly populated areas, have a nice home and a yard, let the kids play, a seperate bedroom for every kid, a workshop for every parent, a media room, etc. somehow that is some kind of threat to you? How about being able to open a window below the 20th floor without choking on the smell of fermented human urine, who are you to tell them no?
I have a theory that people who live in the suburbs hate everyone. They do their best to avoid all human contact.
These people by SUV's as third-homes in which they spend a few hours each day driving on 16-lane highways to get to-and-from their suburban homes with neighbours who love eachother so much that they don't want to get out of their cars to open their doors, they separate their yards with arsenic-treated fences and close all the windows to block the sound of central airconditioners in the summer.
I knew one fellow who would never actually step outside or speak to anyone except his family or coworkers except for the weekends. His skin was desparately pale. He would get up, have breakfast, enter his attached garage, hit the garage door opener button on the right side of the visor, back out, drive along the highway, coffee in hand, radio going. About an hour later, he would arrive at his workplace downtown, hit the button on the left of his visor, drive into his office tower, park in his allotted spot, work, then do the reverse to go home.
Your assumption that living downtown means smelling your neighbour's urine, to me says that you're among these mizerable people who simply doesn't want to deal with anyone outside your family or workplace.
... granted... people generally are just as much assholes downtown as they are in the suburbs... and as such there is a greater density of assholes per square metre downtown as in the suburbs... meaning that their urine, blasting stereos, hyped-up cars, late drunken screaming etc is more prevalent... but buying a fully-detached air conditioned home in the suburbs along with a matching SUV and "media room!", doesn't make you part of any solution... the money we pour into 16-lane highways would be better spent on trains, and your houses would be better as parks and farmland.
IMHO, the real problem is the way people treat one another... and I don't know how to fix that.
P.s. what do your kids do when they are too old to 'play?'
Look like a pansy for free
by
jackalope
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· Score: 4, Funny
I can't see paying $20 to look like a pansy for 30 minutes. Most people can find ways to do that for free.
20 bucks ? thats more expensive than renting a car. The last time I saw, these things weren't half as expensive as a car.
Lets see how long the sizzle lasts.
--
Siggy Say, Siggy Do
renting is kinda needed for many...
by
ptorrone
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· Score: 4, Interesting
renting is a good idea, the ht for many people is a big investment, trying one out first is often worth it. the challenge with the segway ht is most people can't imagine what's like to use a self-balancing device like the ht and if it would make sense for their travel needs. i have a segway ht, and at first, the my commute took a little longer that i calculated mostly because people would stop and ask me questions, most would ask to try it out and many would be so impressed with the technology and ease of use, they would purchase one, i didn't expect that either, in my city (seattle) there are quite a few people with segway hts, also the city uses them as opposed to cars for many tasks.
the city of seattle let me interview them, so good info (some of it pretty technical, but very detailed) can be found here.
cheers,
pt
Amusement parks
by
mgkimsal2
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· Score: 4, Interesting
As someone else pointed out earlier, these would be great for amusement parks. I just wonder if they could keep enough around to rent so that it wouldn't piss people off who couldn't get time on one. $40/hour seems like a good way to keep the users down to a minimum to start with, but I could eventually see a park having a few hundred around to use for, let's say, $15/hour or so, or perhaps $80/day. Put a little credit card slider thingy on it so you can 'pay as you go' and you're all set. $40/hour is just too pricey at the moment for most people, but amusement parks *do* seem a somewhat logical place to do 'rentals'. It's an enclosed area where people already do a large amount of walking, and are looking for entertaining/fun experiences.
Re:Amusement parks
by
Rinikusu
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· Score: 2, Insightful
Actually, unless they use a smart-card/key system or have "parking-at-the-rides", I don't see this being viable for amusement parks. I've been to Six Flags and the place is *packed*, could you imagine trying to find "parking spots" for the rented Segway whilst you go toss your cookies on some behemoth Roller Coaster?
Now, the zoo, on the other hand, it might make more sense. You don't really have to park and leave the thing unattended for extreme stretches of time, you can roll through the exhibits.. Hey! Segway the Guggenheim!:)
Also, golf courses might be a decent place to try them out. Rig up a "trailer" for the clubs (Or just sling them on your back) and away you go..
-- If you were me, you'd be good lookin'. - six string samurai
Not Gonna Work
by
moehoward
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· Score: 3, Interesting
It seems that they whole purpose of the Segway was to get rid of using cars, not get rid of walking. Seems that this rental thing is trying to supplant walking. It was supposed to be for inner-city commutes, not tourism.
The more this thing flops, the more I'm proven right that it was going to flop. It's the next Furby.
They will never be able to make enough money on this to cover their huge start up costs and ongoing fixed costs. Look for company announcements about restructuring or refocus in the next 12 months. Followed by discounts, chapter 7, and inevitable lawsuits about accidents.
Unless, of course, they start running them on hydrogen. Then, I'll buy 12 of them.
-- "If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus
$20/30mins ? $5 for a test drive ???
by
Rosco+P.+Coltrane
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· Score: 5, Insightful
In less than 2 segway hours, you can buy an okay used bicycle. For around 20 segway hours, you can get yourself a brand new bicycle with electric assistance that'll go just as well as the segway, for hundreds or thousands of miles, faster, and without letting you fall flat on your face when the batteries die.
I know it's cool technology, and the balancing act is impressive to watch, but from an economics standpoint, no segway for me, no siree...
-- "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
Re:$20/30mins ? $5 for a test drive ???
by
Rosco+P.+Coltrane
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· Score: 3, Interesting
Then check out this bike:
http://www.bromptonbike.com/
I use this bike everywhere I have to be socially acceptable, and in the bus, train and airplanes. Granted it's not given, but it's a lot less than a car, or a segway for that matter.
Then again, I live in Europe;-)
-- "A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
Re:$20/30mins ? $5 for a test drive ???
by
Eight+01
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· Score: 2, Informative
A folded Brompton fits into a bag which is quite manageable - a worst-case technique for bringing the bike into a place that "doesn't allow bikes". If they don't know a bike is in the bag, they can't tell you they aren't allowed.
For people not familiar with the Brompton, it folds much smaller than the usual folding bikes. It also folds so that it can stand or be rolled in the folded state. The chain is in the center of the folded bicycle, away from anything it may dirty. It is a great design.
Why should I pay for a test drive?
by
The+Fanta+Menace
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· Score: 2, Insightful
If they want me to buy one of these things, why should I have to pay $5 to test it? They're going to have to do better than that to get me to waste my money on crap like this.
-- --
Even if a god did exist, why the fsck should I worship it?
... more fun to *accidentaly* hack the segway, install your rc car controllers and a servo for the steering, bungee cord* a blow up love doll on it, then drive it around to watch peoples expressions.
Really,to not be silly, I see segways as way more useful as a robot base to work from. Who needs a dedicated robot for each task? Like the roombah, a segway could have an adaptor for house vacuuming, then it could go outside and mow the lawn. This is just the normal "tractor" concept, one platform that has "modules" that attach that can do a myriad of tasks.
Inter-factory/warehouse/office deliverybot perhaps. Remote controlled security guards that roam the hallways at night,perhaps use one for transporting various things inside hospitals, things of that nature that a human might normally do but would be better to just have a drone do, freeing up the humans for the more demanding and specialised work. Geez, just floor washing and buffing at night in stores it would be neat. All done with the same base and just different attachments. Tons of different uses really. It has real decent range, is highly maneuverable, and will carry some decent weight. Seems a natural to me.
*all good projects need a bungee cord and duct tape someplace, it's da roolz n stuff
Stu, allow me to tell you something. This is probably the biggest misconception amongst people in the community.
I'm 15, and probably the youngest Early Adopter out there. An Early Adopter is an owner who purchased their Segway HT through Amazon, and was one of the first units shipped. I ordered mine, for example, an hour and a half after the launch back in November. A Segway i-Series is by no means cheap, about $5000 retail. I chose mine in lieu of a car for now, and hoped that it would make my life a bit easier and productive.
Now, over two months in use, my i-Series has in no way disappointed. My commute to school leaves a smile on my face as I follow the scenic route I plan in the morning, a beautiful alternative to driving on US-1. I no longer contribute to the thermal and chemical pollution of cars or even buses, and my method of transportation is just as unique as the people whose smiles reach from ear to ear as they see me. I've made new friends and acquaintances with the HT as my conversation piece, even. It has actually made Miami a safer place for me.
Now, to address your "fat" comment. Most of us have come to a definite conclusion about the Segway in regards to concerns like yours. I'm a geek, like so many others out there in/. are. I used a car to get everywhere before my HT, and I never walked much farther than from my computer chair to the fridge, or from class to class. Now not only do I get out and see the environment (as shoddily preserved as it may be!), but I have a new form of exercise. It may not seem like much here, but you would be quite surprised to learn that using an HT is a good bit of work for your legs. You don't notice it at first, but the ache is there for about two weeks. The fine muscle control over muscles you didn't really know existed is a definite exercise. Okay, I understand how someone -could- get fatter if they were a fitness nut, walked or jogged everywhere, and suddenly replaced that with a Segway HT. But that's not the point of the Seg, folks. The company itself states, and those of us in the community agree, that the Segway HT isn't intended to replace walking, it's designed to replace short car trips that have disastrous effects on our environment, and our pockets too.
If anybody has any further questions or comments regarding the Segway, my experiences, or just about anything, feel free to drop me an email (opti6600@bellsouth.net).
Best regards, Jordan Prevé
My Segway rental report
by
AdamBa
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· Score: 5, Interesting
I was on a Disney cruise ship in February and they were letting you ride a Segway around the basketball cout for 10 minutes for some "nominal" fee ($10 or $15 as I recall). So I wandered up there with my 1-year-old son and tried it out, and filed this report in email:
"On Friday I rode on a Segway, that newfangled two-wheeled
transporter. Disney has some promotional deal with them and
was offering 10-minute rides. I was watching Noah for a while so
I strolled him up and parked him on the edge of the basketball
court. The Segway is technologically cool but I am baffled by
people who think it is going to revolutionize anything. There may
be a small niche for people who need to go twelve miles an hour
with both hands occupied, but it's pretty small. The thing was
pretty easy to ride. I only fell off twice, once when I was trying
to determine how fast you could go around a corner (and found
out the answer), and once when I got off at the end and it
decided to back up and attack my shins, then lurch forward
ten feet before slowly keeling over in a rough approximation of
the climactic scene of 'Bonnie and Clyde'. The cast member [Disney-speak for employee] who
was helping me assured me everything was fine and the machine
just had to be reset. He whipped up out his little reset key and
applied it to the reset dealie, which seemed to have no effect. I
quickly grabbed the stroller and left, glancing over my shoulder
once to see him ministering to the thing with a worried look on
his face. Still a few bugs in the system I guess. When we get
our final bill, I will check if there is an item for $4,995 marked
'destroyed Segway'".
My point exactly, and on a bike you can go faster then 12.5 miles/hour, for longer then 11 miles, ride in the street and not risk smashing into a passerby, and more important in Canada, a bike can ride in snow! (really, though I am not held responsible for any injury you will sustain from trying this. I am not a trained professional, just a canadian;-))
-- In Canada, we don't fancy things like socks
Why so expensive?
by
turbosaab
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· Score: 2, Insightful
The pricing seems a bit high for such a short-term rental. $40/hour might work for a test-drive, but won't allow people to use the Segways as anything more than a toy.
Renting Segways daily or weekly in cities would make a lot of sense. They would be perfect for tourists, etc, who want to explore "on foot".
Around $40-50/day should be profitable and still be affordable. The initial cost for a unit is under $10,000 and the electricity to charge them is negligable. Are maintenance costs and/or life expenctancy bad enough to prevent this from being practical?
I've been surprised at how little (if any, really) I've seen about the possible uses of the HT as a very useful medical device, particularly when considering Kamen's history in medical technology.
For example, I'm working with a patient right now who had a little complication after having some titanium implanted in his back. They had to remove the brace, but the screws they had to leave are now causing incredible pain. Just yesterday, he was so relieved that he could finally actually sit down in a seat and watch TV thanks to some new medication. His day consists entirely of standing and lying down, and switching between the two is almost unbearable. He is able to walk but only with a cane, slowly, and with much pain. Needless to say, a wheelchair is out of the question, if for no other reason than that it would be even more painful. I told him he might look into the Segway as a possible way to get around. At any given time (such as now), I have 2-4 patients (on a 24 patient max unit) that have some problem, be it with their back, knees, feet, or whatever, that makes walking either extremely painful or extremely difficult and hazardous, and my unit has nothing to do with treatment of those types of problems. Taking your dog for a walk, carrying groceries, walking without pain... Simple things most of us take for granted, but which unfortunately many people aren't able to do or enjoy.
Lots of people seem to think these things are useless, or that they're only good for lazy people. It seems to me that such an opinion stems from a reaction to their cost vs. usage value for the average person. Personally, I'd like to see insurance companies catch on to this and start providing these things to patients with cases that warrant it. I could see them greatly reducing costs in a variety of treatment areas while also allowing many disabled people to return to regain some of the lost joy of life, not to mention return to work.
They're common in NYC already
by
howardcohen
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· Score: 3, Interesting
FYI, they're now a common sight in Central Park on weekends, among the rollerbladers, cyclists, joggers and strollers.
I'm 15, and probably the youngest Early Adopter out there.
It costs $ to be an 'early adopter' (which btw is a universal term for "person who buys new kit, has little regard for $)
A Segway i-Series is by no means cheap, about $5000 retail. I chose mine in lieu of a car for now, and hoped that it would make my life a bit easier and productive.
Assuming for a second that your not a astro-turfish shill, Where exactly does a 15 year old get $5000 to spend on crap like this? "in lieu of a car for now"? and you are planning on buying a car too?
You indulgent little shit, buy a goddamn bike and give the rest of the cash daddy-gives to United Way.
are you kidding?
by
boarder
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· Score: 2, Insightful
Seriously, while a ticket to Disneyland is expensive and you may not enjoy it, think about what this really costs.
$20 for 30 minutes. That's it. A ticket to Disneyland costs about $50 for a 12 hour day (or you can get the 4 day ticket for about $150). Add on the cost of food and souveniers and all that crap kids must have, and you'll be at around $120 for 12 hours. That's only $10/hour, whereas the Segway is $40/hour.
If anyone at Segway Inc. wants an idea why they have a stupid business plan, all they have to do is look at the economics of their machine. I can rent a car for $20/day, but they are charging $20/half hour for something that is supposed to replace cars in the city.
I'm 15, and probably the youngest Early Adopter out there... I used [drive] a car to get everywhere before my HT...
Isn't the legal driving age 16 in the US? Is this to say you "used [to drive] a car to get everywhere" with a Learner's Permit?
It works for me. Not for everyone.
by
toybuilder
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· Score: 2, Insightful
The Segway is as "pointless" as the horseless carriage and the velocipeds from 100-120 years ago.
In 1897, the Sears Catalog sold "safety bicycles" (i.e., pedal-and-chain style, versus the big "penny farthing" type) for $25. That's equivalent to about $2,200 year-2003 dollars.
The Segway dropped from $10,000 two years ago, to $7,000 last year, to $5,000 now. Give it time.
It will find its place in the spectrum of transportation choices. Some people will always walk. Some people will always drive gas-guzzling SUV's and exotic cars that cost more than my 2 bedroom home. Most people will find something in between.
"It says that I'm not an ignorant peon who realizes the folly of using 100-year old technology to move from point A to point B at the cost of our environment."
Century-old internal combustion engines weren't anywhere near as efficient as they are today
What exactly produces the electricity you use to charge your Segway?
"Above all, it's an opportunity for me to gain simple independence and unique standing at the benefit of my own mind."
Is it just me, or did you just say that the most important reason you had one was that it made you look cool?
"Do you for some strange reason think that a bike would resolve my transportation issues, or that of anyone else?"
What could a Segway do to solve someone's transportation problems that a bicycle could not?
"As a matter of fact, bicycles aren't allowed on the Metro during rush-hour, and as such, I wouldn't be able to use it for my commute if I wanted to."
And Segways are? You're one of those people that believes that Segway users are still somehow pedestrians, aren't you? I suspect the only reason that Segway's are "allowed" on the train is that a city employee hasn't taken you to task on it yet.
"I carry about 30-40 pounds of stuff on a daily basis between my laptop, backpack, and any other gear I may have with me."
How is it better to wear all that on your back than to distribute it between your back and saddle bags?
"Bikes are not only less safe, but they are more of an inconvenience and less rugged than the HT for my purposes."
Like how, exactly? I somehow don't see a Segway doing much off-road...
"I can't bike to school every day in khakis and a decent shirt and show up in proper condition in 90F weather with 80-95% humidity and sunshine."
Why not? It's the very same weather you Segway your way to school in, and a bicycle can move faster than a Segway, shortening your time outside.
Another Austroturfer!
by
Anonymous Coward
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· Score: 2, Funny
So here you are, bragging about the size of your peni^H^H^H^Hwallet on an internet site and using feel good marketing speak.
Humm, I think you are just an austroturfer, and looking at your history confirms it. I wonder if all 108 of your comments are just like the current 24 and you can't shut up with the bragging about your $$$ and your scooter.
Why don't you waste you time at some other site related to the scooter instead of posting PR stuff to every/. story you can work the scooter into.
I don't think ExpensiveOverhypedScooterOwningRabidPrSpewingFanbo ys.com has been taken yet.
Re:It's dangerous enough being a pedestrian
by
Lord+Apathy
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· Score: 3, Funny
Now there is a ideal. Wonder how difficult it would be to take out the motor/battery assembly and put in one from say a weedeater or a chainsaw?
I imagine you couldn't remove the electric motor and it still work but I don't think it would stop you from replacing the battery with a small generator and engine. You might even be able to get some decent range out of the bitch.
--
Supporting World Peace Through Nuclear Pacification
Go to a pedestrian-friendly city
by
fm6
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· Score: 2, Interesting
Maybe if enough people had Segways, more cities would be pedestrian friendly. Unfortunately, at these prices, few people will have Segways. The main appeal seems to be the clever engineering rather than the cost-benefit.
One notable PF city (San Francisco) has gone and banned the Segway. I blame this on kneejerk anti-business attitudes. Now, "kneejerk" is not a word I use lightly -- it's too popular with right-wingers who are too lazy to properly rebut the arguments of left-wingers. (Indeed, you could say that using the word is itself usually a kneejerk reaction.) I say "kneejerk" in this case because the main anti-Segway group loves to make comparisons with SUVs and other corporate stupidities. But they themselves admit that there's only been one Segway-related injury so far.
The big concern seems to be that Segways will be misused by irresponsible riders who will speed down sidewalks, scattering senior citizens right and left. But the Segway designers seem to have anticipated precisely this issue: how fast your Segway can go is determined by which key you use to turn it on. The keys are conspicuously colored, so it would be easy to require Segwayers to use the "beginner" key in heavily trafficed areas. That limits the scooter to 6mph, which is about how fast most people walk.
Slashdot Mirror
So, aside from pedestrian-friendly cities like Boston and New York, where the hell would you take it from one place to another and back in a half hour?
... in three easy steps.
;-)
1) Rent a Segway
2) Cart on over to the neighborhood Barnes 'n Noble
3) Rent an Internet station, browse Slashdot
These things are supposed to replace cars in some sort of "brave new world" and they cost more for 20 min. than a pickup truck costs for all day?
Sorry, you lost me on the segway.
Eve Fairbanks says I drive a hybrid!LOL
I can't see paying $20 to look like a pansy for 30 minutes. Most people can find ways to do that for free.
20 bucks ? thats more expensive than renting a car. The last time I saw, these things weren't half as expensive as a car.
Lets see how long the sizzle lasts.
Siggy Say, Siggy Do
renting is a good idea, the ht for many people is a big investment, trying one out first is often worth it. the challenge with the segway ht is most people can't imagine what's like to use a self-balancing device like the ht and if it would make sense for their travel needs. i have a segway ht, and at first, the my commute took a little longer that i calculated mostly because people would stop and ask me questions, most would ask to try it out and many would be so impressed with the technology and ease of use, they would purchase one, i didn't expect that either, in my city (seattle) there are quite a few people with segway hts, also the city uses them as opposed to cars for many tasks.
i'm up to 800 miles on mine, click here to read the trip log.
the city of seattle let me interview them, so good info (some of it pretty technical, but very detailed) can be found here.
cheers,
pt
As someone else pointed out earlier, these would be great for amusement parks. I just wonder if they could keep enough around to rent so that it wouldn't piss people off who couldn't get time on one. $40/hour seems like a good way to keep the users down to a minimum to start with, but I could eventually see a park having a few hundred around to use for, let's say, $15/hour or so, or perhaps $80/day. Put a little credit card slider thingy on it so you can 'pay as you go' and you're all set. $40/hour is just too pricey at the moment for most people, but amusement parks *do* seem a somewhat logical place to do 'rentals'. It's an enclosed area where people already do a large amount of walking, and are looking for entertaining/fun experiences.
creation science book
It seems that they whole purpose of the Segway was to get rid of using cars, not get rid of walking. Seems that this rental thing is trying to supplant walking. It was supposed to be for inner-city commutes, not tourism.
The more this thing flops, the more I'm proven right that it was going to flop. It's the next Furby.
They will never be able to make enough money on this to cover their huge start up costs and ongoing fixed costs. Look for company announcements about restructuring or refocus in the next 12 months. Followed by discounts, chapter 7, and inevitable lawsuits about accidents.
Unless, of course, they start running them on hydrogen. Then, I'll buy 12 of them.
"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." - Epictetus
In less than 2 segway hours, you can buy an okay used bicycle. For around 20 segway hours, you can get yourself a brand new bicycle with electric assistance that'll go just as well as the segway, for hundreds or thousands of miles, faster, and without letting you fall flat on your face when the batteries die.
...
I know it's cool technology, and the balancing act is impressive to watch, but from an economics standpoint, no segway for me, no siree
"A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of" - Ogden Nash
If they want me to buy one of these things, why should I have to pay $5 to test it? They're going to have to do better than that to get me to waste my money on crap like this.
-- Even if a god did exist, why the fsck should I worship it?
... more fun to *accidentaly* hack the segway, install your rc car controllers and a servo for the steering, bungee cord* a blow up love doll on it, then drive it around to watch peoples expressions.
Really,to not be silly, I see segways as way more useful as a robot base to work from. Who needs a dedicated robot for each task? Like the roombah, a segway could have an adaptor for house vacuuming, then it could go outside and mow the lawn. This is just the normal "tractor" concept, one platform that has "modules" that attach that can do a myriad of tasks.
Inter-factory/warehouse/office deliverybot perhaps. Remote controlled security guards that roam the hallways at night,perhaps use one for transporting various things inside hospitals, things of that nature that a human might normally do but would be better to just have a drone do, freeing up the humans for the more demanding and specialised work. Geez, just floor washing and buffing at night in stores it would be neat. All done with the same base and just different attachments. Tons of different uses really. It has real decent range, is highly maneuverable, and will carry some decent weight. Seems a natural to me.
*all good projects need a bungee cord and duct tape someplace, it's da roolz n stuff
Stu, allow me to tell you something. This is probably the biggest misconception amongst people in the community.
/. are. I used a car to get everywhere before my HT, and I never walked much farther than from my computer chair to the fridge, or from class to class. Now not only do I get out and see the environment (as shoddily preserved as it may be!), but I have a new form of exercise. It may not seem like much here, but you would be quite surprised to learn that using an HT is a good bit of work for your legs. You don't notice it at first, but the ache is there for about two weeks. The fine muscle control over muscles you didn't really know existed is a definite exercise. Okay, I understand how someone -could- get fatter if they were a fitness nut, walked or jogged everywhere, and suddenly replaced that with a Segway HT. But that's not the point of the Seg, folks. The company itself states, and those of us in the community agree, that the Segway HT isn't intended to replace walking, it's designed to replace short car trips that have disastrous effects on our environment, and our pockets too.
I'm 15, and probably the youngest Early Adopter out there. An Early Adopter is an owner who purchased their Segway HT through Amazon, and was one of the first units shipped. I ordered mine, for example, an hour and a half after the launch back in November. A Segway i-Series is by no means cheap, about $5000 retail. I chose mine in lieu of a car for now, and hoped that it would make my life a bit easier and productive.
Now, over two months in use, my i-Series has in no way disappointed. My commute to school leaves a smile on my face as I follow the scenic route I plan in the morning, a beautiful alternative to driving on US-1. I no longer contribute to the thermal and chemical pollution of cars or even buses, and my method of transportation is just as unique as the people whose smiles reach from ear to ear as they see me. I've made new friends and acquaintances with the HT as my conversation piece, even. It has actually made Miami a safer place for me.
Now, to address your "fat" comment. Most of us have come to a definite conclusion about the Segway in regards to concerns like yours. I'm a geek, like so many others out there in
If anybody has any further questions or comments regarding the Segway, my experiences, or just about anything, feel free to drop me an email (opti6600@bellsouth.net).
Best regards,
Jordan Prevé
"On Friday I rode on a Segway, that newfangled two-wheeled transporter. Disney has some promotional deal with them and was offering 10-minute rides. I was watching Noah for a while so I strolled him up and parked him on the edge of the basketball court. The Segway is technologically cool but I am baffled by people who think it is going to revolutionize anything. There may be a small niche for people who need to go twelve miles an hour with both hands occupied, but it's pretty small. The thing was pretty easy to ride. I only fell off twice, once when I was trying to determine how fast you could go around a corner (and found out the answer), and once when I got off at the end and it decided to back up and attack my shins, then lurch forward ten feet before slowly keeling over in a rough approximation of the climactic scene of 'Bonnie and Clyde'. The cast member [Disney-speak for employee] who was helping me assured me everything was fine and the machine just had to be reset. He whipped up out his little reset key and applied it to the reset dealie, which seemed to have no effect. I quickly grabbed the stroller and left, glancing over my shoulder once to see him ministering to the thing with a worried look on his face. Still a few bugs in the system I guess. When we get our final bill, I will check if there is an item for $4,995 marked 'destroyed Segway'".
- adam
In Canada, we don't fancy things like socks
The pricing seems a bit high for such a short-term rental. $40/hour might work for a test-drive, but won't allow people to use the Segways as anything more than a toy. Renting Segways daily or weekly in cities would make a lot of sense. They would be perfect for tourists, etc, who want to explore "on foot". Around $40-50/day should be profitable and still be affordable. The initial cost for a unit is under $10,000 and the electricity to charge them is negligable. Are maintenance costs and/or life expenctancy bad enough to prevent this from being practical?
hell, bring a large roll of lead foil, wrap it up, and drive away...
every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
I've been surprised at how little (if any, really) I've seen about the possible uses of the HT as a very useful medical device, particularly when considering Kamen's history in medical technology.
For example, I'm working with a patient right now who had a little complication after having some titanium implanted in his back. They had to remove the brace, but the screws they had to leave are now causing incredible pain. Just yesterday, he was so relieved that he could finally actually sit down in a seat and watch TV thanks to some new medication. His day consists entirely of standing and lying down, and switching between the two is almost unbearable. He is able to walk but only with a cane, slowly, and with much pain. Needless to say, a wheelchair is out of the question, if for no other reason than that it would be even more painful. I told him he might look into the Segway as a possible way to get around. At any given time (such as now), I have 2-4 patients (on a 24 patient max unit) that have some problem, be it with their back, knees, feet, or whatever, that makes walking either extremely painful or extremely difficult and hazardous, and my unit has nothing to do with treatment of those types of problems. Taking your dog for a walk, carrying groceries, walking without pain... Simple things most of us take for granted, but which unfortunately many people aren't able to do or enjoy.
Lots of people seem to think these things are useless, or that they're only good for lazy people. It seems to me that such an opinion stems from a reaction to their cost vs. usage value for the average person. Personally, I'd like to see insurance companies catch on to this and start providing these things to patients with cases that warrant it. I could see them greatly reducing costs in a variety of treatment areas while also allowing many disabled people to return to regain some of the lost joy of life, not to mention return to work.
FYI, they're now a common sight in Central Park on weekends, among the rollerbladers, cyclists, joggers and strollers.
I'm 15, and probably the youngest Early Adopter out there.
It costs $ to be an 'early adopter' (which btw is a universal term for "person who buys new kit, has little regard for $)
A Segway i-Series is by no means cheap, about $5000 retail. I chose mine in lieu of a car for now, and hoped that it would make my life a bit easier and productive.
Assuming for a second that your not a astro-turfish shill, Where exactly does a 15 year old get $5000 to spend on crap like this? "in lieu of a car for now"? and you are planning on buying a car too?
You indulgent little shit, buy a goddamn bike and give the rest of the cash daddy-gives to United Way.
Seriously, while a ticket to Disneyland is expensive and you may not enjoy it, think about what this really costs.
$20 for 30 minutes. That's it. A ticket to Disneyland costs about $50 for a 12 hour day (or you can get the 4 day ticket for about $150). Add on the cost of food and souveniers and all that crap kids must have, and you'll be at around $120 for 12 hours. That's only $10/hour, whereas the Segway is $40/hour.
If anyone at Segway Inc. wants an idea why they have a stupid business plan, all they have to do is look at the economics of their machine. I can rent a car for $20/day, but they are charging $20/half hour for something that is supposed to replace cars in the city.
IANAL, but I play one on
"...users are asked to sign waive any liability claims if they are in an accident.""
I thought this thing was so safe. Who takes the liability when the accident involves another person?
Don't tell me that something that weighs 250+ lbs, can go 12mph is safe on the sidewalk.
The Segway is as "pointless" as the horseless carriage and the velocipeds from 100-120 years ago.
In 1897, the Sears Catalog sold "safety bicycles" (i.e., pedal-and-chain style, versus the big "penny farthing" type) for $25. That's equivalent to about $2,200 year-2003 dollars.
The Segway dropped from $10,000 two years ago, to $7,000 last year, to $5,000 now. Give it time.
It will find its place in the spectrum of transportation choices. Some people will always walk. Some people will always drive gas-guzzling SUV's and exotic cars that cost more than my 2 bedroom home. Most people will find something in between.
- Century-old internal combustion engines weren't anywhere near as efficient as they are today
- What exactly produces the electricity you use to charge your Segway?
"Above all, it's an opportunity for me to gain simple independence and unique standing at the benefit of my own mind."Is it just me, or did you just say that the most important reason you had one was that it made you look cool?
"Do you for some strange reason think that a bike would resolve my transportation issues, or that of anyone else?"
What could a Segway do to solve someone's transportation problems that a bicycle could not?
"As a matter of fact, bicycles aren't allowed on the Metro during rush-hour, and as such, I wouldn't be able to use it for my commute if I wanted to."
And Segways are? You're one of those people that believes that Segway users are still somehow pedestrians, aren't you? I suspect the only reason that Segway's are "allowed" on the train is that a city employee hasn't taken you to task on it yet.
"I carry about 30-40 pounds of stuff on a daily basis between my laptop, backpack, and any other gear I may have with me."
How is it better to wear all that on your back than to distribute it between your back and saddle bags?
"Bikes are not only less safe, but they are more of an inconvenience and less rugged than the HT for my purposes."
Like how, exactly? I somehow don't see a Segway doing much off-road...
"I can't bike to school every day in khakis and a decent shirt and show up in proper condition in 90F weather with 80-95% humidity and sunshine."
Why not? It's the very same weather you Segway your way to school in, and a bicycle can move faster than a Segway, shortening your time outside.
So here you are, bragging about the size of your peni^H^H^H^Hwallet on an internet site and using feel good marketing speak.
/. story you can work the scooter into.
o ys.com has been taken yet.
Humm, I think you are just an austroturfer, and looking at your history confirms it. I wonder if all 108 of your comments are just like the current 24 and you can't shut up with the bragging about your $$$ and your scooter.
Why don't you waste you time at some other site related to the scooter instead of posting PR stuff to every
I don't think ExpensiveOverhypedScooterOwningRabidPrSpewingFanb
Now there is a ideal. Wonder how difficult it would be to take out the motor/battery assembly and put in one from say a weedeater or a chainsaw?
I imagine you couldn't remove the electric motor and it still work but I don't think it would stop you from replacing the battery with a small generator and engine. You might even be able to get some decent range out of the bitch.
Supporting World Peace Through Nuclear Pacification
One notable PF city (San Francisco) has gone and banned the Segway. I blame this on kneejerk anti-business attitudes. Now, "kneejerk" is not a word I use lightly -- it's too popular with right-wingers who are too lazy to properly rebut the arguments of left-wingers. (Indeed, you could say that using the word is itself usually a kneejerk reaction.) I say "kneejerk" in this case because the main anti-Segway group loves to make comparisons with SUVs and other corporate stupidities. But they themselves admit that there's only been one Segway-related injury so far.
The big concern seems to be that Segways will be misused by irresponsible riders who will speed down sidewalks, scattering senior citizens right and left. But the Segway designers seem to have anticipated precisely this issue: how fast your Segway can go is determined by which key you use to turn it on. The keys are conspicuously colored, so it would be easy to require Segwayers to use the "beginner" key in heavily trafficed areas. That limits the scooter to 6mph, which is about how fast most people walk.