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Segway Revolutionizes Polo
Mirkon writes "The Register is carrying a story on an example of how technology is making sports better: Segway Polo. The San Francisco Bay Area Segway Enthusiasts Group has instructions on how to build a mallet (PDF), and a video clip of Segway Polo in action (MOV). A revolutionary device, indeed."
I'm not impressed.
Finally, a decent use for those things.
This was really a good example of a toy with no practical future. I, like many others, were excited about the buildup and then it's debut. I'd say the cost definately prevented it's adoption.
It's funny to see it revolutionize polo though, I don't remember that in the things Kamen promised it would revolutionize.
Found this image on [H]ardOCP: off-road segway
;)
For those of you using lynx: it's a segway with huge spiked tires on a sled hitched to the back of a Hummer H2. Go figure.
I browse Slashdot at +3, Funny
12:07 pm Mayor bans use of Segways on a Polo field.
Drat, foiled again.
Segway golf would be a more acceptable option.
Open Source Sushi
Kent Brochman: "And that makes the 3rd Segway scooter accident to claim over 1000 lives"
Rus
Cheap UK and US VPS
Call me fussy, but I'd prefer unicycle hockey over that any day.
Unicycle hockey is much faster and more agile than that. There is an advantage in that you have both hands free for holding the stick which serves to make it less awkward looking.
Cheers,
Roger
Do you have any better hostages?
Sound familiar?
Reading the whole book is recommended, but for those that don't...
...years later, this is still funny...the best part is the movie...
"Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true." - Homer Simpson
If this is 'revolutionising' a sport I think I'll start quarter-miling my old pedal-car.
Segway isn't oriented towards the same market segment as a bicycle. They deliberately keep the thing expensive to make it a status symbol. If you compare a $100.000 rolex to a $5 plastic watch, you'll find they both display time within an acceptable measure of accuracy. Why do dorks buy a rolex ? Status symbol.
The same holds for ferrari and other luxury cars. Apart from race circuits and some highways in Germany, there are few places in the world where you can do 250mph. Yet they buy these fuel-suckers and pay $20.000 a year in taxes and insurance. Why ? Status symbol.
From this point of view, seqway is doing amazingly well.
When will I end this grieving ? When will my future begin ?
Here.
Full text for the lazy:
8:30am
I checked the voltmeter and it looks like it charged up nicely overnight. I haven't worn kneepads or a helmet in ages, they make me feel kind of awkward. After waving goodbye to my wife I'm off to work which is about six miles from here. I can't wait, this thing is so cool. I feel ten years younger.
8:45am
Holy shit, where did all these kids come from? I thought the district bussed them to school. I can't ride on the street because everyone keeps yelling for me to go faster and I can barely maneuver the sidewalk with all these kids. Someone just called me "Spaceman." I thought kids loved technology. Sorry to the girl I knocked over, but in all fairness I did yell, "heads up!"
9:08am
Okay I'm officially late for work now, but I did find a bike lane. What's with this town? I thought all the granola-loving bikers forced the city to put bike lanes on every street. There's maybe a mile's worth from my place to downtown. The bikers were pretty nice. One man said to the rest, "Let the dude on the rascal get through." I don't know what a rascal is, but they did let me get through.
9:19am
Holy fuck is downtown packed and no one is letting me through. The way I tip cabs around here you'd think they would let ride on the side of the lane. The doorman at my building yelled at the crowd to let the "handicapped guy" through. I was going to correct him, but they were already letting me past. I did get to ride up the handicap ramp and park in the building. Now I need an AC outlet. This trip nearly drained the battery.
9:22am
I'm not the fittest guy in the world but they need to make these things a little lighter. You drag a 70lbs Segway up the stairs and tell me how your back feels.
12:04pm
I'm taking my Ginger, I mean my Segway, to lunch. I tried to get a co-worker to ride with me, but we fell and nearly broke our necks. I hope no one tells my wife that my hand got caught up in Jane's skirt as we were trying to get up. She didn't say anything and I think she really didn't notice. A guy on one of those old time italian scooters yelled, "yuppie" at me and disappeared into traffic. Real mature.
12:12pm
I had to ride all the way to that bike store in the Village to pick up an extra-long Kryptonite lock. Looks like the "no bikes" sign applies to the Segway as well in restaurants. I barely have enough time to stop and get a sandwich before getting back to work. I have to call my lunchmates and tell them I didn't get into an accident. If I keep yelling, "Beep, beep coming through" every block I can actually make some time. This thing really needs a horn.
5:15pm
A cop called me over from the bike lane and told me unless I have a handicap permit I'm going to have to get motorcycle plates and a city sticker for this. He let me go this time, but he said if he sees me again mucking up traffic on my "razor scooter" I'm going to get arrested. I ran over a really big guy's toes pulling into the bike lane. He was really pissed. Four more people called me "Spaceman" on the way home. At least the doorman didn't call me handicapped again.
5:55pm
I'm home and I came this close to hosing off the dog crap on the wheels before I saw the electric shock warning sticker. The first thing my wife told me as I pulled into the garage is that I look and smell like shit.
6:15pm
I just called and the Shaper Image won't take returns. Great. I gotta get some good pictures of this thing for ebay. My 14-year old is gonna use it to get to her Lacrosse practices until I can sell it. I overheard her call it an "electric ass-mover." Her friend responded by saying, "Oh, that geekmobile thingy your dad dropped three grand on?"
It's just my opinion, but I think the Segway is a great metaphor for the 21st century American. Its introduction was preceeded by a plethora of sensationalism about how it was going to "change the world", and then it turned out to be only mildly interesting, yet profoundly impractical, expensive, buggy and high maintenance. This of course, didn't stop some people from plunking down five grand for this vanity-driven embarassement of a vehicle, who now desperately seek to find realistic use or justification for their decision.
The Segway epitomizes the concept of the consumer economy, not unlike the Hummer. A piece of vanity equipment whose ultimate underlying purpose is to project the owner's own sense of insecurity upon others.
This is the legacy of the baby boomers in America. In their quest to prove to others (as well as themselves) that money and materialism = happiness, they've perfected this growing trend of high-end vanity-oriented accessories. I hope it works out for 'em.