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Segway UK Boss Dies After Driving Off Cliff

necro81 writes "Jimi Heselden, the British multi-millionaire defense contractor and philanthropist, who bought the Segway company last December from inventor Dean Kamen, died yesterday after an accident while riding one of the machines. While using a ruggedized X2 version of the two-wheeled balancing scooter at his estate in North Yorkshire, he apparently drove over the edge of a precipice and into the River Wharfe. He was found later by a passerby and declared dead on the scene."

6 of 413 comments (clear)

  1. Man. by Pojut · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ...what a way to go out. Fitting, but jeebus...

  2. First death? by Paradise+Pete · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Is this the first confirmed death while operating a Segway?

  3. Re:Alas poor segway, I knew him not so well by Rogerborg · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Bingo. Remember, the claim was that it would "change the way we design cities". Which was another way of saying: "shit-all use for the cities that we have now".

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  4. Re:inb4 people making jokes of this by 19thNervousBreakdown · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Hell yes. In my book, insincere condolences are far worse than literally dancing on someone's grave. At least you know how they feel.

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  5. Re:inb4 people making jokes of this by __aanonl8035 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    (quote) Personally I find it just as distasteful to make insincere public expressions of sorrow over something that actually doesn't affect you at all because "it's what you're supposed to do" (/quote)

    Perhaps a lot of people are merely working off pre-programmed social norms, like saying "how are you doing?", but speaking only for myself here; as I have grown older and experienced some tragic moments, I genuinely have empathy for others, who have to go through some of the obstacles and misfortunes of life. I also suspect that there are a lot of other human beings who think this way as well.

  6. Re:Not the inventor by yyxx · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Whether it's a gun that kills more people or a barrier that allows troops to advance safely to where they can kill more people really amounts to the same thing.