Diary of the first Segway owner
December 4, 2001 12:42 PM Subscribe
Diary of the first Segway owner An obviously fictional account of a Segway owners first day in a busy city. Similar comments were made in last nights report by The Daily Show's Mo Rocca. So it looks like the Smartass vote is in on the Ginger/IT/Segway.
I might buy one if it cost $2000 less and everyone was riding them so I didn't look like a dork and the weather was good so I wasn't arriving at work wet and miserable.
One aspect overlooked is how attentive and alert you have to be to operate the Segway. I mean, I can slouch and do all sorts of things to relax while driving a car that doesn't result in the car veering off the road or turning around or stopping. After a tough day at work do I really want to stand on a Segway?
posted by fleener at 12:51 PM on December 4, 2001
One aspect overlooked is how attentive and alert you have to be to operate the Segway. I mean, I can slouch and do all sorts of things to relax while driving a car that doesn't result in the car veering off the road or turning around or stopping. After a tough day at work do I really want to stand on a Segway?
posted by fleener at 12:51 PM on December 4, 2001
fleener, like the Segway site says, this isn't a repalcement for cars, it's an improvement on walking. And Kamen's true genius is in not marketing to the public initially. Airports, park authorities, civil services, etc... will prove what a useful innovation "it" is, and what the true applications of "it" are.
posted by uftheory at 12:58 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by uftheory at 12:58 PM on December 4, 2001
fleener: You ever been hit by another car, or had someone weave in another lane while you're not looking, etc.? Don't have to be attentive or alert in a car. Sorry, and not trying to be judgmental (can't be here), but . . . my ass!
posted by raysmj at 12:58 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by raysmj at 12:58 PM on December 4, 2001
I'll wait till they come out in iMac colors, thank you very much.
posted by diddlegnome at 1:11 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by diddlegnome at 1:11 PM on December 4, 2001
diddlegnome,
Yeah, and bundled with a George Foreman Grill in iMac colors too!
posted by DragonBoy at 1:32 PM on December 4, 2001
Yeah, and bundled with a George Foreman Grill in iMac colors too!
posted by DragonBoy at 1:32 PM on December 4, 2001
You ever been hit by another car?
Have you ever been hit while walking on the sidewalk by an inattentive idiot talking on a cell phone while driving a Segway? You will be.
posted by MrBaliHai at 1:58 PM on December 4, 2001
Have you ever been hit while walking on the sidewalk by an inattentive idiot talking on a cell phone while driving a Segway? You will be.
posted by MrBaliHai at 1:58 PM on December 4, 2001
Have you ever been hit while walking on the sidewalk by an inattentive idiot talking on a cell phone while driving a Segway? You will be.
And it won't hurt any more than being bumped into by another person. It certainly won't orphan your children or cripple you for life.
posted by donkeymon at 2:08 PM on December 4, 2001
And it won't hurt any more than being bumped into by another person. It certainly won't orphan your children or cripple you for life.
posted by donkeymon at 2:08 PM on December 4, 2001
Totally lame. Yeah, I see this going the way of that strange horseless carriage that seems to be so popular with the young people today. I find it highly impractical.
posted by UrbanFigaro at 2:10 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by UrbanFigaro at 2:10 PM on December 4, 2001
This sounds like something from the 1939 or 1965 World's Fair. And just as we still don't have ubiquitous picturephones or moving sidewalks....
Something tells me the inventor of this device knows it won't work, but is using it to leverage publicity/PR for some of the technologies which go into it.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:31 PM on December 4, 2001
Something tells me the inventor of this device knows it won't work, but is using it to leverage publicity/PR for some of the technologies which go into it.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:31 PM on December 4, 2001
He's also leveraging current war-time lust for a bright shinny future, which, I guess, is OK.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:32 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by ParisParamus at 2:32 PM on December 4, 2001
No, the problem is that people slouch and don't pay attention when they're driving!!!
posted by SpecialK at 2:34 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by SpecialK at 2:34 PM on December 4, 2001
BIN LADEN FEARED TO HAVE SEGWAY SCOOTER
"Picture Al Qaeda terrorists able to zip around cities on their dastardly errands at 12 miles an hour for only 5 cents a day. What a tremendous costs savings and convenience that would be for them," said Army Gen. Tommy Franks.
posted by shugashax at 2:47 PM on December 4, 2001
"Picture Al Qaeda terrorists able to zip around cities on their dastardly errands at 12 miles an hour for only 5 cents a day. What a tremendous costs savings and convenience that would be for them," said Army Gen. Tommy Franks.
posted by shugashax at 2:47 PM on December 4, 2001
we still don't have ubiquitous picturephones or moving sidewalks....
I have a little picture phone right here on my computer, and my airport has a buttload of moving sidewalks.
posted by nwduffer at 2:55 PM on December 4, 2001
I have a little picture phone right here on my computer, and my airport has a buttload of moving sidewalks.
posted by nwduffer at 2:55 PM on December 4, 2001
Bin Laden and Segway meme-fusion.. inevitable I guess, but still funny!
I wish I had the skills to drop in some Al Qaeda terrorists into the quicktime movie on the Segway site. {reflection} What do you call it when you photoshop (as in the verb) video?{/reflection}
I'm picturing a bunch of AK-47 waving Taliban sliding about majestically on a fleet of Segways. Beards flowing in the wind. Hehe! Cracks me up.
PS. Can someone tell me how to code in angle brackets instead of {'s
posted by jiroczech at 2:57 PM on December 4, 2001
I wish I had the skills to drop in some Al Qaeda terrorists into the quicktime movie on the Segway site. {reflection} What do you call it when you photoshop (as in the verb) video?{/reflection}
I'm picturing a bunch of AK-47 waving Taliban sliding about majestically on a fleet of Segways. Beards flowing in the wind. Hehe! Cracks me up.
PS. Can someone tell me how to code in angle brackets instead of {'s
posted by jiroczech at 2:57 PM on December 4, 2001
And it won't hurt any more than being bumped into by another person. It certainly won't orphan your children or cripple you for life.
Think of how much a shopping carriage hurts when it slams into the back of your foot...
Now put a person in that shopping carriage and have it go an average of 12 mph.
posted by jerseygirl at 3:13 PM on December 4, 2001
Think of how much a shopping carriage hurts when it slams into the back of your foot...
Now put a person in that shopping carriage and have it go an average of 12 mph.
posted by jerseygirl at 3:13 PM on December 4, 2001
Although I am attempting to leave the practice of law, I would be very happy to represent anyone in a Ginger PI suit. Just e-mail me : )
posted by ParisParamus at 3:30 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by ParisParamus at 3:30 PM on December 4, 2001
That would be a GI suit.
posted by ParisParamus at 3:43 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by ParisParamus at 3:43 PM on December 4, 2001
jerseygirl: I've never heard of mass shopping cart accidents besides those involving children sitting in them, much less one involving someone's foot. I imagine that they're considerably less frequent than accidents involving certain other moving vehicles.
(Hint: Take 25,000 shopping cart-related American ER visits, subtract 21,000, and you're left with 4,000 adult visits. Either way, you have about 16,000 fewer shopping cart-related ER visits than automobile deaths.
posted by raysmj at 4:21 PM on December 4, 2001
(Hint: Take 25,000 shopping cart-related American ER visits, subtract 21,000, and you're left with 4,000 adult visits. Either way, you have about 16,000 fewer shopping cart-related ER visits than automobile deaths.
posted by raysmj at 4:21 PM on December 4, 2001
I think now is the perfect time to bring back the roller-skate.
And, short-shorts.
posted by amanda at 8:21 PM on December 4, 2001
And, short-shorts.
posted by amanda at 8:21 PM on December 4, 2001
Put those gyroscopes in the roller skates and I'm sold.
posted by sudama at 8:28 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by sudama at 8:28 PM on December 4, 2001
Put those gyroscopes in the roller skates and I'm sold.
What about in unicycles? Motorcycles? SUVs?
posted by Neale at 8:32 PM on December 4, 2001
What about in unicycles? Motorcycles? SUVs?
posted by Neale at 8:32 PM on December 4, 2001
Maybe I just run in a different circle, but the reaction towards the Segway where I am has been very positive. Especially in a city of any decent size, and in the developing world, I wouldn't be surprised to hear of less whining and more using.
posted by Kevs at 8:43 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by Kevs at 8:43 PM on December 4, 2001
''I will look like George Jetson flying around my route,'' he said.
posted by jerseygirl at 9:05 PM on December 4, 2001
posted by jerseygirl at 9:05 PM on December 4, 2001
I have not read anywhere a reaction from someone who has ridden the device which has ben less than positive. Has ther ebeen any that people can point to?
posted by donkeymon at 6:30 AM on December 5, 2001
posted by donkeymon at 6:30 AM on December 5, 2001
I think now is the perfect time to bring back the roller-skate.
They're back...
posted by MJoachim at 10:44 AM on December 5, 2001
They're back...
posted by MJoachim at 10:44 AM on December 5, 2001
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posted by almostcool at 12:49 PM on December 4, 2001