32 ms·

Segway ads showed middle aged people with helmets on. It was dead from the moment they made that choice.

solardev 4y ago
Lol, I once saw a group (troop? pack? murder?) of police standing on their Segways in formation, in uniform and lightly padded body armor. It was hard to look tough while they were all in neat little rows, balancing on antique motor scooters. All I could think was "whrrr whrr pew pew whrrrr whrrrrr"... like this photo: https://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/segway_1.jpg https://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/segway_1.jpg It was impossible to take them seriously. Honestly, lol, I feel for them. Some higher up probably thought that was cheaper than horses and fancier than bikes, so... poor officers.
- PaulHoule 4y ago
  I grew up in Manchester, NH where the Segway was developed and I was visiting relatives a little after 2000 and it was so creepy to see cops crusing around on Segways in the parking lot of the abandoned Zayres store. One problem I encountered is that a Segway takes up all the space on a sidewalk with parking meters on it, pedestrians would have to step aside.
  - agundy 4y ago
    I think that’s an interesting take! Segway’s do seem much less maneuverable than a scooter. You can navigate small gaps that a Segway which is wider than shoulder width couldn’t.
- twic 4y ago
  I saw cops on Segways somewhere in Spain. I asked about it, and the reasoning behind it was that it would make it more likely that people would come up and talk to them. Initially to ask about the goofy vehicle, but then to start complaining about criminal activity they'd seen, or ask for advice, etc. Not being able to take them seriously was the crux of it!
  - solardev 4y ago
    That's a great take on policing!
  - rasz 4y ago
    I saw a tiktok yesterday of police in ?Netherlands or Denmark? patrolling a little county fair on modified Coin-Op rocking horses :)
- reaperducer 4y ago
  I saw cops on Segways in two major American cities as recently as this month. They failed for the average consumer, but they served a purpose for other sectors. Fortunately, the economic downturn seem to have killed them off for group tours.
  - bluGill 4y ago
    They make sense for cops doing crowd control. You get a little higher then the crowd, stand out, and with the gear cops have walking all day is annoying. I can't think of any reason i'd want one, they don't solve any problem I have.
- zip1234 4y ago
  Why should cops look tough? I would rather a cop on a segway than sitting in a camaro.
- jamal-kumar 4y ago
  I think cops like these things for the same reason they like horses - You can see above everyone's heads when you're standing up on them.
mkagenius 4y ago
Maybe a conscious choice for the Ad - as the steep price could only be affordable by them?

Lol, I once saw a group (troop? pack? murder?) of police standing on their Segways in formation, in uniform and lightly padded body armor. It was hard to look tough while they were all in neat little rows, balancing on antique motor scooters. All I could think was "whrrr whrr pew pew whrrrr whrrrrr"... like this photo: https://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/segway_1.jpg https://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/segway_1.jpg It was impossible to take them seriously. Honestly, lol, I feel for them. Some higher up probably thought that was cheaper than horses and fancier than bikes, so... poor officers.

PaulHoule 4y ago
I grew up in Manchester, NH where the Segway was developed and I was visiting relatives a little after 2000 and it was so creepy to see cops crusing around on Segways in the parking lot of the abandoned Zayres store. One problem I encountered is that a Segway takes up all the space on a sidewalk with parking meters on it, pedestrians would have to step aside.
- agundy 4y ago
  I think that’s an interesting take! Segway’s do seem much less maneuverable than a scooter. You can navigate small gaps that a Segway which is wider than shoulder width couldn’t.
twic 4y ago
I saw cops on Segways somewhere in Spain. I asked about it, and the reasoning behind it was that it would make it more likely that people would come up and talk to them. Initially to ask about the goofy vehicle, but then to start complaining about criminal activity they'd seen, or ask for advice, etc. Not being able to take them seriously was the crux of it!
- solardev 4y ago
  That's a great take on policing!
- rasz 4y ago
  I saw a tiktok yesterday of police in ?Netherlands or Denmark? patrolling a little county fair on modified Coin-Op rocking horses :)
reaperducer 4y ago
I saw cops on Segways in two major American cities as recently as this month. They failed for the average consumer, but they served a purpose for other sectors. Fortunately, the economic downturn seem to have killed them off for group tours.
- bluGill 4y ago
  They make sense for cops doing crowd control. You get a little higher then the crowd, stand out, and with the gear cops have walking all day is annoying. I can't think of any reason i'd want one, they don't solve any problem I have.
zip1234 4y ago
Why should cops look tough? I would rather a cop on a segway than sitting in a camaro.
jamal-kumar 4y ago
I think cops like these things for the same reason they like horses - You can see above everyone's heads when you're standing up on them.

mkagenius 4y ago

Maybe a conscious choice for the Ad - as the steep price could only be affordable by them?