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I wonder what would Segway's market be like if they could make a 20mph version that was safe to drive on city streets.
by DannoHung 17y ago
I wonder what would Segway's market be like if they could make a 20mph version that was safe to drive on city streets.
- mbrubeck 17y agoFor the price of a segway you can get a motorcycle or a scooter or a moped or an electric bike, and drive it on city streets. Yet most Americans still drive cars. What benefits does a turbocharged Segway offer that these other options don't?
- brk 17y agoThe i2 model can fit through a doorway. It can be picked up and moved by a reasonably fit person. It can be used indoors or out, and with some accessories can carry a small amount of cargo. The general public bias against Segways is kind of understandable. Most people aren't capable of thinking outside the box. I'm always a little surprised when the hacker/entrepreneur community seems to jump on that bandwagon though. Even moreso today when so many people claim to be "green" advocates and will proclaim that we need to explore other modes of transportation, yet bash anything that doesn't have 4 tires and a steering wheel.
- mbrubeck 17y agoA bicycle can fit through a doorway, be picked up and moved, and carry a quite large amount of cargo. For the price of a Segway it could be equipped with a motor of similar speed and efficiency, or it can be run on human power. Unlike the Segway, the bicycle can go in the street and on dirt trails, has much greater maximum speed and range, and is cheap and easy to repair. Sure, the Segway has advantages too - but when people suggest that it should go at 25mph in city streets, it's worth considering whether the Segway's unique properties actually contribute anything. Different tools are better for different jobs. I'm all in favor of thinking outside the box, but things like cargo bicycles are more practical and interesting (though less sexy and high-tech) for my own city transportation needs: http://www.xtracycle.com/cargo-utility-bicycles.html http://www.xtracycle.com/cargo-utility-bicycles.html
- brk 17y agoI don't think Segways were ever really intended to compete with bicycles. People make that comparison alot, but it's really not valid. A closer comparison is a scooter or moped type of device. Those will fit through some doorways, but being gas-powered they are generally excluded from use or storage in most indoor areas. Cost is comparable, although the scooter would win out on distance and top speed. Most scooters are also too heavy for a single operator to pick up and move, and they also don't generally break down to fit easily in the trunk of a vehicle. Segway's, even the non off-road models do quite well on dirt/trails, so that isn't an advantage for the bike. They could go in the streets as well, the only limitation there is erratic legislation, so it's hard to make a direct comparison.
- tokenadult 17y agoMy feet can fit into all kinds of places where Segways can't, and when I use them to move around I get the benefits of aerobic exercise and whole body movement.
- easyfrag 17y agoCan you take a Segway into a pubic building?
- dougp 17y agoYes I go up and talk to people that ride segways whenever I see them usually in malls and the like and most use them because they are partially handicapped and have trouble walking and the segway makes them look normal.
- nocman 17y agoI'll second that. I have a relative who can stand fine, but can't walk for long distances. The Segway makes it possible for him to travel distances that he otherwise would not be able to travel. He doesn't look like a dork when he rides it (in my opinion). Perhaps everyone just assumes that if you own a segway you are a pompous windbag with more money than sense. I wouldn't be surprised if most people see it as a luxury item that only the "elite" can afford, and therefore they resent the device's presence (as well as the rider's). Perhaps calling the person lazy is the best thing they can come up with which is derogatory. "Get that thing off the sidewalk you rich jerk" probably doesn't seem to have as much sting.
- jpwagner 17y agoIf you could flip a switch and the segway could go operate in the 10-70mph range, and flip it back to operate in the 0-10mph range, you could transition from street to sidewalk (vehicle to pedestrian.) This would be worth the extra money and not be uncool.
- run4yourlives 17y agoBut most likely illegal in most cities.
- kirse 17y agooperate in the 10-70mph range I had to laugh at the thought of a Segway doing 70mph. I'm all for taking risks, but have you ever done 50mph+ on just a moped?
- JacobAldridge 17y agoEven at 70mph you'd still run into the problem pg expouses - looking like an effortless dork. As for this bit - "imagine something that worked like the Segway, but that you rode with one foot in front of the other, like a skateboard. That wouldn't seem nearly as uncool." - have you seen the Scarpar? It's only 35mph, but definitely, definitely cool. http://www.scarpar.com/video.html http://www.scarpar.com/video.html
- jhancock 17y agoat 70mph, you'd look like a dork committing suicide.
- jdbeast00 17y agoare you serious? this may be what the segway needs. Extreme segway sports. If i saw someone going 70 mph on a segway, my first thought would certainly not be 'what a square'.
- bkudria 17y agoThanks for that link - that looks incredibly cool!
- dandrews 17y agoPosters on e.g. segwaychat.com have often said they'd like to have more speed. But I can't imagine falling at 20mph... it's bad enough falling at 12.5mph, believe me. (The "dork factor" is what prevents me from doing the smart thing and wearing a skate helmet. Instead I only wear a pair of wraparound shades. Stupid peer pressure...)
- jodrellblank 17y agoMaybe if you had a helmet that looked like it took more work to wear...
- jrockway 17y agoBut I can't imagine falling at 20mph... it's bad enough falling at 12.5mph, believe me. I've never ridden a segway, but I have crashed my bike at this speed. I imagined that it would be really bad, but having done it a few times, it is really not that bad. You are moving parallel to the ground, so most of the energy is absorbed by the pavement slowly grinding the top layer of your skin off. Somewhat painful, and very bloody, but not life threatening. I imagine that riding into a wall at 20mph would be pretty bad, though. All that energy instantly acting to crush your bones and internal organs. I haven't actually tried it, so this is just speculation. (Please report back if you try it ;) (Oh, and as for the helment; I always wear one, but I have never landed on it while crashing. Let your arms and legs do the work :) I think you have to do something weird to land on your head.)
- billswift 17y agoI managed to land on my head n the middle of the road from a bicycle accident when I was in high school. I hit a pothole and me and the bike went slightly different directions, I was tucking to roll when the top bar of the bike came down across my ankle and stopped the roll. That was the closest I have ever come to being knocked out, and it was very, very close. EDIT: Although I was very dazed at the time, my ankle was actually injured worse than my head.
- jrockway 17y ago
- kobs 17y agoJust an anecdote, but I saw an older gentleman riding a Segway in the street on Lexington avenue in Midtown Manhattan!
- gaius 17y agoA couple of weeks ago in Paris there were a dozen or so people riding black Segways near the Eiffel Tower. Must've been a meeting of the local chapter or something.