Holy crap! After all these years, I finally saw my first Segway!

[M A V I C]

[quote davester]They basically fill exactly the same function as a bicycle, except that they are slower, have no positive effect on your health, and cost waaaaay more money. A solution in search of a problem.
Add to that they take up more space, pollute more, take less skill to drive which results in recklessness...

[quote $tevie]I still think they would be great for urban postal carriers, but I guess they are too expensive.
This city uses them for the people who collect change from parking meters. They work great for that.

[AlphaDog]

[quote M A V I C]They were banned around here years ago.
Seattle?

I've only seen one in use around where I live. There's a little man in his late 70s or early 80s that got one right after they came out. He'd go out on it every day, and he became such a common site in our little town that they did a newspaper feature on him. Come to think about it, I haven't seen him lately, but I doubt it has anything to do with his Segway.

Edit: Duh. "site", "sight". I've been hanging out on the internet too long. I really do know the difference whenever I bother to engage my brain.

[M A V I C]

[quote AlphaDog][quote M A V I C]They were banned around here years ago.
Seattle?

I've only seen one in use around where I live. There's a little man in his late 70s or early 80s that got one right after they came out. He'd go out on it every day, and he became such a common site in our little town that they did a newspaper feature on him. Come to think about it, I haven't seen him lately, but I doubt it has anything to do with his Segway.
Yeah, the parks department first banned them in greenlake. The rental place didn't help, as the people they rented to were clueless and inconsiderate. Then they were banned on the sidewalks (not sure if they were ever allowed.) Not sure how big the ban is now, but the only place to ride them around here is in the streets.

[AlphaDog]

Well, you big city folk apparently have more to worry about. When the whole town has only one Segway, we don't care where the little guy rides it.

[vision63]

I can only imagine the infirm really needing them. I would want my Segway to be way faster. Freeway fast.

What's wrong with mail people walking to deliver the mail? Something wrong with their feet? I see them at malls and large parking structures. Are we that damn lazy?

[davester]

[quote AlphaDog]Well, you big city folk apparently have more to worry about. When the whole town has only one Segway, we don't care where the little guy rides it.
My thoughts exactly. Why on earth would a legislative body bother taking the time to ban something that is rarely ever sighted, let alone being only a marginal hazard. Some people really have their priorities screwed up.

[M A V I C]

[quote davester][quote AlphaDog]Well, you big city folk apparently have more to worry about. When the whole town has only one Segway, we don't care where the little guy rides it.
My thoughts exactly. Why on earth would a legislative body bother taking the time to ban something that is rarely ever sighted, let alone being only a marginal hazard. Some people really have their priorities screwed up.
Not sure who you're saying has their priorities screwed up. Around here is was good they got banned. Pedestrians were often knocked into busy traffic by unskilled/careless segway riders. People bought them for their children who couldn't pedal bikes very fast, so their kids could keep up with them. Putting a seven-year-old in control of a device doing ~13MPH in a crowd of pedestrians is a very bad idea. Not only do they not have the motor skills to maneuver such a device, but they often can't even read the signs controlling traffic at local parks.

I've personally been forced off the sidewalk by segways multiple times. It typically results from the person going fast and wanting to look back at something. They continue on, full speed, without looking forward. It's also illegal to ride bikes on sidewalks in this area.

I have no doubt someone would have been killed if the segways weren't banned in this area.

[Blankity Blank]

At least they got it out of beta.

[Stavs]

Wife and I went to Disney for our honeymoon in April. We opted to do the Segway tour of Epcot. It was pretty cool since she had never ridden a segway before. The tour was about 2 hours and my feet hurt worse than if we were walking. Problem is you are putting all that pressure on your feet rather than giving them a break by lifting up (like walking).

Overall it was really cool, but my feet hurt like a bitch. The Segway has its uses, and I think its a valuable controbution to our society from an environmental standpoint and an efficiency standpoint. I also would like to try the "off road" version that they had at Epcot.

[graylocks]

i've seen Segway Tours going on in atlanta and DC.