Segways

[Olivera]

Rediculous invention for fat bds that can't be bothered walking.

[Chrisw666]

I fancied buying a few of the off road ones for work but they are a bit more expensive than I thought they would be.

[bern]

We hired some in Austria when we went with work. They were great fun!

Here's a clip of my work mate coming a cropper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSv6rVB_r4I

[Stu R]

Olivera said:

Rediculous invention for fat bds that can't be bothered walking.

Like cars then?

[cheadle hulme]

bern said:

We hired some in Austria when we went with work. They were great fun!

Here's a clip of my work mate coming a cropper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSv6rVB_r4I

[Flanders.]

bern said:

We hired some in Austria when we went with work. They were great fun!

Here's a clip of my work mate coming a cropper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSv6rVB_r4I

[thewhooshparrot]

Crossflow Kid said:

How is it so different from a biddy's mobility scooter?

They could be fun,thats not allowed in the Uk!
That said,im suprised they havent allowed them and just added another tax!

[paranoid airbag]

Stu R said:

Like cars then?

not really, although this point could be argued ad infinitum - cars let you go significantly faster than walking, enough to make journeys that realistically aren't possible on foot, at least not for a normal person with things to do. Wiki says 24 mile range with a 12mph top speed, so I suppose some benefit over walking - although a half-decent cyclist would piss all over that time, and a (very good) jogger would run it close.

I can vaguely see the point for security guards, but even then... MTFU.

[Legacywr]

I have to agree with the law here, they have no place on our roads or our pavements!

[Mr POD]

mattdaniels said:

Does anyone (in the UK) have one? Are they still available in the UK? a bit of a giggle? How far can you go on a charge?

I went on one in a hotel carpark at an IET presentation on Future Transport. It was quite intuitive and once you got over the fact that it does all the balancing for you, was pretty good. I reckon with a couple of hours practise I could attempt a skateboard park lol.

The guy that brought it was employed by segway to do demo's. Quite frankly though I think a better form of electric transport would be a bike with a battery powered motor.

[Legacywr]

Am I right in thinking that Segway had a bike racing in the Zero Emmisions class at the TT last week?

[autofocus]

Hi there,

At the FIA GT1 World Championship events there is a cameraman that uses one on the grid. He nearly took me out on Sunday at Silverstone as he was filming, theres a great video on YouTube of him: -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7q_oY4-91Qc

regards

Tim

[SteveS Cup]

They had them at the hotel in Turkey I was at a few weeks back... Bloody great fun!!!!

[Leithen]

Dean Kamen invented them, having previously invented the iBot - a gyroscopically balanced wheelchair.

Sadly, he sold the wheelchair technology to Johnson & Johnson, who tried and failed to make it commercially viable. A great pity, because the tech really did offer new possibilities for wheelchair users. The two wheel balance setting that lifts users to normal standing eye level was a real breakthrough.

[AndrewTait]

Went around Boston MA. last year on one. Great fun, and a great way to find your way around a strange city.

[telecat]

PaulHogan said:

baysis said:

Didn't the UK importer recently drive over a cliff on one and die?

Yes. Jim Heselden who started Hesco Bastion, which has saved thousands of soldiers lives. Made him very very rich and he was very very generous with it. A pity he'll be remembered for driving a segway into a river

Friend of my BiL. I didn't think He'd make any money out of them but I also didn't think it will be the death of him. He did make sure that any Soldier he couldn't protect he would look after.

[redgriff500]

Must admit that they seem the perfect answer for city centre travel to me.

I think they ought to be allowed on roads as they are pretty similar size / speed to bicycles.

Many places in the UK hire them out if you fancy a go - some offers on Ebay too.

[eliot]

Leithen said:

Dean Kamen invented them, having previously invented the iBot - a gyroscopically balanced wheelchair.

Sadly, he sold the wheelchair technology to Johnson & Johnson, who tried and failed to make it commercially viable. A great pity, because the tech really did offer new possibilities for wheelchair users. The two wheel balance setting that lifts users to normal standing eye level was a real breakthrough.

Saw someone in london the other day with one of these - so someone is selling them.

[B Huey]

redgriff500 said:

Must admit that they seem the perfect answer for city centre travel to me.

Better than the traditional legs/feet combination?

[redgriff500]

B Huey said:

redgriff500 said:

Must admit that they seem the perfect answer for city centre travel to me.

Better than the traditional legs/feet combination?

Can you run 5+ miles in a suit to get to a meeting and arrive unflustered and not sweaty ?

Far better than a bicycle or the tube / bus / taxi combination most endure.

If they were given the same legal status as a bicycle I'd buy one and would buy shares in the Co. too.