Why didn't the Segway catch on?

You think these things should be used Indoors?!

Besides my observation before about people who don't even care if they walk into you, haven't you noticied in stores people always seem to leave their carts right in the middle of the aisle, kids can be running around, people looking down or at the shelves and walking and not paying attention, etc.

Do you really think a person who can't figure out someone is trying to move by them on foot isn't going to be dangerous on a machine? One that can run into you, display cases, kids, old people, or anyone who sees a segway heading in their general direction, and debates too long whether to move left, right, stand still, back up, to get out of their way?

The rider on the segway may indeed be in control, but peoples responses to you can still cause a mishap.

I'm guessing he wasn't planning for these things to be used on sidewalks, where people would already be walking.

More likely he was thinking of "segway lanes" in the street, same principal as bike lanes.

Sure, I don't see why they shouldn't be. They're insanely easy to control. You have the ability to inch along.

Have you ever ridden one? The only thing you have to get used to is being a tiny bit wider than you usually are.

Like I said, the rider can be in control, but what about the rest of it?

Or, some riders may not be in control. Maybe someone'a Aunt Dottie would be like Lucy in the chocolate factory with the thing.
I think walking is insanely easy, until someone decides I'm invisible and literally walks into me, or makes a beeline toward me, expecting me to be the one to get the hell out of their way.

To me it's second nature when seeing someone walking slowly, especially if they're elderly, to back off, let them proceed at their own pace, and not even let them know I'm there. I figure they're doing the best they can.
However, I see people get on some old ladys ass because they feel they're being held up, and are risking knocking her over and breaking her hip. It's bad enough they feel they can bump someone with their cart or body, what about a segway creeping up behind someone and nudging them to move along?

Some people can't back up out of a parking space. I can't imagine the chaos in a store with a bunch of these, without even the benefit of rules of the road.

The emerging city, special lanes for segways, keeping them separate from pedestrians makes more sense.
Sidewalks are not meant for bikes, why a segway?

Some people are rude on foot. Some people are rude in cars. Some people are rude in wheelchairs. So sure, some people will be rude on Segways.

I'm not trying to convince anyone to buy one. I'm not buying one. I'm just trying to figure out why people don't like them. I think the people who don't like them have never ridden on one and don't understand what it's like. It's a pretty cool, eco-friendly way to get around without contributing to traffic for traveling distances that might prevent one from walking.

I think they're an excellent option for people with certain diseases or disabilities that don't want to rely on a wheelchair or scooter.... asthmatics for instance.

But are electrical things which use electrically charged batteries really any eco friendlier than cars, or do they simply move the pollution further away (ie at the electricity plant?)

The segway would have less mass to move and hence I assume less power, or so I assume...so I see how it need less pollution.

I cn aionly see electrical power as eco friendly if it then used the energy put out by its movement to re-charge the battery.

I've heard that argument in regard to cars like the Prius -- that the energy required to make and charge the battery offsets any environmental savings over the life of the car.

And I've seen the argument saying that's hogwash.

I don't really know which argument is the winner.

Be interested to know the answer.


FARMERMAN???!!!

An estimate of the carbon cost is one ton of CO2 per $1000 of manufacture cost (MSRP?) delivered.

Carbon offset for generation varies by source solar, wind, and nuclear have no generation carbon costs but will have capital carbon cost.

Rap

Is that for the battery?

How does that compare with a gas engine?

durn things are a menace...

They showed that on The Last Leg last night. Josh Widdecombe said it was a bit sad that we could only get the Italian commentary, but more importantly pointed out that Italians actually do say Mamma Mia.

they are a menace

I've seen some really crazy insurance claims coming out of Segway use - and not by people who were just trying them for the first time. I'm not sure what it is that makes people do stupid stupid things when they're riding them. It's almost like they're so easy to operate that people think they can park their brains when they step on.

especially now that scooters are everywhere

I can't get over how cheap scooters are. I'm literally tempted to buy one at least once a week (during non-snow season). They're cheaper than a year of car insurance, use very little energy ... The biggest complaint I hear about scooters is that they're too quiet so people don't realize they're coming up alongside.

I've always liked them, especially in Italy, lots of good looking ones, photos, I've got photos. But... I've also have always been afraid of them, particularly since I'm the clumsy sort. A surgeon who was one of my work colleagues told us about a decapitation that happened to someone, probably a student, coming down Gayley Avenue, hit by a car driver. I think the scooter was a Lambretta, odd to remember that detail after all these years.

I think it is dangerous to ride on, nothing to protect you from falling down when
braking suddenly except your feet.