Comments on: Segway ups third funding to $35M — have you bought yours yet?

By: Bob P

Bob P — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:06:57 +0000

The rediculous look of the segways is all people want to see when you are riding one of them. We have two and we ride them on the board walk. Everyone looks and everyone makes a cooment like “cool” or “where can I get one” even “hey gimme that thing”!

If these are rediculous looking you wouldn’t know it by peoples reactions. The rediculous thing is the absurd price which makes the Segway virtually untouchable by the average person.

While I realize there is a great deal of technology built into them, the price is not justified. So if Segway really wants to make it they need to rethink the price.

By: clevertrousers

clevertrousers — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:19:19 +0000

They talked about the Segway changing the world… It truly could if it were less than half the current price. $5000 is too far beyond what people can afford/will pay.

By: Michael McCord

Michael McCord — Sun, 25 May 2008 01:08:41 +0000

It is amazing how humans resist change, even when it is clearly in their best interest… This article loses credibility when the author throws in a personal and hardly common opinion that these devices look ridiculous. I suppose the first bicycles looked ridiculous to some too. Ever since the San Francisco Supervisors got rubbed the wrong way by the “East Coast” PR Firm Dean Kamen hired to promote the Segway in 02, other cities have joined in the paranoia campaign that many citizens have digested. I recently rode a Segway for 2 days on a very loosely supervised tour of DC exclusively via sidewalks. This was during the weekend with loads of pedestrians seeking world famous monuments. Not only did I not come close to and “accidents” but was amazed as a first time rider how much easier it is to control than a bicycle or anything else I can think of. These devices should be changing our cities and unclogging our traffic grids but unfounded delusions about potential hazzards have perpetuated the urban myth that now keeps Segways off of many city sidewalks. Thankfully, DC and other Eastern cities are leading the way to the future. This device should be taking off at the rate first foreseen by the venture capitalists but ignorance is tough to gauge and all it takes is a few scaremongers in the right places and the momentum gets rolling. Yes there are dangers in modern life but we are used to many much worse things. If we had never seen an ATM system, you could easier scare up the idea that this is going to create easily targeted theft and assualt zones; somehow we’ve managed. You can argue that a bicyclist is in far greater danger of being killed in a crowded city by huge trucks whizzing by them at less than a foot, during any day in any big city at any intersection… but we’re used to bicycles in traffic. The paranoia over potential Segway/Human pile-ups needs to be squashed as there is much less danger with that than with bicycles and motorized vehicles (no insurance there either! speeding? always!. The paranoia about a society losing its love of walking is just as silly now as it was when such opinion pieces were first written about this subject in the 1880’s – about bicycles.

By: Michael McCord

Michael McCord — Sun, 25 May 2008 00:49:19 +0000

It is amazing how humans resist change, even when it is clearly in their best interest… This article loses credibility when the author throws in a personal and hardly common opinion that these devices look ridiculous. I suppose the first bicycles looked ridiculous to some too. Ever since the San Francisco Supervisors got rubbed the wrong way by the “East Coast” PR Firm Dean Kamen hired to promote the Segway in 02, other cities have joined in the paranoia campaign that many citizens have digested. I recently rode a Segway for 2 days on a very loosely supervised tour of DC. This was during the weekend with loads of pedestrians seeking world famous monuments. Not only did I not come close to and “accidents” but was amazed as a first time rider how much easier it is to control than a bicycle or anything else I can think of. These devices should be changing our cities and unclogging our traffic grids but unfounded delusions about potential hazzards have perpetuated the urban myth that now keeps Segways off of many city sidewalks. Thankfully, DC and other Eastern cities are leading the way to the future. This device should be taking off at the rate first foreseen by the venture capitalists but ignorance is tough to gauge and all it takes is a few scaremongers in the right places and the momentum gets rolling. Yes there are dangers in modern life but we are used to many much worse things. If we had never seen an ATM system, you could easier scare up the idea that this is going to create easily targeted theft and assualt zones; somehow we’ve managed. You can argue that a bicyclist is in far greater danger of being killed in a crowded city by huge trucks whizzing by them at less than a foot, during any day in any big city at any intersection… but we’re used to bicycles in traffic. The paranoia over potential Segway/Human pile-ups needs to be squashed as there is much less danger with that than with bicycles and motorized vehicles (no insurance there either! speeding? always!. The paranoia about a society losing its love of walking is just as silly now as it was when such opinion pieces were first written about this subject in the 1880’s – about bicycles.

By: Chris Morrison

Chris Morrison — Wed, 07 May 2008 03:37:33 +0000

Yet online dictionaries are free. Try checking one out sometime.

By: Joe Schmoe

Joe Schmoe — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:31:01 +0000

For any real “plagiarization” to take place, it would have to be a word.

I know blogs can’t afford copy editors, and all….

By: Chris Morrison

Chris Morrison — Mon, 05 May 2008 17:51:45 +0000

Joe Schmoe: For any real plagiarization to take place, I’d have to actually follow Gawker. Congratulations to you for being a faithful reader, though.

The proper criticism / insult lies in being lazy enough to use really obvious jokes to lead off stories, if you’d care to try again.

By: Joe Schmoe

Joe Schmoe — Mon, 05 May 2008 17:43:08 +0000

Wow, if you’re going to plagiarize Gawker, at least change a few more words….

http://gawker.com/352003/wheeled-shoe-soon-to-be-ubiquitous-on-new-york-streets

Wheeled Shoe Soon To Be Ubiquitous On New York Streets
Remember how the invention of the Segway in 2001 revolutionized urban transport, to the point that cars have now vanished from the streets of Manhattan in favor of a fleet of two-wheeled scooters?

By: Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten

Boris Veldhuijzen van Zanten — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:01:34 +0000

Thanks for using my photo AND giving me credit! Hard to see here but my 3 year old daughter is a actually ALSO standing on the segway in this photo!

By: Doug

Doug — Sat, 03 May 2008 21:24:34 +0000

Americans are odd. I predict gasoline at $5 a gallon may soon make the tiny zero gas, zero noise, zero pollution electric “car” the Segway PT a very cool thing to drive.

What is defined as uncool can change quickly. Remember the Prius was previously defined as a geeky hybrid gimick vehicle that nobody would ever be seen dead in. Now it’s the best selling car on the market and the insult has become, “you think your all great, you drive that Prius to show off.”

By: Jay burnham

Jay burnham — Sat, 03 May 2008 19:04:11 +0000

You failed to mention one other use for the Segway…To help kick-start a poor real estate market. Serious sellers can list their homes with me and receive a FREE Segway when the house sells. That’s right…not simply a bottle of wine or a dinner-for-two gift certificate…a Segway!

Details at: http://www.ListwithJayforaFreeSegway.com

Regards,

Jay Burnham
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
North Shore, Massachusetts

By: Daniel Swanson

Daniel Swanson — Sat, 03 May 2008 17:15:58 +0000

The Segway PT is for people who can somehow see beyond how “ridiculous” they may look and recognize their value and practicality. I’ve been “gliding”, as we Segway owners call it, for almost four years.

We got rid of our second car early on and use the Segway PT for short-distance errands as well as enjoyable treks for fun. It’s actually transformed the way we live. For example, our grocery store is eight blocks away. Too far to walk on a hot Florida day, especially on the way home carrying the bags. Too close to drive.

But with the Segway I can shop for the day’s meals and have carried up to 50 lbs of groceries in bags draped over the handlebar. This gives us fresher (more nutritious) food and saves us money with less waste due to spoilage and the refrigerator, not running so often.

When I’m out gliding I can notice far more in the environment than when I drive. For example, we have so much beautiful wildlife around Clearwater, FL. I stopped to watch an osprey feeding on his catch perched atop a street light. I can smell the jasmine and magnolias blossoming now this time of year. And I can stop and chat with friends and neighbors and even total strangers.

I also smile whenever I pass gas stations and stalled rush-hour traffic.

As a Segway PT owner I’ve made a wise investment in sensible transportation and in my daily life routines.

If you’re more concerned with looking “ridiculous” than with actually doing something towards a cleaner environment, reducing traffic congestion, or towards improving communications and relationships with your neighbors and fellow citizens of your community, then you should get over that attitude and take another look at the Segway PT.