Segway to Foolishness
By Timothy Pecoraro
In January of this year we were teased with the notion of “It.” You remember Dean Kamen master inventor of things like the lift chair and other such miracles inventions. Hinted to the media that he had created this great new invention that would revolutionize transportation and perhaps replace the car.
Soon after this the associated press released a sketch of what this thing was supposed to look like. A standing motorized scooter. This didn’t seem like much of a revelation until they said that it was said that this vehicle could go as fast as 60 mph. This sounded all most too good to be true.
Well it was…
Fast Forward to December 4th, much to our disappointment this motorized scooter that is now called, ”Segway.” Is a exactly what they the associated press said it was going to be all those months ago. Except for a few small details for instance, the vehicles top speed in “ideal” conditions is 17 mph. Ideal here means no wind and a flat surface (indoors?).
The multi-gyroscopic body weight balance driven scooter seems to only on average to be able to go 11 to 12 mph. What are the problems with this little miracle invention? Well, if it rains you get wet, if it snows your not going anywhere. I’m also wondering why in all the televised demos they have shown people who weight less than 140 pounds using them. Is there a problem with people who are overweight or more husky stature using these? Don’t know they haven’t said one way or the other.
The statement I have the most trouble with is by the Segways’ creator,
“I believe the Segway HT will do for walking what the calculator did for pad and pencil.”
“You’ll get there quicker, you’ll go further. You can carry more, anywhere people walk. And it’s really fun.”
Right it will make us lazier, just like the calculator made us with math. I think this is irresponsible in a society that has such a problem with obsecity. Carry more? How, there is no place on this thing for any bags of any kind. There is a demo that shows a briefcase attached to the Segway but people carry briefcases now. How can you hold anything if your holding on to the handle bars to shift etc… What is he thinking? People are going to attach a wagon or something?
Besides that at the Segways 65 pounds and with the helmet and pads one should wear when using this device so that nothing extremely damaging happens to you if you crash what else can you really afford to carry?
“I don’t know whether it’s going to be this grand consumer item that Karmen’s predicting.” Adam Peneberg from inside.com
I agree, with a price tag of $3,000 this thing won’t sell to anyone except the ultra rich. With the state of the economy most people are wondering if they will be able to afford an Xbox at $300.00 let alone this contraption. I would venture to say that this thing needs at least another five years development before it has a snowballs chance in hell of being anything other than a toy for rich people.
It is just unbelievable to me that the media and the Segway’s creator would bother hyping this thing to the degree they have. Replace cars? Revolutionary? I don’t think so…. The Segway on December 4th was on every network news channel as well as CNN and Techtv Live. End the hype this puppy is played out before it started…
And that is the view from where I sit…
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