"Hills Become Flat..."

On Thursday, December 19, 2013 3:03:25 PM UTC-5, (PeteCresswell) wrote:

I misjudged Segway big time.

"Huge change" might be too strong, but I figured I'd be seeing at least
a few every day everywhere.

Anybody got a slant on why it flopped?

Well, from the start I thought it was massively overhyped. Dean Kamen's a pretty brilliant (if eccentric) guy, and he's done some great work. But personally, I couldn't see why this was any better than, say, a motorized skateboard. Or a bicycle. That was true both before and after I tried one.

Compared to those other devices, it's not faster. It's not able to get to more destinations (like, for example, up stairs). It's not cheaper. It's not more portable. It's not more weather protected.

It perhaps requires a little less coordination, but that's not the kind of thing most people want to brag about. And heck, you don't even get to sit down while using it.

I just couldn't see a point in owning one, unless a person was very mobility-restricted. For such folks, I guess it could make sense. And (like other items discussed here) it's certainly a pretty cool technical achievement. But relatively few people spend serious money, then use items every day, _only_ because they think it's a cool technical achievement.

Admittedly, some people do that. So there's always going to be a market for Brookstone's stuff, and for multi-thousand-dollar wris****ches and other exotica. But most people are more sensible.

- Frank Krygowski

On Thursday, December 19, 2013 3:03:25 PM UTC-5, (PeteCresswell) wrote:

I misjudged Segway big time.

"Huge change" might be too strong, but I figured I'd be seeing at least
a few every day everywhere.

Anybody got a slant on why it flopped?

Well, from the start I thought it was massively overhyped. Dean Kamen's a pretty brilliant (if eccentric) guy, and he's done some great work. But personally, I couldn't see why this was any better than, say, a motorized skateboard. Or a bicycle. That was true both before and after I tried one.

Compared to those other devices, it's not faster. It's not able to get to more destinations (like, for example, up stairs). It's not cheaper. It's not more portable. It's not more weather protected.

It perhaps requires a little less coordination, but that's not the kind of thing most people want to brag about. And heck, you don't even get to sit down while using it.

I just couldn't see a point in owning one, unless a person was somehow mobility-restricted. For such folks, perhaps it could make sense. And (like other items discussed here) it's certainly a pretty cool technical achievement. But relatively few people spend serious money, then use items every day, _only_ because they think it's a cool technical achievement.

Admittedly, there are people who do that. So there's always going to be a market for Brookstone's stuff, and multi-thousand-dollar wris****ches, and other exotica. But items like that never really make a huge change in the world.

- Frank Krygowski

On 12-19-2013, 23:01, Frank Krygowski wrote:
I just couldn't see a point in owning one, unless a person was very mobility-restricted.

Why would a person "very mobility-restricted" prefer a $5000 Segway to a
$500 electric wheelchair?

--
Wes Groleau

“There are more people worthy of blame
than there is blame to go around."

On Thu, 19 Dec 2013 22:27:34 -0400, Joy Beeson
wrote:

On Thu, 19 Dec 2013 15:03:25 -0500, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

Anybody got a slant on why it flopped?

Because it was a solution in search of a problem, and very few
problems were found.

Not to mention that standing quietly is *very* strenuous. Soldiers
are taught special techniques for standing still -- those who attempt
to stand at attention for a long time without first learning those
techniques have been known to pass out.

You are talking about standing in "a brace", stiff with your knees
locked. It happens occasionally when standing at attention during a
parade and we were taught to "stand with your knees flexed just a
little bit".

And actually it was comparatively rare. I can remember only once that
someone in the formation I was in passed out. Unfortunately the parade
was held on the air base parking ramp and when the poor guy, standing
a few places away from me, passed out he fell, still at attention, and
his head hit the concrete ramp with a loud thump and he spent the next
week or so in the hospital with a fractured skull :-(

He did get a life time pass on marching in any more parades though :-)
--
Cheers,

John B.

APPLE !

a toy consumer base supporting a real use population giving increased productivity.

Putin releases Kohordofski

Rodman in NKVD

I suspect the CW is more F1 microelectronics than Solex/Whizzer...Solex's are cool...haven't seen one in 15 years..Canadian snowbird.

Like the Segway, reliability, support s the make or break.

Per Joy Beeson:
Not to mention that standing quietly is *very* strenuous.

That was what turned me off. Figured it was just me though...
--
Pete Cresswell

On Friday, December 20, 2013 3:15:38 AM UTC-8, John B. wrote:
On Thu, 19 Dec 2013 22:27:34 -0400, Joy Beeson

wrote:



On Thu, 19 Dec 2013 15:03:25 -0500, "(PeteCresswell)"

wrote:



Anybody got a slant on why it flopped?



Because it was a solution in search of a problem, and very few

problems were found.



Not to mention that standing quietly is *very* strenuous. Soldiers

are taught special techniques for standing still -- those who attempt

to stand at attention for a long time without first learning those

techniques have been known to pass out.



You are talking about standing in "a brace", stiff with your knees

locked. It happens occasionally when standing at attention during a

parade and we were taught to "stand with your knees flexed just a

little bit".



And actually it was comparatively rare. I can remember only once that

someone in the formation I was in passed out. Unfortunately the parade

was held on the air base parking ramp and when the poor guy, standing

a few places away from me, passed out he fell, still at attention, and

his head hit the concrete ramp with a loud thump and he spent the next

week or so in the hospital with a fractured skull :-(


He should have been wearing his parade helmet. They are effective in preventing up to 87% of parade-related head injuries.

-- Jay Beattie.

On 12/20/2013 7:04 AM, Jay Beattie wrote:

snip

He should have been wearing his parade helmet. They are effective in preventing up to 87% of parade-related head injuries.

When I've seen the Segways used outdoors the rider is invariably wearing
a helmet.

I know that the Segway tours in San Francisco always have the customers
wear helmets.

Wes Groleau writes:

On 12-19-2013, 23:01, Frank Krygowski wrote:
I just couldn't see a point in owning one, unless a person was very
mobility-restricted.

Why would a person "very mobility-restricted" prefer a $5000 Segway to
a $500 electric wheelchair?

You would think they would want this Dean Kamens device:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBOT

I think that some of the development effort was actually shared with
the segway. Unfortunately it seems to have flopped commercially as
well.

The only group that has adopted the segway with any enthusiasm seems to
be cops, presumably because it makes them look like Dick Tracy, but
without being able to fly around.

--

On Friday, December 20, 2013 10:26:04 AM UTC-5, SMS wrote:
On 12/20/2013 7:04 AM, Jay Beattie wrote:

He should have been wearing his parade helmet. They are effective in preventing up to 87% of parade-related head injuries.

:-)

When I've seen the Segways used outdoors the rider is invariably wearing
a helmet.

I know that the Segway tours in San Francisco always have the customers
wear helmets.

Of course! People riding recumbent bikes, even those with their heads less than 3' from the ground, wear helmets. Advertising circulars generally show helmets even on kids riding plastic recumbent tricycles indoors.

Obviously, anything with wheels is terribly dangerous, and it's immoral to suggest that one can safely be on wheels without a helmet. And renting out wheels with no funny hat? That will get you sued!

Oh, except for the vehicle that causes far more serious brain injury than any other: the automobile. For that, we'll just pretend that seat belts and air bags have cured the problem. Pay no attention to data!

- Frank Krygowski