# I saw my first Segway! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 28, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495 "2005-07-28T00:59:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/1 "2005-07-28T00:59:53Z")
I first learned about these revolutionary personal transport thingies right here on the Dope, and giggled at the thought of anyone actually buying/using one, and today I saw one. The lady driving…er, standing…riding? The lady operating it was even cruising up a slight hill as we passed her, it appeared to have no problem with the incline or keeping her balanced. She was putting along about 5 mph maybe, although that might have been a slower pace because of the hill. I looked them up and there are three authorized dealers in the greater metro area here, who knew? It didn’t appear to be a test drive or advertisement in the making, no one was around her or filming her so people really buy those things, neato! Anyone else ever seen one in action? ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/2 "2005-07-28T01:14:51Z")
The only ones I’ve seen in action have belonged to dealers. (I’ve taken a couple of 30-second rides too 😃 ). The only other one I’ve seen was parked outside a store. I’d like to see more out there. I’d get one (assuming for the moment I could afford one), but I don’t want to be “that guy with the Segway”. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/3 "2005-07-28T01:19:35Z")
I saw my first last week. We were on vacation, in Arches National Monument, and a lady was at one of the overlooks in (on?) one. She was not moving, just standing, and the seqway was quietly inching back and forth to keep her balance. I thought it was marvelously cool. We didn’t take a pic, tho’ 'cause she was obviously mobility-impaired. I assumed it would be rude, so we just said hello, and went on to the overlook. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/4 "2005-07-28T01:22:25Z")
**Queen Tonya** where in Motown did you see this? I think they are the neatest thing evar ! ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/5 "2005-07-28T01:22:38Z")
I think a vastly superior personal transport device is the unicycle. I mean, they’re cheaper, and they help to build balancing abillity. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/6 "2005-07-28T01:24:13Z")
I saw one downtown some months ago. The guy looked like he was really moving down the sidewalk. It made me wonder if pedestrians find them annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/7 "2005-07-28T01:31:34Z")
I know a guy who used to commute down Bay Street through the financial district on a unicycle. I wish he wore a suit doing it. These were just average people going about their Segway-enhanced lives, not marketers raising the buzz or whatever? Last year I ran into a flock of marketers giving out info while riding Segways, but I haven’t seen any in normal day-to-day use around here. Perhaps theis is because their status as vehicles is still unclear in Toronto. I did find [this](http://tyler.blogware.com/blog/_archives/2005/4/25/618820.html) from April 25th: > [@](#): > > **Segway faces hurdles in Toronto** > > Robyn Reisler, founder and president of Segway of Ontario, is a little worried these days. He e-mailed me last week pointing out that the city’s pedestrian committee has voted to recommend to the city council Works Committee that Segway Human Transporters been banned from city sidewalks. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/8 "2005-07-28T01:42:07Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > **Queen Tonya** where in Motown did you see this? > > I think they are the neatest thing evar ! Westland, on Venoy heading to Mi Ave, rather a surprising area for an expensive toy like that. If you ever get one, or even think of heading to Somerset for a test-ride, do please let me know so’s I can come giggle at you, m’kay? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/9 "2005-07-28T02:37:56Z")
I saw Disneyworld employees on them a couple years ago when I was in the secret backstage place before a parade I was in. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to talk about it. ---
**Author:** ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/10 "2005-07-28T03:25:21Z")
Mobile security personnel at BWI Airport have them… it’s the only place I’ve actually seen them in use. The best part is the officers riding on them sort of look like if anything actually comes up, the first thing they’ll do will be get off the damn Segway and start moving with halfway useful speed and mobility. They’re one of those things that is pretty cool looking, but not particularly easy to look cool _on_. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/11 "2005-07-28T04:12:12Z")
Downtown Cleveland is crawling with them. One can take a test ride for about a half-hour for a fee. Or one can go on a sightseeing tour of Cleveland. An entire caravan of Segways led by a tourguide. ---
**Author:** ![SiouxChief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SiouxChief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiouxChief)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/12 "2005-07-28T04:39:36Z")
> [@ErinPuff](#): > > I saw Disneyworld employees on them a couple years ago when I was in the secret backstage place before a parade I was in. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to talk about it. I’m at Disney World this week, and coincidentally, today I saw a Disney worker riding a Segway. She was riding the Segway and pulled up to a refreshment cart, then stepped off to talk to another worker. I assumed that she was a manager of some sort, although she did have a name tag. The only other time I saw one was at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse in Cincinnati. We were leaving the restaurant, walking back to our car, and a woman was riding the Segway towards the restaurant. She was playful with it…she acted as if she was going to run us over, then turned at the last second. I would love to have one of those things, but there is absolutely no way I could justify the expense. (I’m still trying to figure out how I can justify a motorcycle!!) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/13 "2005-07-28T04:58:19Z")
I think they are neat, but the only practical use I can think for them would be to rent to tired tourists. Install a thingee so you can find them if they are stolen, another thingee to limit them to a certain area. Give me an imprint of your credit card and have a good time. I thought they would be useful in a warehouse or aircraft hangar. In fact bikes work just fine in those situations. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/14 "2005-07-28T05:39:13Z")
I’ve never seen one in real life, and the idea of actually buying and using one as everyday transport strikes me as ridiculous. You may as well have “I’m a twat” branded on your forehead. I think it’s perfectly appropriate that they will be forever associated in my mind with G.O.B. from _Arrested Development_. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/15 "2005-07-28T06:31:55Z")
I saw a flock\* of these things running along the footpath in downtown Salt Lake City once. Boy they looked weird all inclining along together, you felt like you should tilt your head accordingly in order to see them properly. - we need a better collective noun than this. A Continuity? An Inclination? Suggestions welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/16 "2005-07-28T08:52:59Z")
I saw one here in Prague two months ago. Guy toolin’ down the sidewalk talking on his mobile. There is a dealership here that also sells Sharper Image type stuff. -Tcat ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/17 "2005-07-28T12:01:15Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > - we need a better collective noun than this. A Continuity? An Inclination? Suggestions welcome. How 'bout… a melee of Segways. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/18 "2005-07-28T12:52:50Z")
I saw two kidss on them yesterday, standing there having a conversation. They looked pretty trippy just standing totall still and not falling over. I have a question. When you “park” the thing does it stand up by itself or do you need to lean it against something? If it parked standing full upright that would really trip me out. ---
**Author:** ![parthenokinesis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cc9497/32.png) [@parthenokinesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parthenokinesis)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/19 "2005-07-28T13:04:27Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > I saw a flock\* of these things running along the footpath in downtown Salt Lake City once. Boy they looked weird all inclining along together, you felt like you should tilt your head accordingly in order to see them properly. > > - we need a better collective noun than this. A Continuity? An Inclination? Suggestions welcome. Mmmn… how about a Montage? Ya know a bunch of segway’s all in a bunch, it’s gotta be a montage. Always fade out in a montage… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![krisolov](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krisolov/32/3724_2.png) [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495/20 "2005-07-28T13:06:50Z")
funny you mention this. I saw a cop in Annapolis riding one just last week. He was moving at a good clip, too. I have to say, it’s not exactly something that’s going to make a law enforcement officer look particularly bad ass. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-saw-my-first-segway/314495.md?page=2)