# Those Darn Segways! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 8, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926 "2003-05-08T17:19:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/1 "2003-05-08T17:19:19Z")
Boy, those [Segway Scooters](http://www.casenet.com/music/music.html) sure have taken the world by storm! I always thought that they’d never live up to the hype, but, boy was I wrong! Actually, I saw one scooting down the sidewalk the other day (Overland Avenue in West Los Angeles), and, I admit, was impressed. I would love one, and in Los Angeles, the sidewalks don’t seem to be used for any other purpose, so a Segway would be great. Unfortunately, at $5,000 a pop, I guess I won’t be getting one any time soon. Have any Dopers bought one of these things? Do you know anyone that has? Have you ridden one? What do/did you think of it? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/2 "2003-05-08T17:28:17Z")
You keep using that link… I do not think it means what you think it does… ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/3 "2003-05-08T18:24:30Z")
Looked like a bunch of fun clubs, but I didn’t see a scooter in any of the pictures. We’ve been had! ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/4 "2003-05-08T19:20:27Z")
He! Pardon my link! (damn, sorta takes the fun out of it, don’t it). Well, if you don’t know what a Segway is, go here: [here](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00007EPJ6/qid=1052420504/sr=45-1/ref=sr_45_1_/103-6190523-2812658) ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2003, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/5 "2003-05-08T22:14:19Z")
Darn those segues! ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/6 "2003-05-09T06:58:26Z")
Sorry, but I think they’re LAME. $5K to just “run” quickly with a very short range? I can buy about 5 motorcycles for that!! And I remember the inventor or someone saying that getting hit by a Segway rider would only like being hit by someone running. Doesn’t that suck pretty bad anyway? Let’s also mention that the “running” person is carrying another 60 or so pounds. Ouch. Oh, and how do I carry it upstairs like I can my 25 pound bike? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/7 "2003-05-09T12:44:49Z")
I’d get one in a heartbeat if I had the spare cash. They’re awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/8 "2003-05-09T12:53:22Z")
That’s all this country needs, another reason not to walk short distances. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/9 "2003-05-09T13:17:54Z")
Speaking of Segways, I’m thinking of buying a new car. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/10 "2003-05-09T15:28:52Z")
I love that new car smell. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/11 "2003-05-09T17:41:47Z")
Yeah, seriously **Amp**. Just walk people, it’s not that hard. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/12 "2003-05-09T17:57:58Z")
Could I outrun one? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/13 "2003-05-09T18:01:11Z")
We should be thankful they cost $5,000. Imagine if they were more like, say, $100. _Everyone_ would run out and buy one. And then jurisdictions the world over would install legislation banning them from the sidewalks, which would put them all into traffic, which would cause perhaps far more accidents and generally reduce traffic safety. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/14 "2003-05-09T18:10:25Z")
The only one I’ve seen in use was at Disney World. (actually Epoct) If you worked in some huge spread out place like that I could see using one. I wanted to stop the lady riding it and ask her to run over my foot to see if you really don’t feel it, but I was too far from her. **World Eater** Outrun? Yes. Outlast? Probably not. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/15 "2003-05-09T18:57:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*We should be thankful they cost $5,000. \*\* You have brightened my day, dantheman. Thanks! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/16 "2003-05-09T19:46:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*We should be thankful they cost $5,000. Imagine if they were more like, say, $100. _Everyone_ would run out and buy one. And then jurisdictions the world over would install legislation banning them from the sidewalks, which would put them all into traffic, which would cause perhaps far more accidents and generally reduce traffic safety. \*\* They have been banned from the sidewalks in San Francisco. Of course, bicycles, kick scooters and those spawn of the devil scooters powered by shrieking 2-stroke engines that you can hear three blocks away are already banned from the sidewalks and nobody bothers chasing them off. It will be interesting to see if enforcement of the Segway ban is stronger than the bicycle/scooter ban on the assumption that Segway riders will have more money to be able to pay the fines. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/17 "2003-05-09T21:00:17Z")
I was so pissed off when I saw what it finally was. Here this guy is insuating that he invented a device that will revolutionize the planet…instead we get a $5,000 scooter. Where is my flying car for god’s sake? Isn’t it 2003 now? ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/18 "2003-05-09T22:05:44Z")
Every right-thinking person realizes that the Segways are prototypes for the next-generation mobility platforms to be used by Sony [Asimos](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=125199) during their death raids. (Where’s the tin-foil smilie when I need him?) ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/19 "2003-05-09T22:08:37Z")
Hey, I’d love one. I don’t have a car, and I frequently walk distances that are just a bit out of walking distance range. Many of the places I go are two to four miles from my house. Sometimes I end up walking eight miles in a single day just running errands and visiting friends. I never got the hang of lugging a bike around with me everywhere I go, especially if I end up wanting to catch a bus home. But a segway would fit on the bus just fine. Plus I gather that a Segway would be reasonable to take into most retail establishments, so I wouldn’t have to worry about locking it up outside. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926/20 "2003-05-10T01:25:35Z")
[ul]😃 [sup] **I think I’ll wait for Segway IV** [/sup][/ul] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-darn-segways/173926.md?page=2)