# Will the Segway ("Ginger") change the world as we know it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 3, 2001, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719 "2001-12-03T23:02:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![David\_Weman\_cdw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@David\_Weman\_cdw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Weman_cdw)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/1 "2001-12-03T23:02:42Z")
[http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,186660-1,00.html](http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,186660-1,00.html) [http://www.segway.com/](http://www.segway.com/) ---
**Author:** ![David\_Weman\_cdw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@David\_Weman\_cdw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Weman_cdw)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/2 "2001-12-03T23:04:34Z")
[http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,186660-1,00.html](http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,186660-1,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![David\_Weman\_cdw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@David\_Weman\_cdw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Weman_cdw)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/3 "2001-12-03T23:05:55Z")
You’ll have to copy the link into the location field evidently. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Weman\_cdw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@David\_Weman\_cdw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Weman_cdw)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/4 "2001-12-03T23:13:04Z")
The article doesn’t once mention global warning. In my opinion, What’s potentially revolutionary and world changing with the Segway is that it might stop people in developing nations from buying cars. ---
**Author:** ![Demosthenesian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Demosthenesian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demosthenesian)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/5 "2001-12-03T23:19:16Z")
well, **CDW** , the question arises of where the energy for the batteries comes from- electric power doesn’t eliminate the need for power generation, it merely concentrates it. Then again, that means that you can exploit a whole host of power technologies that just wouldn’t be economical for a car. It’ll do wonders for congestion if widely adopted, however, and I can see intra-city travel becoming a hell of a lot different as well. Travelling in a city in a car is usually a stop and go process that moves you quite a bit slower than the Segway would, and always raises the problem of parking. As a city dweller myself, I’d be quite content to use a Segway instead of a car for relatively short distances. ---
**Author:** ![Demosthenesian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Demosthenesian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demosthenesian)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/6 "2001-12-03T23:21:01Z")
Oh, and if that Time description is right: > [@](#): > > Just lean forward," Kamen commands, so I do, and instantly I start rolling across the concrete right at him. > > “Now, stop,” Kamen says. How? This thing has no brakes. “Just think about stopping.” Staring into the middle distance, I conjure an image of a red stop sign–and just like that, Ginger and I come to a halt. > > “Now think about backing up.” Once again, I follow instructions, and soon I glide in reverse to where I started. With a twist of the wrist, I pirouette in place, and no matter which way I lean or how hard, Ginger refuses to let me fall over. What’s going on here is all perfectly explicable–the machine is sensing and reacting to subtle shifts in my balance–but for the moment I am slack-jawed, baffled. It was Arthur C. Clarke who famously observed that “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” By that standard, Ginger is advanced indeed. It sounds like **FUN**. If they’re cheap enough, I have no doubt that kids will eat this stuff up. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/7 "2001-12-03T23:21:17Z")
Nope. It’s cool but not really revolutionary. In a previous thread I had said that it could have a huge impact if it was a substitute for scooters in the poor countries where they are used in huge numbers and cause lots of pollution. In its present state though it’s too slow and too expensive. It’s not a substitute for either a car or a scooter. It could have some useful applications for businesses but consumers aren’t going to buy it in huge quantities. If the technology improves over say ten years it could become big. ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/8 "2001-12-03T23:23:00Z")
Demo, The are 3,000 bucks hardly cheap enough to use just as a toy. If they could get it below 1000 it could be interesting but that will probably take a while. ---
**Author:** ![Demosthenesian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Demosthenesian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demosthenesian)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2001, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/9 "2001-12-03T23:33:13Z")
**Pundit** , I’m starting to get the feeling you’re following me around or something. 😉 Yeah, the price is the big hurdle, and I don’t think it’ll be widely adopted until that price goes down. There is a lot of hope for that possibility, though, as the amount of processing power in each Segway (described as “three PCs’ worth” by Time) might have a huge impact on the price and that’s one industry where the prices hurtle downward relatively quickly. I doubt it’ll ever cost $200, but if it becomes a ubiquitous business tool and if they can market it properly to city dwellers, Kamen’s stated goal of eliminating the necessity of cars as personal transporation in an urban environment is a distinct possibility. The Segway isn’t as fast as a car, but it does offer magnitudes better energy costs and ease of parking. ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/10 "2001-12-04T00:07:21Z")
How does it offer ease of parking? It seems like an awfully expensive thing to leave chained to a fencepost somewhere. Additionally, you’d probably need to buy a specialized chaining mechanism - from the pictures, it doesn’t look to me as though an ordinary bike lock would do the job. This thing seems great until I think about doing a grocery run with it. I only shop for myself, but I don’t think that I could carry two bags or groceries on it, and maybe not even one. I’d love to try one out, though. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/11 "2001-12-04T00:11:43Z")
When I saw the stills on the net this morning, I thought “is that all?”, but I have to admit that now I’ve seen video footage of it in action, it does look cool. It’s way too expensive and slow though; I won’t be buying one I think. ---
**Author:** ![GKW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@GKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GKW)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/12 "2001-12-04T01:07:10Z")
I think it could change the world, as they know it, for certain people. For people who have difficulty with mobility this could be a great improvement. Imagine how your attitude might change from being viewed by the world and viewing the world from a wheelchair to a standing perspective. You would be able to look people in the eyes instead of having them look down into yours. I’m assuming this could be adapted easily enough with some sort of straps like those used in a standing table. I heard that you can not fall down with this device - another plus. I haven’t seen it move across uneven surfaces, is that possible also? For the majority of the population I would think it’s just another toy. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/13 "2001-12-04T01:09:13Z")
From what I’ve seen of this thing, it looks neat-o, but not exactly practical. Sort of like a BMW Z3 roadster. It’s fine if you want to get from point A to point B, but if you want to, say, go shopping, you have nowhere to put your packages (although the Segway website mentions the ability to haul packages around; or rather it say it “gives people the strength to carry bags and parcels and the range to cover more ground”, whatever _that_ means). As such, it seems to be little more than an expensive toy/status symbol. Unless they can overcome this image, it’s not likely to revolutionize anything in itself (the technology used in the Segway may be put to more practical uses, however). As **GKW** says, though, it could prove to be very useful for mobility assistance. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/14 "2001-12-04T02:03:20Z")
Given all the hype and lofty, utopian praise that preceded ‘IT’, this thing is the silliest, stupidest, lamest, most laughable idea I have ever seen. I’m picturing a darkened room, Also Sprach Zarathustra playing on a PA, the curtain opens and ---- Oh, an electric scooter. How nice. This thing will change the world about as much as the Pet Rock, the CB radio, and rubik’s cube did. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/15 "2001-12-04T02:30:50Z")
Hey, I was expecting antigrav or better… It’s alright for what it is, but it easily could have been marketed in the same way as those “artificial intelligence” toys for kids and gotten little notice. It’s all in the marketing. I want one in hot pink. ---
**Author:** ![CRorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CRorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CRorex)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/16 "2001-12-04T02:57:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CDW \* > \*\*The article doesn’t once mention global warning. In my opinion, What’s potentially revolutionary and world changing with the Segway is that it might stop people in developing nations from buying cars. \*\* I’m trying to figure out where people in afganastan are going to find power outlets every 15 miles as they putt across the country? ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/17 "2001-12-04T03:03:59Z")
Oh, it will change the world – it will transfer traffic jams from the streets to the sidewalks. Kamen wants this toy to use “downtown sidewalks from Seattle to Shanghai.” (from the Time article). I suppose it might work for magic future cities; after all, they can mandate really wide sidewalks, or maybe an “IT only lane”. But then, I’m still waiting for my Captain Keds jet pack. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/18 "2001-12-04T03:32:32Z")
I’m trying to imagine this thing attempting to negotiate a curb. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/19 "2001-12-04T04:06:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GKW \* > **I think it could change the world, as they know it, for certain people. For people who have difficulty with mobility this could be a great improvement.** Many people who have difficulty with mobility won’t be able to pick the damned thing up. It weighs 80 pounds. It’s like trying to pick up four bicycles. The hype is incredible and the technology, as far as it goes, is really cool. But it’s just an electric scooter, and it’s no more useful than any other electric scooter. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719/20 "2001-12-04T04:19:01Z")
3 things immediately came to mind when thinking about this in terms of real transportation, as opposed to mere fun: 1. How do you carry anything? One of the best things about cars is that they carry stuff! So how do you go shopping? 2. Weather. Unless the weather is perfect, it’s a drag. Too cold or too hot. 3. Theft. 80 pounds is light if you are a theif and the damn thing is worth $3000. Any bicycle owner will tell you that. But it does sound fun. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-segway-ginger-change-the-world-as-we-know-it/96719.md?page=2)