Seqway Welfare

[arcticpenguin]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54860-2003Feb23.html

Dean Kamen is hiring lobbyists and seeking government support for his Segway scooter.

Kamen, the multimillionaire creator of the futuristic vehicle, is lobbying the government to buy some of the self-balancing electric devices so U.S. Special Forces can scoot into battle and rangers can zip through national parks.

I don't think two-wheeled vehicles that require the driver to be in an upright, easy-to-target posture are what our special forces need.

Toohey said the Segway can traverse almost any terrain -- including desert sands -- and travel over land mines without detonating them.

Yeah, sure.

But Segway needs to crack the private sector to turn a big profit. The company has hired lobbyists in several states to push through laws classifying the Segway as a pedestrian vehicle, thus allowing it on sidewalks and bike paths. After state and local officials were treated to rides, 34 states passed such laws -- over the objection of some pedestrian advocacy groups. San Francisco has banned Segways on its sidewalks, the campaign's biggest setback.

Segway officials plan to lobby Congress to provide a tax credit to Segway owners. Under current law, people who buy vehicles that run on cleaner-burning fuels than gasoline get a tax deduction of as much as $2,000 for vehicles under 10,000 pounds . Kamen has said his pollution-free vehicle should qualify for at least a slice of the credit.

Company officials also are asking members of the House and Senate transportation committees to fund pilot projects in Chicago and elsewhere to build Segway-friendly trails.

It sounds like bad news for Segway if the product won't sell itself without government intervention.

[Doubt]

The Segway is a solution looking for a problem.

Almost anything you can do with a Segway can be done cheaper with a bicycle.

[Occasional Chemist]

"One of the reasons Dean moved to New Hampshire was he loved the 'live free or die' motto. Keep government out," said Brian Toohey, a vice president at Kamen's company. "But to make this technology widely available, we need government help."


My irony-meter just exploded.

Having seen the Segway in action at Disney World, I'd say that there are several reasons they aren't selling.


There's not a place to ride 'em.
There's not a place to park 'em.
They cost as much as a used car ($5000) when they're comparable in usefulness to bikes.
They only go about 12 mph.

[arcticpenguin]

I think it's interesting that the guvmint strings they are trying to pull are members of the Republican party. Aren't they supposed to believe in the free market?

[Psiload]

Kamen, the multimillionaire creator of the futuristic vehicle, is lobbying the government to buy some of the self-balancing electric devices so U.S. Special Forces can scoot into battle and rangers can zip through national parks.
Tell ya' what, Dean... If you can personally convince a squad of Green Berets, SEALs, etc... to ride one of your cutesy little 12 mph scooters into battle. Then sure, we'll pass a law that requires that there be one in every garage.

'kay?

[Crossbow]

This sort of thing happens all the time with guys like Dean K.

They are clever,
They are creative,
They develop a product that is really cool,
However, because the product is so new, development costs were so high, and no real marketing research was done,
They end up with a product which has few practical uses and is very expensive.

Ugh!

I figured these problems would soon develop when I saw an interview with Dean and he was saying that the product would be used on sidewalks like bicycles.

Well, I guess he never noticed that bicycles are treated as vehicles and as such they have to be operated on the road with other motorized vehicles.

Also, just about every city in the country has rules that state sidewalks are strictly for pedestrian traffic, and while there are some exceptions made for things like wheel-chairs, they forbid things like bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, etc. from being operated on the sidewalk because they are a hazard to the pedestrians.

Anyway, this reminds me of the recent case where that one fellow who developed a personal helicopter that he was selling on Ebay for $500K and was wondering why nobody was buying them!

Again, I suppose he failed to notice that if one really needed something that could fly, then for that much money one could buy a new four-seat helicopter or new four-seat airplane that would be much more practical than the device he is selling.

[Ladewig]

They only go about 12 mph..
....on level ground.

[Samus]

Originally posted by Doubt
Almost anything you can do with a Segway can be done cheaper with a bicycle. Perhaps, but with a bicycle you have to use your legs. It's not for fat, lazy Americans! We need a wheeled mechanism that allows us to move without effort. Just like we need a recliner with a toilet seat, thus reducing our need to stand. :)

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by dwb
Perhaps, but with a bicycle you have to use your legs. It's not for fat, lazy Americans! We need a wheeled mechanism that allows us to move without effort. Just like we need a recliner with a toilet seat, thus reducing our need to stand. :)
We expect you'll be unavailable for the rest of the day as you rush to the patent office with that one. :)

[Psiload]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin

We expect you'll be unavailable for the rest of the day as you rush to the patent office with that one. :)
Don't bother...
http://www.networksplus.net/aledarich/movingJohn.gif It's been done.

[Occasional Chemist]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
I don't think two-wheeled vehicles that require the driver to be in an upright, easy-to-target posture are what our special forces need.

Perhaps Kamen thinks that the enemy will be doubled over from laughter and will be unable to shoot?

[Reginald]

Now that should have a "dead mans" handle. That would remove that fear of being found dead on the toilet.

[Doubt]

Originally posted by dwb
Perhaps, but with a bicycle you have to use your legs. It's not for fat, lazy Americans! We need a wheeled mechanism that allows us to move without effort. Just like we need a recliner with a toilet seat, thus reducing our need to stand. :)

Standing still on a platform for more than a few minutes is much harder than sitting on a bicycle and peddling. Standing still leads to lower back pain that is much worse than sore legs.

But I am biased. I own four bicycles. Their total cost when new is still less than one Segway. No recharge time needed. Just eating time, which is much more fun.

Also, max range on a Segway is 15 miles. Max range of a bicycle depends on how much you eat.

[Occasional Chemist]

Originally posted by Crossbow

They are clever,
They are creative,
They develop a product that is really cool,
However, because the product is so new, development costs were so high, and no real marketing research was done,
They end up with a product which has few practical uses and is very expensive.


Hit the nail right on the head. Sure, the Segway is cool. Sure, it does some things that your run-of-the-mill electric scooter doesn't, but you can buy a dozen or so electric scooters for the price of a single Segway. (http://www.fast-electric-scooter.com/scooters/x360_electric_scooter.shtml)

I'm still not sure what I, living about ten miles away from my job, am supposed to do with a Segway. Put it in the back of my Jeep? :)

[HarryKeogh]

a big complaint of Segway users in the Post Office (i think it was Boston) is that when youre not moving your arms and legs you tend to get very cold. one postal worker said he felt like a popsicle. I think it's best use would be in a large warehouse environment.

i would be petrified of getting jumped on the street for my $3500 segway.

that said I think Kamen is a genius who uses his knowledge to better mankind while making a buck. tons of charitable donations, medical innovations, very cool.

[shuize]

Is this what all the "Ginger" fuss was about? If so, I am disappointed.

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by shuize
Is this what all the "Ginger" fuss was about? If so, I am disappointed.
That's it.

[Plutarck]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
I think it's interesting that the guvmint strings they are trying to pull are members of the Republican party. Aren't they supposed to believe in the free market?

The opperative word is "supposed". They are supposed to be for free trade, too. Steel tariffs and The Farm Bill, anyone?

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
It sounds like bad news for Segway if the product won't sell itself without government intervention.

Sort of like mass transit, eh????

[Regnad Kcin]

Originally posted by Occasional Chemist
Having seen the Segway in action at Disney World, I'd say that there are several reasons they aren't selling.


There's not a place to ride 'em.
There's not a place to park 'em.
They cost as much as a used car ($5000) when they're comparable in usefulness to bikes.
They only go about 12 mph.
You left one out: They make a user look like a weenie.

[Solitaire]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin
I think it's interesting that the guvmint strings they are trying to pull are members of the Republican party. Aren't they supposed to believe in the free market?
Um, no. Libertarians believe in the free market thing.
Republicans are about big business and big 'govmint'.
:)

[dsm]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin

I don't think two-wheeled vehicles that require the driver to be in an upright, easy-to-target posture are what our special forces need.


However, outfitted correctly, they might make an interesting RPV (remotely pilotted vehicle). With a chain-gun attachment and it's self-righting mechanism, they could continually fire while on the move.

:D

[HarryKeogh]

Originally posted by Regnad Kcin
You left one out: They make a user look like a weenie.

man, i wish i said that.

[Plutarck]

Originally posted by HarryKeogh


man, i wish i said that.

Man, I wish I said that.

:p

[arcticpenguin]

Originally posted by dsm

However, outfitted correctly, they might make an interesting RPV (remotely pilotted vehicle). With a chain-gun attachment and it's self-righting mechanism, they could continually fire while on the move.
:D
Seriously,
covering rough terrain and firing on the go, 3 or 4 wheels would be better than two.

[Plutarck]

Originally posted by arcticpenguin

Seriously,
covering rough terrain and firing on the go, 3 or 4 wheels would be better than two.

Why not use his 6-wheeled wheel chair?

[a_unique_person]

how about this?

http://images.southparkstudios.com/img/content/season5/511.gif

Episode 511:
The Entity
Original Air Date: 11-21-2001
Frustrated with long lines at the airport, Mr. Garrison (Herbert to his friends) invents a new mode of transportation that’s “extra enjoyable” for roughly 10 percent of the population.

[Douglas]

This is interesting.

http://www.dself.demon.co.uk/motorwhl/motorwhl.htm#mclv8

Check out that awesome V-8 monowheel.

[SortingItAllOut]

Originally posted by Douglas
This is interesting.

http://www.dself.demon.co.uk/motorwhl/motorwhl.htm#mclv8

Check out that awesome V-8 monowheel.

Cool link!

Take care,
Sort:)