(My Personal Opinion): From all that I have read concerning an invention by Dean Kamen, the Segway Transporter is an ingenious device, and as far as performance goes, it does almost/exactly what he says it will do, if you overlook the fact that it is an ATTENTION-GETTING oddly shaped device intended to be used in places where it should be outlawed--on the sidewalks of America. Yes, according to the reports of those who have tried it, or used it for any period of time, it is an interesting two-wheeled (side-by-side) scooter-like device, the ingenuity of which is intriguing, but beyond that, what is it?
And that's all it is, a scooter, simply a scooter with a fancy name to make it appear that it's something else. No matter what the inventor wishes to call it, it is a scooter with a different type motor for propulsion, and since the wheels are side by side instead of front and rear, it needs a gyroscope and computer in order to help balance the rider and keep the both of them upright.
Platform scooters are the only form of transpoortation (a typo, but a hell of a good pun) on which the rider must constantly stand, unless you count crowded subway cars or buses, and then you have straps and rails to hang onto.
If it wasn't for the fact that the two wheels are side-by-side, it would sell for a few hundred dollars instead of the thousands that's the current price ticket.
If it weren't for the fact that the two wheels are side-by-side, it would not need a gyroscope to maintain balance for the rider, and expensive computers inside to make adjustments for them as they speed along the sidewalks of the nation, the human rider would keep it upright with his natural sense of balance.
If it were not for the fact that the two wheels are side-by-side, they could probably put a seat on it, so that the rider would not have to constantly stand while this ultra-expensive-thing-a-ma-jig and rich-kid's toy (which is what it will end up being) is in motion.
If it were not for the fact that the two wheels are side-by-side, you could probably zip around the streets on it at 20 or 30 miles an hour, instead of being limited to speeds "up to 12.5 miles" an hour.
If it weren't for the fact that the two wheels are side-by-side, the Inventor would not need to have his high-powered highly paid lobbyists brow-beat, finagle or seduce (and who knows what else) the legislators of 24 states to pass special laws for the benefit of just one man, Dean Kamen, and a single invention, his highly priced scooter (called the Segway Transporter), so that it could be used on sidewalks instead of the streets where it belongs.
T he
size of the tire below is like that of a small, but powerful
machine, and that's what we have running on the sidewalks with a
Segway scooter, a machine that should not be on sidewalks
anywhere. That the legislators in 26 states showed such
stupidity (well, the ones who voted Aye anyway) in passing laws
allowing the use of them in pedestrian areas is shameful.
This tire is almost military in appearance, and if it strikes a pedestrian, or a youngster on a toy bike, the consequences could be tragic. Luckily, there seems to have been no rush by the public to adopt them on a mass basis, otherwise we'd have pandemonium in the cities. It is a rich man's toy, and like royalty of old they can tool along in grand style, waving to an adoring public. Dean Kamen's brilliance has brought about a club of enthusiasts with their own newsletter so that they can share experiences as they scooter around the world, visiting Paris, London, Moscow, and taking pictures of each other with Big Ben or the Eiffel tower in the background. They'll be following elephant herds in Africa, discovering tourmaline mines in Brazil, crossing the Outback in Australia, cameras in hand with their dutiful wives trailing behind carrying a few water-bottles strapped over their shoulders, ready in take a photograph at any moment. But, they don't belong on sidewalks in any city in the U.S. |
These special laws are endangering pedestrians, especially small children, the elderly, infirm, and the handicapped, laws that have been created for the sole benefit and enrichment of a single person, Dean Kamen.
If it were not for the fact that the two wheels are side-by-side, one would not pay any particular attention to it. It would be the same as any other scooter and relegated to the streets, as this one should be, and it would not be granted the special privilege of being allowed on the sidewalks. The sidewalk is where it definitely does not belong, no matter how many foolish politicians Kamen and his crew bamboozled on his trip around the country.
Who will insure it? Who is financially responsible if someone is seriously injured while one of these fancy toys is racing down the sidewalk at 10 to 12.5 m.p.h., with some fourteen year-old kid riding it? Isn't it risky for the legislators to grant special permission through legislation to a personable, but perhaps a bit nutty, inventor*, without thoroughly testing it, or consulting the city councils around their state to get their input?
Was there any reason to rush through such Laws before we had time to investigate the safety issues and give the matter proper consideration, with hearings and testimony from concerned citizens, as definitely should have been done? Don't we have enough problems with sidewalk safety because of roller-blades, razor scooters, BMC bicycles and skateboards, without adding a 65 to 100 lb. "up to 12.5 miles an hour" side-by-side two-wheeled motorized scooter, costing up to $8,000, to the mix?
These were poor decisions, poor choices, poor judgment, poor policies by State Legislators to give anyone or any company such an advantage, hence the typo, trans-poor-ter, seems an apt name for it.
I wonder, in-as-much as Dean Kamen personally traveled the country to encourage passge of special laws for the operation of these oddities on sidewalks, if his company also bears a liability if they are using the sidewalks and cause injuries to pedestrians? It's like the CEO of Ford Motor Co. seeking higher speed limits on State roads exclusively for Ford vehicles. The loonies who voted for Dean Kamen's special exemption should be cashiered from their legislative jobs. They betrayed their constituentcies.
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION: I recommend that a Congressional Committee look into the question of: How can one man gain so much influence so rapidly that he get more than 30 State Legislatures to pass a law for his/company's special benefit? There was no emergency situation that called for it, no proof that the Sledge-weight scooter was of any particular benefit to all mankind, no fair trial safety records offered, and absolutely no reason to circumvent cities and counties in the regulation of what is and what is not good for the protection of pedestrians on their sidewalks.
The
photo to the right was taken in Solvang, California, early in March
2008, the official date of my first sighting of a Segway when I had my
own digital camera in hand. You'll note that this odd piece of
equipment for the transportation of a single human being, or possibly a
chimpanzee, takes up about one third of the sidewalk. Four or five
of them scooting around would part the waves of tourists strolling
along. Often in Solvang on weekends, the sidewalks are packed, and then
you spot WHAT?
Of course the rider appears more like a huge Storm-trooper coming towards you. Again, they simply do not belong on the sidewalk, they look ungainly but intimidating. I'm sure that using them in the streets would be extremely dangerous for the plucky fellow steering it, but it is better to protect the pedestrians rather than the Members of this Exclusive Club of rich dilatants, but that's the market that Kamen must pander to in order to market his product.
Skateboards, rollerblades, scooters and other such devices are considered a nuisance and dangerous to pedestrians, and the Segway scooter belongs in the same category.
Should you have stories about accidents, injuries or other items of interest concerning the Segway, please send them to: Purser128@gmail.com . Well, even if you have a picture you encountered on an elephant trail in central Africa, I'll post it. They should be relegated to such areas, where they won't be dangerous to others. Or, perhaps a rider on a Segway trying to outrun a pride of lions somewhere in the bush!
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Where will Dean Kamen fly next in his personal jet to have special laws passed, just for his own, his sole personal financial benefit alone? Germany? Italy? England? I doubt if they will be just as foolish and inconsiderate over there and to do what America's State Senators and Representatives have done to us! This was a dangerous precedent to set, one that I do not believe has ever been granted to a single other person in the history of this country. iT WAS MONEY AND MONEY ALONE THAT ENABLED DEAN KAMEN TO EFFECTIVELY CIRCUMVENT NORMAL PROCEDURES AND HAVE SPECIAL LAWS ENACTED FOR HIS and his company's SOLE BENEFIT. This might potentially be called the most highly dangerous toy on the sidewalks today, in 26 States, of course. |
| Copyright © 2006 Howard's Views.
All Rights Reserved. Copyright
2007 |
COMPARED TO THE
SLEDGE-WEIGHT** SCOOTER, A BICYCLE IS THE PERFECT PEOPLE-MOVER OR
TRANSPORTER, FAR MORE BENEFICIAL, MANEUVERABLE, FUEL-CONSERVING,
LESS-DANGEROUS, LESS-COSTLY, MORE CONTROLLABLE AND FAR BETTER TESTED AND
SAFE FOR ALL CONCERNED. PLUS, IT DOES NOT NEED SPECIAL LAWS AND PRIVILEGES
THAT BENEFIT AND ENRICH SOLELY ONE CITIZEN IN A NATION OF 290 MILLION
CITIZENS.
THESE SEPCIAL PRIVILEGES SHOULD BE REVOKED AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE; THEY ARE NEITHER FAIR NOR WERE THEY NECESSARY, AND DEMONSTRABLY
A BAD EXAMPLE FOR OUR HISTORICAL LEGISLATIVE PROCESSES. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE
GRANTED SPECIAL PRIVILEGES TO A SINGLE CITIZEN TO THE DETRIMENT OF ALL
OTHERS.
SEE MY TAPED TV PRESENTATION ON THIS MATTER.
HELL, YOU CAN
BUY A USED BICYCLE FOR LESS THAN $100 AND BEAT THE SLEDGE-WEIGHT
TRANSPOORTER IN EVERY DEPARTMENT, SAFETY, COST AND EASE OF OPERATION,
MANEUVERABILITY, NO LENGTHY CHARGE-UPS, IF IT RUNS OUT OF POWER YOU WON'T
GO FLAT ON YOUR FACE AND YOU'LL GET DAILY EXERCISE. AND, OH YES, YOU WON'T
NEED TO BAMBOOZLE THE STATE CAPITOLS TO GRANT YOU SPECIAL "RICH BOY"
PRIVILEGES!