Have you seen or ridden a Segway Human Transporter? (Click here to see a picture.) The two-wheeled invention has been on the market for four years, but it still remains a head-turner. When it debuted it made the rounds on the network morning shows and we all laughed watching the anchors glide around on them. (Actually, my job at a local television station afforded me the same opportunity–my one and only ride on a Segway–but I digress.)
Back then; many regarded the Segway as the ultimate “Neiman-Marcus” gift idea. Meaning it was seen as a toy for the rich… or those people who were too lazy to walk or too embarrassed to ride a LARK. What many people failed to realize was that the Segway’s roots began in the U.S. military. The person who invented the Human Transporter utilized gyroscopic technology developed for the U.S. military as the base for his model. The Segway runs on electricity and allows a rider to travel about 24 miles and a top speed of 12 miles per hour.
During my experience operating one I doubt I exceeded speeds half of what it was capable of (then again I was riding in the TV station’s parking lot, which wasn’t that large to begin with). Segways are fairly simple to operate—lean forward and the unit moves forward. Lean back and the Segway brakes. Turns are accomplished by twisting a grip on the Segway’s left side. Like, I said, it is simple to use and once you get the hang of it, you don’t want to get off (at least I didn’t).
I’ve heard the newest Segway model, the i2, is even easier to ride. Released in August, it uses “LeanSteer” technology, which allows a rider to turn by simply leaning in the direction he or she desires to go. In addition, the x2 works on the sand, curbs, trails, and it even does stairs. Many Segway enthusiasts consider it as “a real off-road machine.”
Some states categorize the Segway Human Transporter as an assisted-mobility device (hence my reference to the LARK earlier in this blog), making it the equivalent of an electric wheelchair in the eyes of the law. Speaking of the law, many police stations around the country have fleets of Segways, which officers use to patrol high traffic areas. Each Segway retails for about $5,000. You can lean more about the device by clicking here.
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