DAY TWO of SegwayFest DC

[wwhopper]

What day is it? I can't seem to remember, there are people floating all over this city on funny wheeled devices..

Well today is Seminar Day! And YES Steve Kemper is in the house.... And he has been gliding about Washington DC along with the rest of the attendees, amazed at what he is seeing. Remember he has been out of the Segway community for almost 3 years now.

Well he has been welcomed home by the Owners and Users like a long lost friend.

The Director of DC's Department of Transportation opens the event today with a welcome to Washington DC to our attendees, and then it happens... You have heard about it.

Monster v/s Pimp v/s Paint - yes SegwayFest Smackdown of the customized Segways....

Then we lighten it up with information about what is being reported to the US government on Segways and how they are being planned into society for the future.

The boys from the LLC tech department then let folks know about products and other stuff that is happening up there in Bedford.

After that SEG America Executive Committee will speak to the membership about SEG America.

Then on to Demo's and Centaur rides, as well as an special class on repairs..

LLC's CEO & CTO will let everyone in on the latest (and word is the have some good news for us)

Today at SegwayFest DC will be a great one, come on out!

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
Come out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional SEG America Event - SegwayFest - DC Sept 23-25
http://www.segwayfest.com/dc.html
Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

[wwhopper]

MUCH MUCH happened today, still no one arrested, but we did have a lot of fun.

Mr. Hugger was again the star on the streets of DC, and in front of the white house with his HT extreme gliding.

Two great things came out of fesT in Washington.

Because we were listed as one of the big things going on, right up there with the war protest marches. Folks saw us on the street, and said "OH SEGWAYFEST!"

And the other was the Planner who works on pedestrian issues for many local and not so local governments. Had an HT to use all through fesT. Today he took his out during the protest marches, into the throngs of walkers. Glided against the flow and with the flow of walkers (not politcally) And came back and said....

It really makes no difference. A Segway is just the same as a pedestrian. "I have expereiced it first hand"

I asked him, "Now what will you say when a local governemnt calls to ask you about allowing Segways?" He said "They are not a problem. And since I am an often called on as an expert witness in these issues, I can now say for certain that Segways are not going to cause any more probelems than any other pedestrian...."

That is REAL Good News For US!

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
Come out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional SEG America Event - SegwayFest - DC Sept 23-25
http://www.segwayfest.com/dc.html
Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

[wwhopper]

Are you wondering, why are there no posts on SC about SegwayFest DC, other than mine....

Well it's not that no one came, we had about 80 attendees.

It is that they were never at the computers, they are always out gliding on the streets and sidewalks of DC. Like they are suppose to do.

When they get home, maybe they will share their experiences.

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
Come out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional SEG America Event - SegwayFest - DC Sept 23-25
http://www.segwayfest.com/dc.html
Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

[florin]

quote:
The boys from the LLC tech department then let folks know about products and other stuff that is happening up there in Bedford.

...

LLC's CEO & CTO will let everyone in on the latest (and word is the have some good news for us)


Hi Will,

Can you give us some more details about this? Or are you all now part of the segway brotherhood of keeping thing secret (in other words: ore did you folks have to sign NDAs)?


Kind regards,

Florin
The Glyding Dutchman

Visit the Segway Info (http://www.florin-webdesign.nl/segwayinfo/) website if you want to stay up-to-date on the situation about the Segway HT in the Netherlands.

[wwhopper]

I would love to tell you what they said.....

BUT - Since I was running the event, I was not able to really sit and listen to the seminars.

All I remember is that Norrod said in a few weeks they will no longer be an LLC, they will become full corporation...

I will let the folks who really did attend the seminars - all 80 of them, fill you in.

And just so you know, I (and I can only speak for myself) have not signed any NDA's with anyone.... And if you know me, you would know that if it comes in the ears - it goes out the mouth! So I could not sign anything, because I am one of those loose lips kind of folks.

One of the Segway engineers did JD's Yaw Pitch and Roll Dance... But that boy ain't got the rhymthm! And fesT would not be a fesT with out the Yaw Pitch and Roll Dance...

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
Come out to the Mid-Atlantic Regional SEG America Event - SegwayFest - DC Sept 23-25
http://www.segwayfest.com/dc.html
Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

[Brooster]

The ol' yaw, pitch and roll ... I remember that! If I'm not mistaken, at the engineering forum discussion in Chicago, we even asked for an encore. Good memories!

Brooster

[tpkanaley]

quote:Originally posted by florin

quote:
The boys from the LLC tech department then let folks know about products and other stuff that is happening up there in Bedford.
...
LLC's CEO & CTO will let everyone in on the latest (and word is the have some good news for us)

Hi Will,
Can you give us some more details about this? Or are you all now part of the segway brotherhood of keeping thing secret (in other words: ore did you folks have to sign NDAs)?
Kind regards,
Florin


Well, first and foremost, no NDAs were requested or signed, and all information given was given freely.

The session with the LLC geek squad (no offense, guys, said as a term of endearment) was fun and there were a host of questions. I did not come away from the session with any EUREKAs for what was coming as future enhancements though, -- however, they did seem interested in input. I did get the impression that some things they are thinking seriously about/looking into are:

* better security/locking mechanisms
* potential for LIOns for the p series--though that sounded far out
* fixing minor annoyances like the battery charging light placement
* giving dealers more capability to diagnose and fix problems--there is an expense issue there (software related)
* giving owners a USB port or something like it to be able to upload data to Segway or download data about distances travelled, etc. (also sounded pretty far out)

Some things we discussed included:

* breakaway/breakable kickstand--just a restatement of why they do break so easily--and I for one agree with their model
* rationale behind not having readouts galore on the CS
* the fact that if the worst thing people can complain about is a kickstand they muct've done something right...*smile*
* the various pitches at which an HT will shut down without warning (you basically have to be falling off a cliff!)
* the fact that 14.0 software doesn't have any "secret agenda" -- just the possibility for LIOn batteries and a no-shutdown option--which I had coded into a new KEY!! (PS, I have been riding on 14.0 for two days and notice NO CHANGE!)

During sessions with the CEO and CTO we learned that the European market is taking off and that the P series is VERY popular over there, so we will definitely not see the demise of the P, and to the contrary, maybe some new stuff.

All in all, great sessions, good rationale as to the "slow" acceptance and sales (I don't think its terribly slow!) ... but definitely happy news about the health of the company, new investments, eventual public status (sometime in the future), and a new FEDERAL SALES MANAGER!! YAY!! Hopefully a first order of business will be to get the Federal Gov't to okay Segway use INSIDE Federal buildings. :)

Tim