Your strangest encounter [Archive]

stedler

11-29-2005, 02:15 PM

Picked up my HT 180 last Wednesday, but didn't get to really ride it until yesterday. Boy do you meet a lot of people on one of these. People in cars, on motorcycles, pedestrians, the odd traffic accident victim, and every single kid in the entire neighborhood.

I'm just getting started on this thing so the strangest encounter I've had was actually not while riding the thing, but while carrying it on the Segway Hauler Hitch. An older gentleman was filling up his car at the pump behind me and he was way to heavy for a segway and he was begging me to let him ride it, and the more he begged the more and more people started to come around to see what was on the back of my truck.

Everybody sound off with their strangest encounters.

"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."
Berke Breathed

Sal

11-29-2005, 04:20 PM

Stedler,

The more you glide the more chances you'll have of topping that one.

I haven't really had that many "strange" encounters, but I have had the pleasure of witnessing people with the strangest looks on their faces! it's hilarious!

-Sal

___________
I considered atheism, but there were too few holidays

Segway Chat Member since July 2003
Segway Owner since August 2003

voiceguy

11-29-2005, 06:03 PM

I was gliding in the Hollywood Hills recently and ran into the great 50s Sci-Fi movie director and screenwriter Ib Melchoir and his spunky wife (didn't catch her name).

I was admiring their classic car -- just pulling in to a driveway -- and the woman (wife of Ib) shouted out "Oooh, a Segway! and wanted to check it out... Ib is 88 and she must be 75+.

Needlass to say, she got a demo (Ib was not quite up to it) and we all had a cool conversation.

I was a big fan of one of the movies Ib wrote -- "Robinson Caruso on Mars" -- so meeting this guy very cool indeed...

for anyone interested, Here is the link to Ib's credits

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0577477/

ASR -- An Actor who can glide and chew gum at the same time

"Every journey of a thousand feet ... begins with but a single lean forward..."

Tarkus

11-29-2005, 06:54 PM

10 foot gator. Nothing anyone says can bother me after that .

JaredHT

11-29-2005, 06:58 PM

quote:Tarkus
10 foot gator. Nothing anyone says can bother me after that .

LOL, unless you run into a 15 footer!

Peace,

JaredHT
Jared M. Cavalier

Segway of Ohio
Ohio's [u]FIRST</u> and [u]ONLY</u> Segway Exclusive Dealer!
330.535.2200 (office)
330.903.4100 (cell)

Ohio's Largest Inventory of Segways and Segway Accessories!
[/:)][/:)][/:)][/:)][/:)]

byrd

11-29-2005, 09:52 PM

I don't own a Segway (yet) but I do demonstrate it as a volunteer working for The Science Place museum in Dallas.

One afternoon, they let me teach the general public -- anyone who wanted to come up and test ride the machine for 3 minutes could do so. It was a great deal of fun to teach an 85 year old man how to ride it (he had the best balance of anyone in his family!)... but the most delightful experience was when a woman teacher at an Islamic girl's school approached and asked for a ride. I showed her the ropes and there she was, 35 seconds later, dressed in the long dark dress and headscarf, scooting around the demo area and grinning.

I laughed just to see her delight.

wwhopper

11-29-2005, 11:21 PM

Being pulled over by a cop on a major DC throughfare. Because he "just loved Dean Kamen" - "Well not loved him" he was very funny - he wanted me to know he was not in love with Dean just loved what Dean invented. I told him I totally understood, and offered him a demo, he could not because he was on duty. He said he did not know the laws for Segway use, but that I should always wear a helmet. - I was not wearing one, but I did tell him the DC Segway laws, and offered him a demo anytime he wanted one.

The other one was when a little old lady stopped me and knew all about the Segway - I left her and a block away I ran into a Transvestite, who also knew all about the Segway. While we were talking, the little old lady came by and said "Now I know why you have that - so you can talk to all the pretty girls" and went on her way...

There was nothing to say at that point!

Then there was the day I almost ran over Ralph Nader when he came around a blind corner. Thankfully nothing happened - an no book has been produced from that encounter!

Every Glide you run into someone new or something interesting.

Will W Hopper
DCSEG Member
SEG America
The Premier Gliding Organization!
http://www.SEGAmerica.org
Washington DC - The Most Segway Friendly City in America!

luckie

11-29-2005, 11:27 PM

Wow... well, a couple weeks ago, there was this very nice skateboarder dude on a long street board, who really really begged me to let him ride it. I finally gave in, and I was going to let him just take over for me and leave it on Red Key but thought better of it.

That was a good decision.

As soon as he was on it, he looked at me and said "I'll be back in a little while" and he tried to zoom off to spin around the town. The black key mode didn't play along and I said "dude, you're on black key, that ain't going to happen."

Doug :)

----
Douglas B. Luckie, Ph.D.
Cystic Fibrosis Research Lab
Department of Physiology and Lyman Briggs School of Science
Michigan State University
http://surf.to/msucf
http://35.9.122.184/blinky.gif

X-man

11-30-2005, 01:11 AM

A four foot gopher snake. I thought it was a piece of rope across the trail I was on. Proved to be alive after I ran over it, turned around and watched it slither of the trail.
I am now in the processs of having my cataracts removed.

Bob.

To repeat what others have said requires education; to appropriately challenge what others have said, requires brains.

Desert_Seg

11-30-2005, 01:40 AM

I really haven't had any strange encounters....oh, I've met some really strange people and seen some really strange things (funny how life looks so different when you are gliding) but strange encounters, not really.

Funny thing is that after 1 year I still get the stares, still get the "what is that?" look, still get the subtle and not so subtle hints asking for a glide, and still get the idiots who try to get on it while it is parked.

So Stedler, get used to a new phase in your life...that of a Segway Owner.

Steven

--- EAMUS CATULI! ---

No person is truly useless. They may always serve as a bad example!

KSagal

11-30-2005, 03:02 AM

I have had many strange encounters. Many of them have been at segfests. It is an interesting and diverse group that glides...

Of all those that have been my strange encounters, they had a strange encounter as well. They met me.

Karl Ian Sagal

Each road you travel should be just a bit better for having had you pass.

n1das

12-01-2005, 12:17 AM

SKUNK! Encountered one head on with its tail up and at point blank range during a night glide.
Glad I was able to turn quickly on the red key!

David Sterrett, N1DAS
Nashua, NH
Midnight Blue i170

Dragan

12-01-2005, 02:08 AM

The oddest experience I've had was delivering a machine to a new customer's home. He was adamant he didn't want an orientation; he said
he understood things better by reading the manuals. He had me turn the machine on, the proceeded to very awkwardly climb up on it, facing backwards. No , I have no idea what he was thinking...

After we sorted out the correct riding position for him, he told us he had decided to call the Segway "Matilda" after the old song "Waltzing Matilda". He then put said song, on a 78rpm record, on his turntable, cranked the volume up, and we stood there watching in awe as he sang (and danced) through the entire ditty, all for our benefit.

I couldn't help thinking about that old saying " if you meet a crazy person, just smile and back away"
Wayne

Segway of Alberta - Calgary
www.mysegway.ca

Cyrus

12-01-2005, 03:52 AM

I have only rented Segways, but I have had some...lets say "different" encounters. Everytime we half to cross the street(we alwayse make sure we have the right-of-way) Somehow, a car tries turning even though we are already going. The people in the cae ALWAYSE give infuriated looks. The last time i was on a segway was last sunday, and I thought it was very funny to see a little boy walkinig with his dad SCREAMING , "DADDY LOOK!!! SEGWAY SEGWAY...3 OF EM' DADDY!! I WANT ONE!!!!" as we glided past!

I am hopefully opening a dealership in my area!

ElectraGlide

12-01-2005, 09:58 PM

I had one I wrote here awhile ago. A frail little ole lady was on the sidewalk, and as I approached her she let loose with the loudest screaming cursing you ever heard " Jesus D*mn you to H*ll ! " , "You son of a B*^ch" , D*mn you to h^ll" over and over it never ended as I was continuing on and she had crossed the street and continued screaming. I cant remember all the awful things she had said, and anyway I didnt want to stick around for more of it!!
It really shook me up because it was a complete surprise and shock from this "sweet little ole lady"....I've never seen her in the area before, and have not since, and I actually felt sorry for her because she must be suffering from some mental illness or disorder associated with her advanced age.

Steve

Sal

12-01-2005, 10:02 PM

I remember when I was in NYC a while back, and an elderly woman, obviously a woman with a mental problem, who was at least three feet to my left, as we were both moving at a slow walker's pace said to me and everyone around us: "That man is taking my leg away, you're taking my leg away!"

It was both funny and creepy!

-Sal

___________
I considered atheism, but there were too few holidays

Segway Chat Member since July 2003
Segway Owner since August 2003

mrleisure

12-01-2005, 10:28 PM

Riding down the sidewalk along a busy city boulevard. A police cruiser pulls alongside and slows to match my speed. The blue lights come on. I look over and the officer eyes me suspiciously. I neither slow down, or stop. He reaches for his microphone and addresses me through his loudspeaker at great volume:

"Hey you- how much does one of those things cost?"

http://www.wingnut.com/images/redkey-web-logo-100px.gif (http://www.theredkey.net)

voiceguy

12-01-2005, 11:10 PM

Mr Leisure:

Thanks for that ... I was indeed LMAO!

ASR -- An Actor who can glide and chew gum at the same time

"Every journey of a thousand feet ... begins with but a single lean forward..."

Mr_Laurenzano

12-01-2005, 11:22 PM

There was a day while sitting in the garage a gold car pulled up in my driveway and a police officer with a lot of gold stars on his collar approached me.
Sitting up from my notes I introduced myself and we began to talk about a hamstring pull.
... After an hour the officer walked away with my segway so as he could use it in the officers handicapped torch run. Hamstring...

I shot a couple of pics at PCH and followed him on my skateboard down a city street.

...Why is this my strangest encounter?...

It just is

Segway-
Half the speed of a car,
Twice as Smart.
www.centralcoastsegwave.com

SegAway

12-01-2005, 11:34 PM

We've just launched city tour programmes in Brussels.. and here's an other strange encounter...
Our prospection tour leads us over the "Grand Place" in the City Center of Brussels, as we are halted by a furious Cop... (in his early sixties, with a big moustache, and very confident, backed up by 2 younger cops, one female and one male !!)

Shouting at us - HEY, YOU CAN NOT RIDE THOSE THINGS HERE !!!

As I reply in a very friendly way... "Yes I can" ...

The cop turns red and shouts "NO MOTORISED VEHICLES ON THIS PLACE !"

As I reply even friendlyer... "This is not a motorised vehicle..." It's called a "Segway"..

The 2 junior cops stand behind the Big Cop, and start grinning ammused..
On which I totally ignore the Moustache guy, and start explaining the juniors..
the use of the Segway, and the newly voted legislation (still to appear officialy in the Law)...

The old cop doesn't say a word... and turns his back to us...
Five minutes later, we have the 2 juniors trying the Segways in the middle of the crowded Grand Plaza...
and about 10 minutes later they convince the Senior Cop to have a try ...

An he accepts !!

After having him 3 minutes on the Segway, and totally ammused by his new toy...

I shout to him : HEY ! YOU CAN NOT RIDE THOSE THINGS HERE !!
On which his to collegues threaten to fine him !

We pass there about 10 times a week now, and get a thumbs-up from the cops on duty...

Morality of the story.. Stay friendly... even cops are human... and very curious !

SegwayEvents and rentals in Europe
Belgium
www.segwayevents.be

cmonkey

12-02-2005, 12:13 AM

Those 5150s can really be creepy. Ya just have to feel sorry for them. Weirdest encounter was at the Sacramento seg fest. I'm sure some of you will remember... Some poor guy walking along the street (thankfully, the OTHER side of the street) starts screaming at us, calling us all baby killers?!? It was just such a disconnect, that it makes you wonder what thought processes goes on in their minds.

I've got one person in my neighborhood who's a few tacos shy of a combo plate, who keeps trying to stop me and lecture me that I belong in the street, and that I'll get a ticket riding on the sidewalk. No matter how much I try to be nice and explain in the simplest terms, I find I just have to avoid the situation.

Walk soflty &....

I mean, glide softly and carry a fully charged taser! 21st century update ;)

Dave

I love my magic carpet!

solotrek

12-02-2005, 02:40 AM

To be honest, I've let loose with some colorful language when I've been harassed. But there's some nutjobs out there. On two occasions people have screamed the usual lazy blah dee blah stuff at me. The disturbing part was that they were alone in their cars when they were doing it. It's not a couple of teenagers egging each other on. It's an individual acting out. Very creepy.

Desert_Seg

12-02-2005, 04:26 AM

I had a great encounter the other day. We decided to close the office for lunch and all of us jumped on a Segway and started gliding towards McDonalds. As we passed a cop giving a ticket to a young lady (or just flirting, not sure which) he said "I think I should give you a ticket but I don't know for what"!

We all laughed and kept right on gliding past him....didn't want to slow down long enough for him to come up with a reason!

Steven

--- EAMUS CATULI! ---

No person is truly useless. They may always serve as a bad example!

woodenapple

12-02-2005, 04:52 PM

This morning a car stopped beside me in the middle of the block on a busy 5-lane downtown street as I was gliding along the sidewalk on my way to work. I stopped to see what he wanted. Through the passenger window he asked which way I was headed. I pointed in the obvious direction - straight ahead. He asked if I minded if he video taped me. I said I didn't mind, so he got out and stood beside his car, in the middle of traffic and filmed me from behind as he thanked me and encouraged me to glide away. I moved along as fast as I could so he would finish quickly and get back in his car before he got run over or his car got run into.

Rodney

May all your days be Segway days!

Sal

12-02-2005, 05:29 PM

We Segway users are in more family vacation albums and independent films that we can count, and rarely are we asked to sign a release! he he he

-Sal

___________
I considered atheism, but there were too few holidays

Segway Chat Member since July 2003
Segway Owner since August 2003

inventor

12-08-2005, 01:59 PM

Gliding with my big dog at a nice gallop when he decides to stop short and hunker down. Before I could react he took it right in the keester... crap explodes all over my shoes and mat deck.

I think he learned something that day, I know I did. American standard black labs aren't as smart... as they are tough.

....for as long as I can STAND....