Uh Oh... Engadget posts the Seg-Seat

[Sal]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/14/segseat-adds-an-extra-layer-of-laziness-to-the-segway/

Let's all make way for the idiots in the comments (except for mine (and anyone who doesn't bash the Segway) of course!)

-Sal

P.S. I have to admit, I skimmed through the Engadget post... but one line about it being for the handicapped didn't make up for the 80% Segway bashing in the blurb.

[yosgof]

Sal,

I'm not sure I got you right; by posting this response I am deemed an idiot?

[Sal]

Sal,

I'm not sure I got you right; by posting this response I am deemed an idiot?

Thanks for the heads up, I just edited my post! :-)

-Sal

[Timezkware Tim]

http://www.engadget.com/2006/06/14/segseat-adds-an-extra-layer-of-laziness-to-the-segway/

Let's all make way for the idiots in the comments (except for mine (and anyone who doesn't bash the Segway) of course!)

-Sal

P.S. I have to admit, I skimmed through the Engadget post... but one line about it being for the handicapped didn't make up for the 80% Segway bashing in the blurb.

I posted.

I hope to see more pos comments at that blog by other Segsters.

Tim

[gbrandwood]

REALITY BITES: Visualize the thousands of "Comic Book Guy"s from the Simpsons in front of beige flat screens reading Engadget sitting on their fat *** all day long working at a computer before they waddle to their SUV to drive 4 miles home at the end of the day... Yeah these are your peers and they like to make fun of the Segway rider as "lazy" HA!

The best post ever!

[polo_pro]

Since I have a fair amount of experience on Segseats in a particular set of circumstances (long distance gliding), I add the below comment to the Engadget blog. I'll be amused to see which snippets the trolls glom onto when they throw darts at me!

Since I'm covering alot of ground with this response, I'm going to ask that anyone who'd like to quote or reply to my response to read ALL of this response before doing so. I'd also hope anyone choosing to respond would respect my choices and understand that their own preference might not match mine. So enough of the disclaimers (hoping to foster an atmosphere of tolerance)...

First some background...I've owned a Segway for almost a year and commute on it a short distance to work everyday. I've also found it enjoyable to ride my Segway for very long distances. At first, my trips were only up to 10 miles. This was the maximum range using the older battery technology. But with new battery technologies (and buying older battery cheaply as folk switched over) I extended these distances to 20 and 30 miles. Soon having travelled to all the nearby cities, I began to research what it would take to travel vast distances on the order of hundreds of miles!

Well after several months of planning, last month I completed a trip from Santa Cruz, CA to Thousand Oaks, CA (350+ miles) over the course of a week and a half solo and WITHOUT a chase car. If you'd like more details (and lots of funny stories) go to http://www.trailjournals.com/segway and feel free to sign my guestbook! My point is none of this would have been possible without bike maps showing nearby motels (for nightly recharging), the newer battery technology with double the range AND...you guessed it...a Segseat!

Come on...why else would I be responding here unless it somehow involved Segseats?

A Segseat allowed me to switch from standing to sitting so that I could ride my Segway all day. When my feet got sore from stand for 5 miles, I'd switch to sitting for a couple miles. By that point my bottom was getting a bit sore, and I'd go back to standing now that feet felt fine! By doing this, neither got too sore and every morning I'd be all set to do another full day of riding! In fact, at the end of the trip, I felt so good I added an extra 50 mile leg to the trip despite having just finished 50 and 70 mile legs the two previous days.

I'm sure other folks will draw attention to deficiencies in the Segseat when used in particular situations. However, I can say with confidence that Segseats are perfect for long distance rides (as long as you find the unicycle seat comfortable enough). When I'm using it in these circumstances, I do minimal turning and the Segway is completely controllable. The best part is how the Segseat was designed to be raised and lowered (so it sits flush with the handle bar pole) without ever stopping.

For those of you who wondered how a disabled person might get on a Segway with a Segseat, I can SPECULATE they'd step up on the platform, level it so the Segway stand still and then raise the seat between their legs (though some people might need help with this). Upon sitting down, they must be able to pull themselves towards (or push themselves way from the handle bars) by sliding the seat forward and backward along the rail with authority to change their overall center of gravity and change the lean of the Segway. I'll readily point out I'm not disabled so I could be misinforming you regarding this matter. For some people, these actions might be impossible.

If anyone has more specific questions (or just would like to find some material for personal attacks in their reply), I encourage you to go to http://www.trailjournals.com/segway and dig through it. You might even find it entertaining! There's a FAQ in the last entry, and you can always put your questions in the guest book (and I'll be happy to answer them a few days later in the same place).

ps - I do not have any affiliation with the Segseat manufacturer or company. I'm just a satisfied customer who marvels at the engineering and careful thought that went into bringing us this aftermarket accessory. By the way, Segway INC will never sell these because the rights to marketing Segways to disabled people (with FDA approval, etc) went with another one of their products called the iBot to Johnson and Johnson.