luckie
07-06-2006, 12:10 PM
The Wheel Deal: Take Spin on Segway at Forks
By JOYANNE PURSAGA, STAFF REPORTER
The Winnipeg Sun
http://winnipegsun.com/Business/2006/07/05/1668789-sun.html
http://winnipegsun.com/Business/2006/07/05/winbiz.jpg
Pursaga rides a Segway. (C. PROCAYLO, Sun)
It's a balancing act that will take you places. The Segway Human Transporter is a unique blend of mobility and entertainment and it's making its Winnipeg premier at The Forks, courtesy of Open Air Adventures. The device looks like a stand-up version of a motorized scooter, with a long adjustable handle to fit its driver's height. The two-wheeler travels up to 25 km/h. It moves forward when the driver leans forward and reverses when he or she leans back. An even back lean stops the device.
Open Air owners Craig and Susy Harrison hope the exhaust-free, battery-operated ride will one day be legal on Winnipeg streets and sidewalks. "It's very environmentally friendly and economically sound," Craig Harrison said yesterday. Harrison said there may have been one Segway at a local store previously, but this is the general public's first chance to try one out. For $12, you can buy a short training session and a 15-minute ride in front of The Forks Market. For $39, you can join a tour through the tourism hot spot. "We've actually taken the concept of a dealership and used it as a form of entertainment," said Craig Harrison.
Driving it is a little challenging at first. Because it balances for you, the driver will cause it to shake by trying to balance its foot pad. Harrison said the Segway is popular in Europe and operates in lieu of a golf cart on some private Quebec courses. The machines sell for about $7,500 to $10,000. But there are some limits. You must weigh at least 100 pounds and not more than 260 pounds for the Segway to respond to your weight shifting properly. And safety measures for the machine free of straps, buckles and other restraints are stressed.
The Harrisons won't let anyone try a Segway until they've completed a short training course and everyone on the Forks-wide tour must wear a helmet. "As long as you drive appropriately, it's very safe," said Harrison. But the Manitoba Safety Council said that little bit of fun could pose major safety concerns. "If it stays on the golf course, that's OK," said Mike Waite, executive director of the Manitoba Safety Council. "But adding another vehicle to the sidewalks and roadways, that is going to be a menace." He said the lack of a motorized break and buckles or restraints could prove dangerous.
But it's generating "lots of interest" inside private parties, businesses and golf courses, said Harrison. Segway rides will be up for grabs from 12 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each weekday in front of The Forks Market.
By JOYANNE PURSAGA, STAFF REPORTER
The Winnipeg Sun
http://winnipegsun.com/Business/2006/07/05/1668789-sun.html
http://winnipegsun.com/Business/2006/07/05/winbiz.jpg
Pursaga rides a Segway. (C. PROCAYLO, Sun)
It's a balancing act that will take you places. The Segway Human Transporter is a unique blend of mobility and entertainment and it's making its Winnipeg premier at The Forks, courtesy of Open Air Adventures. The device looks like a stand-up version of a motorized scooter, with a long adjustable handle to fit its driver's height. The two-wheeler travels up to 25 km/h. It moves forward when the driver leans forward and reverses when he or she leans back. An even back lean stops the device.
Open Air owners Craig and Susy Harrison hope the exhaust-free, battery-operated ride will one day be legal on Winnipeg streets and sidewalks. "It's very environmentally friendly and economically sound," Craig Harrison said yesterday. Harrison said there may have been one Segway at a local store previously, but this is the general public's first chance to try one out. For $12, you can buy a short training session and a 15-minute ride in front of The Forks Market. For $39, you can join a tour through the tourism hot spot. "We've actually taken the concept of a dealership and used it as a form of entertainment," said Craig Harrison.
Driving it is a little challenging at first. Because it balances for you, the driver will cause it to shake by trying to balance its foot pad. Harrison said the Segway is popular in Europe and operates in lieu of a golf cart on some private Quebec courses. The machines sell for about $7,500 to $10,000. But there are some limits. You must weigh at least 100 pounds and not more than 260 pounds for the Segway to respond to your weight shifting properly. And safety measures for the machine free of straps, buckles and other restraints are stressed.
The Harrisons won't let anyone try a Segway until they've completed a short training course and everyone on the Forks-wide tour must wear a helmet. "As long as you drive appropriately, it's very safe," said Harrison. But the Manitoba Safety Council said that little bit of fun could pose major safety concerns. "If it stays on the golf course, that's OK," said Mike Waite, executive director of the Manitoba Safety Council. "But adding another vehicle to the sidewalks and roadways, that is going to be a menace." He said the lack of a motorized break and buckles or restraints could prove dangerous.
But it's generating "lots of interest" inside private parties, businesses and golf courses, said Harrison. Segway rides will be up for grabs from 12 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each weekday in front of The Forks Market.