Are segways often stolen?

[Shidash]

If you are in, say, a city and you leave your segway out and locked to a rack of some type, is it stolen often? I am disabled, but only qualify as impaired as far as mobility goes (my disability lies elsewhere) so I don't know where I would qualify to take a segway, but I would like to use one to minimize the walking I have to do so that I don't suffer from dizzyness often. Maybe someone can clarify this for me too.

[Tarkus]

If you are in, say, a city and you leave your segway out and locked to a rack of some type, is it stolen often? I am disabled, but only qualify as impaired as far as mobility goes (my disability lies elsewhere) so I don't know where I would qualify to take a segway, but I would like to use one to minimize the walking I have to do so that I don't suffer from dizzyness often. Maybe someone can clarify this for me too.

Welcome Shidash.

This is an interesting question. It realy has two parts.

Do Segways get stolen & who would "qualify" to use one.
I'm not a doctor, lawyer, PT etal but I will say the dizziness issue could be a concern.

As far as stolen all in all we don't see alot of "hot" Segways. We some that "may" be stolen .

Thats not to say it hasn't happened because it has.

I have left mine locked to a bike rack so that it's hard to stand on and left it without any problems.

No I never did that in New York.

Now do you qualify ? Thats a interesting question ,who does and who doesn't.

In the past when ADA challenges have been made one method of defence was "is this person disabled" ? I'll leave that up to the "Legals" of the world.

It is my understanding that if your "impaired" you would qualify to use it inside or out.

I understand your concern as I can on many days leave it outside and make a short but wobbly trip into a store.

Please visit www.draft.org and spend some time looking around.
Be sure to read the info int he "Advocacy" section. There is alot of regulatory info there.

Also be sure to read "Universally Designed Technology Solutions" - People who have difficulty walking and the Segway. That can be found on the home page.

I'm sure you will have more of the gang joining in with info, takes and stories.

luck.

Be Big,
Alan

[polo_pro]

I've heard of two segways that were stolen in my town. Both times the owner failed to lock it to anything with a cable of some sort. Both times it was clearly a crime of opportunity (someone passing by saying "why not grab this quickly?"). Both times, the segway was never recovered.

ps - Once the keys were on the handlebar...not surprising that it was never recovered.

[wwhopper]

if a crook wants it, they will take it.

Make sure you register your unit with Inc. so they have you listed as the official owner of the machine. This will kick up if the machine goes in for service or if they need a key.

Make sure when you lock it up, you also take your key with you. The only way to get a key is through a dealer or Inc. and they will not make a key or give a key code (Inc.) if the name of the owner and the name of the requestor do not match.

Most crooks don't want to deal with parting the machine out, though there have been some suspicious one time posters on this site offering parts.

A good lock, keep your keys with you. And remember the Segway is still an oddity, so anyone riding it will be noticed.

On disability use, check the DRAFT.org website, they are very knowledgable in Segway use in that world.

Try a Segway out and see if it fits your needs. Once you get one, you will really enjoy it, because they are a FUN!

[SegwayDan]

The cable lock Segway sells is pretty good. You can use it both on the new machines and the older ones. On the new ones, the stud is at the base of the steering handle. On the old ones, the stud is at the hub of one of the wheels.

I don't know anything about lock picking, but the keys are double-sided, and the notches on it are angled, which would seem to make it hard, if not impossible, to pick. It's easy to operate, so you'd have no excuses for not using it, except for not being able to find some post to wrap it around.

Accessibility is actually an individual matter. It's up to you to contact the persons responsible at the respective establishments to obtain permission. You'll find a variety of attitudes. The key is, "Don't give up!" Gentle persuasion can work wonders, and it's up to you and your own power of persuasion, should that be necessary.

[KSagal]

As Others have already said, the concept of it being stolen is really a factor of where it is left. Some places are surely more exposed than others...

One way to minimize this, is to be very selective as to where it is left... I often leave it in more obvious places rather than less. At the Library in my town, as an example, instead of at the bike rack which is off to the side of the entrance, so not visable from the staff at the front desk, I asked for and got permission to leave it in the front vestibule, in plain site. At the supermarket, instead of outside the doors, I walk it in to the front, and leave it with their curtesy scooters, near the chief bag boy... (Whoever is in that position has instant gravitas, when I leave him or her in charge of my glider...LOL)

Other times, simply locked to the bike rack is fine.

I personally believe that most times a segway is stolen it is a crime of opportunity, so reducing that is your best bet. I further believe that the small amount of stolen segs showing up may be a bit misleading. I believe that while we know a stolen seg is hard to sell, and harder to get serviced or keyed, many theives do not, so the steal it first, then find no place to sell it...

Good luck, and welcome to the community...