Quick Questions: Please help a new segway owner with a school presentation! [Archive]

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dlg718

04-24-2008, 02:36 AM

wwhopper

04-24-2008, 08:58 AM

1. What is your age?
At the age where it could be considered a Mid-Life Crisis purchase

2. Why did you purchase a Segway?
Because my 85 year old neighbor thought it was cool

3. What have the benefits of owning a segway been?
Not having to drive everywhere, and being able to get out and be in touch with things instead of stuck in a car to get someplace.

4. What kinds of people could benefit the most from a segway?
Folks in urban, semi-urban or campus areas who need to get a single person from place A to place B

5. What kinds of costs are associated with owning a segway?
Early machines, cost of replacement handlebars, new machines very little, long term battery replacement

6. How did you pay for your segway? Finance or cash?
The good old American Way, CHARGE, but paid it off quickly

7. Do you have other methods of transportation other than the segway?
Walk, bike, car or truck

8. If so, for what reasons do you use the other method?
Depends on the need at the time.

9. Where do you ride your segway?
Anywhere I can, mostly in an urban / suburban setting, we take them on trips with us.

10. Any other fun things about being a segway owner?
It is great to be able to use no matter where you are and eliminates the need for having to park and deal with a car when you have to go in a populated area.

11. Do segway owners feel a connection to each other?
Yes, via this and other websites, as well as local Segway Enthusiast Group (SEG) gatherings and SegwayFesTs

Questions you forgot to ask?

How many Segways do you own?
4 - 2 I-167's orginal Segway Machines, an x2 and an i2

How involved are you in the Segway Community?
Don't Ask

pam

04-24-2008, 09:25 AM

1. What is your age? - when I got my first Segway - 56. I've had 3 models, the i167, the p133, and the i2, and it's now almost 6 years later. You can do the math :).

2. Why did you purchase a Segway? I fell in love with the technology, thought "I've got to have one of those." Cheaper than a boat, an RV or many ATVs,

3. What have the benefits of owning a segway been? The social benefits were the original ones - I felt connected to all the people I stopped and talked to on my glides. Now, with gas getting up there, the financial benefits are beginning to take more hold for me.

4. What kinds of people could benefit the most from a segway? These are definite "single rider" vehicles. Anyone who enjoys a little attention (yes, we still get it), who likes people, who likes to think they're using a "greener" technology, who hates paying for parking, who gets caught in major traffic jams, or who just enjoys getting out in nature. Urburban, suburban, college, as Will says. I've seen people for whom walking is a chore - for whatever reason - able to get out and glide with friends and family.

5. What kinds of costs are associated with owning a segway? Minimal. There's the charge - probably around ten cents a day, depends on what your electricity runs locally. If you break a part, it can be expensive to replace, but if you're riding sensibly, and alert to your enviornment, you probably won't break a part. I had an accident on my i167 by not paying attention and didn't break anything. Others have played polo and not broken their machines. They're incredibly sturdy. Emotional costs? If you're an introvert by nature, sometimes the attention can be a bit overwhelming.

6. How did you pay for your segway? Finance or cash?
Plastic, of course, the great American way :p.

7. Do you have other methods of transportation other than the segway?
Yes, of course.

8. If so, for what reasons do you use the other method?
Distances, and when I have to carry something.

9. Where do you ride your segway? To and from work, around the neighborhood. The Segway doesn't replace all your errands, but it replaces the short trips - the ones where you use the most gas.

10. Any other fun things about being a segway owner?
Oh, yes. There's SegFesT, held almost yearly, where you get to meet other gliders and have a great time. There's (as I said before) the connection with the other people as you glide - I've had lots of people stop and talk to me, even in cars and trucks, and many more do a thumbs up sign as they've passed. Rarely have I had a negative comment, and most of them I just laugh off.

11. Do segway owners feel a connection to each other?
Very much so, at least that's my perception.

stinggray

04-24-2008, 01:01 PM

1. What is your age?

Still a kid at heart.;)

2. Why did you purchase a Segway?

We went on a tour and had to have one(I mean two).

3. What have the benefits of owning a segway been?

A different perspective of whats out there.

4. What kinds of people could benefit the most from a segway?

urban and physically challenged

5. What kinds of costs are associated with owning a segway?

maintenance, new gadgets, batteries

6. How did you pay for your segway? Finance or cash?

Will my first one I bartered,(sweat from my employees) Then she had to have one.(cash)

7. Do you have other methods of transportation other than the segway?

Car

8. If so, for what reasons do you use the other method?

Every thing

9. Where do you ride your segway?

Were ever I can

10. Any other fun things about being a segway owner?

The freedom

11. Do segway owners feel a connection to each other?

Yes

GlennO

04-24-2008, 02:15 PM

I need to throw one back at you that the "kids" might ask you - like what a gyroscope is. I've told a few about them and they gave me a blank stare.

...and no, I know.

Glenn

jryan

04-24-2008, 02:22 PM

Hey all. I am new to SegwayChat and just bought a Segway aftermarket on ebay. I got so excited about my new toy that I decided to do a school project on the Segway. I know why I love my segway, but I need help knowing some reasons why everyone else loves their segway.

So, if anyone could answer a few of my questions it would really help me out. Thanks!

1. What is your age? 19
2. Why did you purchase a Segway?Don't have one yet but still working on it..... Rest of the questions will be assuming I had one!
3. What have the benefits of owning a segway been?Mobility!
4. What kinds of people could benefit the most from a segway?People tired of paying their last paycheck at the pump and definately disabled!
5. What kinds of costs are associated with owning a segway?I'll let others send you this!
6. How did you pay for your segway? Finance or cash?Looking into options!
7. Do you have other methods of transportation other than the segway?Of course, but once I get one, probably not!
8. If so, for what reasons do you use the other method?^^^^
9. Where do you ride your segway?I would glide it everywhere, to work, to the store, the possibilities are endless! I rarely take the car anywhere over maybe 5 miles anyway!
10. Any other fun things about being a segway owner?N/A
11. Do segway owners feel a connection to each other?Yes, I am not an owner, but certainly feel a connection!

Any answers you can provide to the questions would be so very helpful.
Thanks and when you answer just put the number of the question you are responding to.
Thanks again and glide on!

Best,

Daniel

Not sure if that's what you are looking for (look up for my answers) but another perspective is always good for research!! I just love to see kids get enthusiasm! Keep it up, I'm sure we would all be glad to help with your homework in whatever way we can!!!

Jeremy Ryan

Macaholic

04-24-2008, 05:27 PM

At the age where it could be considered a Mid-Life Crisis purchase

Because my 85 year old neighbor thought it was cool

Not having to drive everywhere, and being able to get out and be in touch with things instead of stuck in a car to get someplace.

Folks in urban, semi-urban or campus areas who need to get a single person from place A to place B

Early machines, cost of replacement handlebars, new machines very little, long term battery replacement

The good old American Way, CHARGE, but paid it off quickly

Walk, bike, car or truck

Depends on the need at the time.

Anywhere I can, mostly in an urban / suburban setting, we take them on trips with us.

It is great to be able to use no matter where you are and eliminates the need for having to park and deal with a car when you have to go in a populated area.

Yes, via this and other websites, as well as local Segway Enthusiast Group (SEG) gatherings and SegwayFesTs

Questions you forgot to ask?

How many Segways do you own?
4 - 2 I-167's orginal Segway Machines, an x2 and an i2

How involved are you in the Segway Community?
Don't Ask

ditto to everything
AMAZING!!....my neighbor is 85 too:p

SEGsby

04-25-2008, 02:42 AM

1. What is your age?

46

2. Why did you purchase a Segway?

Let me tell you WHEN here. I'll get into the "Why" in the 3rd question...

1.5 years ago. Herbie, my Segway (yes, some of us name them), has over 2900 miles on it already. That's a lot of sidewalk and bike paths.

3. What have the benefits of owning a segway been?

I feel that a lot of these are invisible to most people, and won't make sense without some elaboration...

I don't like giving my money to bad people. I think the petroleum industry is full of bad people, who I would rather not hand over my hard earned cash to. If more people bought less oil, I know there would be a lot less pollution caused from car exhaust. And the price of oil based fuels keeps going up, for little reason other than sheer corporate greed. People, without thinking, use their cars for everything-- even very short trips. I think that's incredibly lazy, but generally accepted by society.

Where I live, I'm within 20 miles of most everything I need during the week: work, home, movies, restaurants, hardware, groceries, clothes, etc.. Rather than use my car for everything, I'll wear a backpack and take the Segway for these shorter range trips [(that are usually over 3-5 miles (I can walk that fine)], than have to rely on my VW Beetle.

The Satisfaction I get from this, is from knowing I'm more cleanly and efficiently using domestic energy production (over low energy extracting cars with filthy tailpipes), to power my mobility needs. My money does not go overseas to power the machine-- the money I spend, stays in America. And the power plants that have to run all night anyways, charge my Segway when I sleep at night. No single car can compete with a power plant in terms of clean energy conversion, even from a mostly coal fueled electric grid (90% in my area).

During the day, the Segway is safe, quiet and clean to operate. It's small, easy to store (I don't have a garage) and it fits under my desk during the day, when I'm at work. And yes, they let me ride Herbie inside the building, just like a wheelchair. I don't have to worry about parking it, or finding power.

That's basically why I got one, and continue to ride it.

4. What kinds of people could benefit the most from a segway?

Independent minded people who are not afraid to try something new, despite cultural fear or misinformation about the product. Some owners have physical disabilities: I can't ride a bike anymore due to chronic knee problems, so the Segway acts like an alternative mobility device for me. In fact, the EPAMD laws in California read very much like those for a vertical electric wheelchair, i.e., it's a pedestrian by State Law because it can emulate a human range of motion-- not a vehicle.

5. What kinds of costs are associated with owning a segway?

I think after comfort mats and a bag, it depends how greedy you want to be with all the cool stuff you can attach to your Segway. Other than putting air in your tires once a month, you will have to eventually get new batteries. The company says 3-5 years, but I've had to do it sooner...

There can also be an emotional cost, that a lot of people don't often talk about. And that's having to deal with some negative people who don't understand what you or the machine is about. The rarity of the machine in real life, makes it's an instant attention-getter. This can turn some Segway Owners off, and they may choose to sell their machines... I think that's terribly sad, but I can understand the decision, after having been physically attacked by a very angry man who didn't understand that sidewalks aren't just for walking... As Martin Luther King once said, "Sincere ignorance, is the worst form of evil."

And I think he was absolutely right.

6. How did you pay for your segway? Finance or cash?

0% Credit Card, paid off waaaaay early. :) Having excellent credit is important and something to strive for!

7. Do you have other methods of transportation other than the segway?

If I want to leave the valley where I live (more than 20 miles), or if I have to transport items that can't fit into a backpack or held in my hand...

Even if there are high winds (up to 50 mph) or heavy rain, I will still use the Segway to commute to work, or run errands. If it's a real transportation alternative, the Segway should be able to operate in poor conditions, just like any other transportation device; and it has. I just wear a raincoat with a hood. Problem solved. People seem to laugh when I ride with an umbrella, but I've seen plenty of bikers do this, too. :)

8. If so, for what reasons do you use the other method?

Due to the blowing sand by the beach here, I have to move the car to wash it every couple of weeks. This also helps keep the battery in the car charged when I'm not using it very much. And when I fly out of state, I will call a taxi to get to LAX, and of course, use a plane for longer distances.

9. Where do you ride your segway?

Pretty much everywhere within a 20 mile radius of my home. I will also take the machine with me in the back of the car, to explore new areas, or get around in distant urban areas to run errands (San Jose, Valencia, Santa Barba, etc.). This keeps my gasoline usage and wear on the car, quite low. The car can even charge the Segway while I'm traveling with it.

10. Any other fun things about being a segway owner?

For good or bad (some people are just angry when they see something new they don't understand), you get to meet a lot of people. I've had some of the most interesting discussions with people about all kinds of topics. Often, I'll let people try the Segway, under tight supervision, so they can better understand the technology and the reasons I have, for using one. I think this is the single best way to explain what they're all about.

In fact, this is what happened to me, 4 years ago... Someone let me try their gen1 Segway for a couple minutes, and I vowed; if I lived in a place where I could do everything within the range of the machine, I would get one. And after all that time, I now find myself in just that position. The Segway has been a great way to get around, without having the hassle of a full sized electric NEV (parking, insurance, higher cost, etc.) or Electric Scooter (http://www.vectrix.com/portal/index.php). The segway was actually much cheaper, and easier for me to deal with it's very small form factor.

11. Do segway owners feel a connection to each other?

I think there is no one better suited to understand what it feels like when someone doesn't understand the machine and is mean to you, than another Segway owner, who's been thru the exact same thing. No matter the varied, personal reasons why we chose alternative transportation, we are all subjected to the same stereotypes, misinformation and prejudice. And the other side, is in sharing the joy of gilding and knowing you're doing the right things by using sustainable transport-- even though most people don't get it.

Good luck on your project, Daniel. I hope this helps.

SEGsby