BenBethel
04-01-2003, 10:55 PM
Well, it finally happened today, on my 9th day and at about the 72 mile mark.
I crossed a street and went up onto the sidewalk - this is an area where you come up the ramp and maneuver around the traffic light pole and then have to avoid two areas of landscaping. To the left and right the concrete drops off to an area with gravel and plants. I was going too fast and my right wheel just popped into the gravel on the right - by about an inch! It was enough to cause the wheel to spin, me to fly to the left, about the 11 o'clock position. The Segway flew to the right, about the two o'clock position. I heard it spin about 1/2 a second and fall to the ground and beep once.
I did a superman dive and was hurt - my shirt was torn. The points of contact were my right kneecap, my right upper thigh where my phone was in my pocket and took the damage - it was scraped up a small bit, and my two hands where the palm meets the wrist. No open cuts or even scrapes - no blood - the only serious injury I'd say I have is a sprained left hand, only in the area below my thumb and above the wrist - that big thumb-muscle area, whatever it's called.
This was during rush hour - a few people saw, but I got up and pulled the Segway up in about 5 seconds. I didn't want to be that first example of a bad accident... even if my bone was sticking out from my arm I would have ridden home, then called an ambulance! I was so terribly embarrased. I gave a quick "I'm OK" smile and went to start the Segway back up. It turned on, but with a frowny face and turned off. ****e, I thought I was going to have to push it home! I tried again and it started right up!
No damage at all with the exception of small scrapes on the front of the handlebars - not bad at all. I am seriously impressed with how this turned out - this could have happened on a bike or rollerblades or skateboard and I truly feel I would have been hurt just as bad or worse. With most of the sensitive electronics at the bottom of the unit, it seems hard to seriously hurt the Segway and just proves its durability.
My hand is on ice right now... and I'm getting ready to give a demo. Fun! This is what happens when I get too confident with something - I would have felt TERRIBLE if it would have been serious enough to get in the press!
From now on, I'll be a LOT more careful around these tight spaces where there's a drop off, that's for sure!
Side note - now that our Ozone season is starting, my company had its annual Trip Reduction Program kick off today - there's about 800 people in the building, and I asked if I could bring my Segway to promote alternative forms of transportation. Whenever there's an ozone alert we get movie tickets or gift certificates to a store for carpooling or taking alternative transportation, such as walking, biking, bus, or SEGWAY! They said sure, and I brought it over, answered a lot of questions, and gave a few demos. Everyone loved it. Being in healthcare, people see the possibilities especially for those who are mobility challenged. I kept hearing the person in charge of the program saying "they're really wonderful, and they're allowed anywhere a wheelchair is allowed", which is true here in Arizona.
That's it - anyone share their thoughts and personal experiences.
Embarrassingly,
Ben
www.benbethel.com
I crossed a street and went up onto the sidewalk - this is an area where you come up the ramp and maneuver around the traffic light pole and then have to avoid two areas of landscaping. To the left and right the concrete drops off to an area with gravel and plants. I was going too fast and my right wheel just popped into the gravel on the right - by about an inch! It was enough to cause the wheel to spin, me to fly to the left, about the 11 o'clock position. The Segway flew to the right, about the two o'clock position. I heard it spin about 1/2 a second and fall to the ground and beep once.
I did a superman dive and was hurt - my shirt was torn. The points of contact were my right kneecap, my right upper thigh where my phone was in my pocket and took the damage - it was scraped up a small bit, and my two hands where the palm meets the wrist. No open cuts or even scrapes - no blood - the only serious injury I'd say I have is a sprained left hand, only in the area below my thumb and above the wrist - that big thumb-muscle area, whatever it's called.
This was during rush hour - a few people saw, but I got up and pulled the Segway up in about 5 seconds. I didn't want to be that first example of a bad accident... even if my bone was sticking out from my arm I would have ridden home, then called an ambulance! I was so terribly embarrased. I gave a quick "I'm OK" smile and went to start the Segway back up. It turned on, but with a frowny face and turned off. ****e, I thought I was going to have to push it home! I tried again and it started right up!
No damage at all with the exception of small scrapes on the front of the handlebars - not bad at all. I am seriously impressed with how this turned out - this could have happened on a bike or rollerblades or skateboard and I truly feel I would have been hurt just as bad or worse. With most of the sensitive electronics at the bottom of the unit, it seems hard to seriously hurt the Segway and just proves its durability.
My hand is on ice right now... and I'm getting ready to give a demo. Fun! This is what happens when I get too confident with something - I would have felt TERRIBLE if it would have been serious enough to get in the press!
From now on, I'll be a LOT more careful around these tight spaces where there's a drop off, that's for sure!
Side note - now that our Ozone season is starting, my company had its annual Trip Reduction Program kick off today - there's about 800 people in the building, and I asked if I could bring my Segway to promote alternative forms of transportation. Whenever there's an ozone alert we get movie tickets or gift certificates to a store for carpooling or taking alternative transportation, such as walking, biking, bus, or SEGWAY! They said sure, and I brought it over, answered a lot of questions, and gave a few demos. Everyone loved it. Being in healthcare, people see the possibilities especially for those who are mobility challenged. I kept hearing the person in charge of the program saying "they're really wonderful, and they're allowed anywhere a wheelchair is allowed", which is true here in Arizona.
That's it - anyone share their thoughts and personal experiences.
Embarrassingly,
Ben
www.benbethel.com