Cynical Segway Mention on Gawker.com

[hubbahbubbah]

http://www.gawker.com/03/06/005991.html

There's a pic, too. Who's Seg is that?

WARNING: I think if we flood the author with hostile comments, she'll just use them as fodder for more snarky remarks. Beware.

Disturbing juxtaposition

A reader just spotted a Segway in an NYC Starbucks and sent me a snapshot and for reasons, I can't fully explain, it seems kind of disturbing. Maybe it's because I think of the Segway as a West Coast phenomenon where the remaining gainfully employed Silicon Valley nerds zip around the Mission in their identical khakis and cobalt blue button-downs, balancing their soy lattes on the handlebars. [Or maybe I'm just using this post as an excuse to gratuitously bash San Francisco...Nah, that can't be it—I don't need an excuse.]

::: http://stinkyshorts.blogspot.com :::

[pam]

Personally..., she's not worth our attention. So what if she sees a Segway and thinks they all are in California? More than anything it shows her lack of knowledge. Not a big deal.
Pam

[statmed]

She should have seen the 12 of us gliding down 42nd Street last Wednesday.

Then she would have seen they are not ALL in California.



H.M. Stern
statmed@optonline.net

I Love It When A Plan Comes Together (Hannibal Smith)

[segwayowner]

just some of them are... although, the seattle crack would be more acurate.

DES: Segway owner

[BerettaIndy]

its funny how she said "Maybe it's because I think of the Segway as a West Coast phenomenon" when it was designed and made in New Hampshire

[BruceWright]

New Hampshire is on the west coast of the Atlantic Ocean. ;)

-Bruce Wright

Segway: Vehicle of Dream

[pt]

who cares, it's not worth any effort.

oh muh gawd! a ht!

this is a -great- thing, people are starting to see the ht around in public places more and more.

cheers,
pt



======================

segway ht journal:
http://www.bookofseg.com

other stuff:
http://www.flashenabled.com

[BruceWright]

Oh, and if she's so concerned about the invasion of her New York, what's she doing in a Starbucks anyway? Everyone knows that Starbucks originated in Texas. ;)

If this lady is going to be a regional bigot, she needs a few lessons in geography.

1. Segways come from New England.
2. Starbucks aren't from New York anyway. Seattle. If you're bashing the west coast, better start there.
3. San Fransisco is NOT the Mecca for Segways. Rather, the UN-Mecca.


Not sure how it's a "Disturbing Juxtaposition". Yuppie scooter in yuppie cafe. Makes too much sense, if you ask me.

-Bruce Wright

Segway: Vehicle of Dream

[geekfactory]

Son of a ___ - That's my Segway - That's from Thursday, 2:30pm, at the Starbucks on 24th and 6th Avenue. I was in there for a meeting with a client. That blonde is the client. I saw the guy snapping it, too - He seemed snarky. I should have known.

[pt]

this is why -you- always need to carry a camera, i would just take a picture back. i've done that many times.

cheers,
pt



======================

segway ht journal:
http://www.bookofseg.com

other stuff:
http://www.flashenabled.com

[jwood]

quote:Originally posted by BruceWright

New Hampshire is on the west coast of the Atlantic Ocean. ;)

-Bruce Wright


Good One! I never thought about it that way, and I was born and raised in New Hampshire! Thanks. I expect to be using this often [8D]

[dexter]

Of all the "bad press" we've seen here, this is the most un-noteworthy. All the others were misconceptions about the Segway: users are lazy, dangerous on sidewalks, riders look silly... This one isn't at all about the Seg, but rather about some sort of lifestyle stereotypes the author COMPLETELY made up in her own head. Like a Rorschach Test gone horribly, horribly wrong. Seems to the writer clearly has some intense "issues".

Does she think that Madonna is a Silicon Valley employee, or that Silicon Valley Employees tend to emulate Madonna? If so, do they create a hardware or a software emulator?

Dave C.
me: www.idexter.com
work: www.idealjacobs.com
play: www.nyline.org

[clm]

Folks, I posted this reply on another forum to a causal basher. What I don't know from experience came from your educating post (thank you). Feel free to comment on or to use anything that is useful here:

Chris
-------------------------------------
quote:Kaman is a legitimate inventive genius and I applaud that and I don't begrudge him a penny of his millions, but he's far too self-promoting for my tastes.

Well, it was actually the trouble was caused by Steve Kemper, and writer who leaked comments by Bezos from private conversations a year before Dean could go public. The comments were from a time when Dean was solliciting financial backers. The hyperbole was from Bezos, not Dean. Dean fired Kemper for this leak, but was still muzzled from decussing or defending himself by the lawyers.

quote:"The Ginger Project" revolutionizing everybody's very existence on the planet --

Said by internet posters - never by Dean...

quote:[My impression] was that it wasn't a replacement for driving, it's a substitute for walking.

This is a particularly Californian arguement made usually by bikers. If you bike instead of drive great. your helping us all. Go for it, but it is ironic that most dudes that yell this at people are sitting in a pickup truck. Think about it. Do you like to stand in one spot for a half hour or moving? Segways are taxing about like easy sking, but you can't shuffle your feet. Segway users who have a walking trip would rather walk. It feels good and they don't have the Segway to deal with when they get there. Think about it. Fitness is an ability and a lifestyle. Segway is a mobility tool for access.

I have found two legitimate uses. The largest segment to date are people with limited mobility due to diabetis, poor leg blood circulation, cornary disease, MS, spina bifita, lower limb amputee, etc, etc. If you are not so afflicted great - enjoy your bike while you still can. Anyway the Segway has literally "change the life" of these people giving them a sidewalk range never before imagined. (Pls don't wish them back in a wheelchair until you have sat in one for a month or more and treated your sores).

Perhaps the more significant group are urban dwellers with a commute or services greater than 1.5 miles and shorter than six miles. A whole lot of people fit this category. The segway is made for the urban sidewalk. It is perfect in Manhatten,NY and the Chicago loop. Please don't disagree until you have used one in an urban environment for a couple of hours as it is nearly impossible to "get it" without doing this. And as a pedestrian please don't be afraid of a Segger until you have pushed one around a bit, you cannot be attacked by anyone on a Segway. The key is "zero mph" and "turn-in-place". The reporters rivet on "max speed" and "80lbs flying mass" and "collision, the horror". This sells papers, but in fact there has been no pedestrian-Segway collision and no dead blind people.

That said - let me say this. A Segway in the city is like having a car in the 'burbs. You can get most places in a reasonable 10-15 minutes without stinking up your dress . All commuter trains are now within distance. A Brooklyn resident can keep a business appointment in Washington D.C. and never touch a car or taxi. (I know of a professional that is doing this regularly saving him both time and expense.)

[ElectraGlide]

Dont most NYer's consider New Jersey to be the "West Coast" ??


Steve

[pam]

Great post, CLM. I like the fact that it's so reasonable, factual and calm.
Pam

[q]

quote:Originally posted by pt

this is why -you- always need to carry a camera, i would just take a picture back. i've done that many times.

cheers,
pt



======================

segway ht journal:
http://www.bookofseg.com

other stuff:
http://www.flashenabled.com


...yep. since getting the
seg, i've attached my digital
(in its bag) onto my lanyard.
(now i'm always "ret-to-go"!)

kthxbye.

q.

http://www.pcisys.net/~qwhew/segway/jpg_segway_with_mini_cooper_08012003_friday_3a.jpg

//