Segway HT and the "Blackout of '03" - w/photos!

[ftropea]

Hello everyone.. Please excuse the typos and hurried nature of this post, but I'm on a laptop connected to the Internet via a dialup connection, and power is running low!

I was at my PC at work yesterday when the power went out. My wife and brother work in the same building.. so we were all together again as we were on 9-11.

I helped evacuate my building.. toured the floors and made sure everything was secure. I tried to get access to information but couldn't find any battery operated radios/tvs.. so made do with rumors floating around. Most phone lines were out, but I did find one working and starting to make some phone calls. Turned out the power outage was widespread - east coast as far as I could tell. I had pt's phone number handy so gave him a ring.. he gave me a pretty good idea of our situation from his west coast vantage point.

I had my Segway HT with me and decided to let Azeeza ride it home.. it's an 8+ mile walk through 90+ degree heat and humidity.. and I didn't want to put her through that. My brother and I loaded up with water bottles and misc. supplies.. and we mounted the heavier stuff on the Seg's handlebars (we put a backpack on top of the front bag and secured it down.) That made the long walk a lot easier for sure.

After everything was secured and locked down at work, we headed out and were mindful of assisting anyone who looked to need help. We found one couple.. a man and woman.. along the way.. The wife was hyperventilating and looked like she was about to pass out. She was unresponsive to questions.. so we took some water and poured it over her face.. while my brother began to fan her. I jumped on my Segway and sped ahead in search of paramedics.. which I did find about 1/2 mile ahead.

I directed the paramedics to the woman.. If they had Segs, they could have responded even sooner.. So I went a little slower while they ran with their equipment to the woman. We stayed for another 10 mins while they got her on a stretcher.. and then proceeded South towards out destination - my folk's home in Brooklyn.

We met up with a reporter on the Manhattan bridge.. he asked us about the Segway. This made the morning's Daily News.. something like - "Frank Tropea lends his Segway to his wife Azeeza, as they made their 8 mile trek home to Bay Ridge Brooklyn."

I estimate we traveled with at least 1/2 million people on the way.. Lots of comments from exhausted people either offering to buy the Segway off us.. or wishing they had one.. or smiles and thumbs up.. the majority sentiment being "That's the way to go." and "Boy, every New Yorker should have one of those."

Even I was getting a little "jealous" of my wife.. wishing I could get home a little faster.. so we're really gonna have to get that second Seg ASAP.. :-)

When we got home.. she had 2 bars left of power.. (we didn't start with a full charge).. traveled about 8+ miles..

My brother and I were exhausted. I was wearing new dress shoes and dress clothes (had a big budget presentation earlier in the day) and my feet were sore.. swollen.. etc.. My bro was tired as well.

So I'm here at my folks.. no power yet.. but we've got reports of power being restored in other parts of the city as of 5PM EST. Hopefully things will return to normal soon.. and I'll catch you all then.

I have some photos to post as well.. of Azeeza Segging amongst the thousdands of NY'ers evacuating the city yesterday. I'll post them here when I can.

I hope everyone else is well and hope to hear your stories as well.

Did the Seg come in handy for anyone during this blackout?

Regards,

Frank A. Tropea

[/sc] Admin - "Keep your wheels on the ground!" - Contact Me (segwaychat@segwaychat.com)

[fredkap]

Frank, great post. The true test of all of us as human beings is how we cope with the problems of life. Sounds like you did great and the Seg helped your coping skills.

Be well.

Fred

[pt]

frank this is a great, you helped a lot of folks and used the ht- very cool.

cheers,
pt

[pt]

btw--

check out these pictures, holy crap!

http://www.gothamist.com/

cheers,
pt

[Blinky]

Ftropea's post,
quote:We met up with a reporter on the Manhattan bridge.. he asked us about the Segway. This made the morning's Daily News.. something like - "Frank Tropea lends his Segway to his wife Azeeza, as they made their 8 mile trek home to Bay Ridge Brooklyn."
Here is a link to that story.

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/109269p-98662c.html

quote:Frank Tropea loaned his wife, Azeeza, his Segway scooter as the pair started the 8-mile trek to their home in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Blinky/Blinkyblink.gif http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Blinky/mrblinky.jpg

[ftropea]

Yeah, those photos pt links to are representative of what I saw yesterday. There were also fires going (in garbage cans on sidewalks.. folks burning wood and having little parties outside.)

There were many, many families on the sidewalks (too hot to stay inside their apartments and homes apparently). There were people walking alongside cars in the streets..

Saw some skateboarders holding on to the backs of buses. Very few bicycles, interestingly enough. I started seeing bicycles when we got to Prospect Park.. they were riding the multi-use road. There really was any way to ride a bike yesterday as the roads and sidewalks were congested with pedestrian traffic.

I'm really glad I was able to help that couple out.. I'm sorry so many people passed them by w/o helping out before we got there. She didn't look good but I'm sure she's fine now.

I also saw, unfortunately, lots of fire trucks and ambulences trying to get down side streets in order to respond to emergencies. Because there weren't any traffic lights.. folks had to direct traffic.. drivers had to use their judgment.. I saw a lot of "near misses" at intersections.. pretty scary stuff.

Regards,

Frank A. Tropea

[/sc] Admin - "Keep your wheels on the ground!" - Contact Me (segwaychat@segwaychat.com)

[terryp]

We're all proud of the way New Yorkers handled this crisis, and particularly proud of one of them. <w>

Practicing Safe Segs in Seattle

[pam]

What an inspiring story, Frank. I"m so glad you three are ok (and your parents!) and hope your feet had a rest today. I HATE new shoes. <G>

Pam

[q]

hi frank,

your experiences are compelling.

the circumstances were unfortu-
nate, but people, otherwise,
probably were able to see the ht
in a "new light" (thanks to you,
your wife, and your bro); a "light"
that should make all of us proud.
(and it even had 2 "bars" to
spare!)

kthxbye.

q.

http://www.pcisys.net/~qwhew/segway/jpg_segway_with_deco_08032003_sunday_3b.jpg

//

[ftropea]

Thanks.

If anything good can come from this, I hope it's that people realize that the Segway HT really works well around pedestrians, that it's a great alternative for making short distance trips, and that they're safe, easy and practical for various situations - even for emergency evacuations from the city.

I think a few "lightbulbs" went off over people's heads. Hopefully this will help spread some goodwill towards Segway's acceptance in the city.


Regards,

Frank A. Tropea

[/sc] Admin - "Keep your wheels on the ground!" - Contact Me (segwaychat@segwaychat.com)

[mattk]

Wow, at least you guys got home safe. I would really love to see those pictures.

[ftropea]

Here 'ya go:

../images/blackout-2003-1.jpg

../images/blackout-2003-2.jpg

../images/blackout-2003-3.jpg

../images/blackout-2003-4.jpg

../images/blackout-2003-5.jpg

../images/blackout-2003-6.jpg

../images/blackout-2003-7.jpg

../images/blackout-2003-8.jpg

../images/blackout-2003-9.jpg

../images/blackout-2003-10.jpg

Regards,

Frank A. Tropea

[/sc] Admin - "Keep your wheels on the ground!" - Contact Me (segwaychat@segwaychat.com)

[PoloAk]

Frank you ought to utilize all the media hype right now and send your story into a local news desk (lord knows there's lots of those in NYC :D). This'd be really good for the city and the nation. Really.

CZWMDV,

Kelsey

[mattk]

I agree with PoloAk! Those are really awsome pics.

Not to get to personal, but how did the place smell. A BUNCH of hot swetty people all moving around.

[Itsi Atkins]

Frank and I worked at his office and I left Chambers St on the Segway. When I reached 23rd st people were telling me the traffic lights were not working, I assumed it was just a minor traffic light problem. As I reached 34th St. people were all on the sidewalks, trying to use the cell phones, at the tunnel intersection of 35th & 3rd. I stood in the center of the intersection on the segway and directed traffic.When I got to 42nd st. the sidewalks were a maze of people, gliding on the sidewalks was a real event and people were praising the Segway, "boy you guys feel vindicated, smart, I am buying one tomorrow, how much?"
I was beginning to realize the magnitude of the black out and finally got to 47th and 2nd. I live on the 19th floor and trying to get the segway up 19 flights of stairs was impossible. I walked up and left the Segway in a strangers apartment on the 2nd floor. New Yorker made the best of it, and with only 11 reports of break in's in NYC, it speaks how we handled it! The party in the parks, the demos in the dark, and a sleepless night was all part of the memories. Frank, sorry I took your charging time away, but without a full charge I would have been walking like the rest of the City. What a great husband, AZ is lucky, but go ahead an buy another Seg! I hope you win the Seg Fest freebee.

[ftropea]

PoloAK: Feel free to share the story. Send a link to this thread wherever 'ya feel there would be interest.

mattK: Not any smellier than an average day in NYC ;)

Itsi: I'm really glad you had a chance to charge at my NY office. For the record, my office is "Segway friendly" so if any NY Seggers need to recharge - just let me know :-)

Regards,

Frank A. Tropea

[/sc] Admin - "Keep your wheels on the ground!" - Contact Me (segwaychat@segwaychat.com)

[Blinky]

Glad you guys got home alright, what a crazy day for the state of New York and surrounding states that were affected.




http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Blinky/Blinkyblink.gif http://www.segwaychat.com/photos/Blinky/mrblinky.jpg

[mac]

Hi All -

I'm just back from a weekend away, and catching up on all this news - my Thursday/Segway story is a bit different. We evacuated my building in midtown, but in a horribly disorganized way, with the result that a lot of people were evacuated from floors other than their own (if they were at meetings, etc.). Once outside, they refused to let anyone back in, and many didn't have their purses, keys, wallets, you-name-it. I have some good contacts, and tried to use my leverage as much as possible for the better part of two hours, but to no avail. I won't go into all the reasons 'why' and 'why not', all of which have some validity, but will be the subject of big meetings tomorrow.

Anyway, with so many stranded people, all from outside of Manhattan, I set out for home with 3 others, who I thought I could help later on when I might get access to a car. I struggled with riding the Seg, and just giving the others directions, but everyone was so stressed by then, that I actually pushed the Seg all the way home and walked with them (who says we Seggers aren't going to get any more exercise!!!!)

Well, as Itsi and Frank have already pointed out - MILLIONS of comments - but mine were of the more sarcastic kind - 'what's the matter - out of power??' 'Why aren't you riding??' Anyway, when I explained that the only reason I wasn't riding was that we didn't have 4 Segways, everyone became really understanding and enthusiastic. I saw someone raise a camera, and immediately turned it on and jumped on, and gave a bunch of demos to everyone's delight around 23rd St, and did it again in the Village to show some guys from South America how it worked. Even had a cop say, 'Boy, I need one of those.' It was a lot of fun, and the colleagues I was with were totally tickled by all the attention. Getting up the 6 flights after 5 miles at home was not so pleasant, and I'm kind of sorry I didn't glide over to City Hall and try to make a point, given that it was the same day as the fatal 'ticketing' event. I've been dreaming all weekend that maybe we can 'morph' these two things into an official 'pardon' for now, and clear the slate - and with Frank's experience - who knows?!?!?!?! Great work, Frank. We'll speak.