View Full Version : Keep both wheels down, pleez
Michael McAuley
10-03-2003, 11:58 PM
I've noticed that high speed hits on one wheel, especially when going across curb cuts, will take too much weight off one wheel or put it into the air. This is very bad!
The wheel in the air will stop and the other will continue driving which will put you into a very quick turn.
I tend to go full speed whenever there are no Peds (Bellingham, WA is not a big walking town anyway) and hitting curb cuts - those are the places we angle down the sidewalk for cars to enter driveways - where one wheel is hitting the bump and the other isn't will put you in this situation.
Be careful and take it easy.
Mike McAuley
jgassor
10-04-2003, 12:13 AM
I havent really noticed this, I hit curb cuts at near full speed but I am also angling my body position to allow for the weight shift. It comes down to technique and familiarity with same route.
Jim
Live life to the full, get Tivo and get a Segway! http://segway.gassor.com
Neelix
10-04-2003, 12:42 AM
quote:Originally posted by Michael McAuley
The wheel in the air will stop and the other will continue driving which will put you into a very quick turn.
Err... this doesn't sound right. Can anyone with more experience on the Seg than I confirm my hunch?
-------------------------
Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.
Chris Knight
quote:Originally posted by Neelix
quote:Originally posted by Michael McAuley
The wheel in the air will stop and the other will continue driving which will put you into a very quick turn.
Err... this doesn't sound right. Can anyone with more experience on the Seg than I confirm my hunch?
-------------------------
Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.
Chris Knight
//
"tru...dat!"
a seg needs _traction_ in
order for the computers to
calculate balance. if trac-
tion is lost, the computers
stop the motor(s), causing
the wheel(s) to stop (and
then all heck breaks loose
if one happens to be on it
at the time).
under the circumstances des-
cribed it the "topic," one
wheel stopped whilst the other,
not, would create a wicked turn
savage enough to disengage the
occupant from the unit, depend-
on speed.
moral: gliding and loss of trac-
tion do not mix.
kthxbye.
q.
http://www.pcisys.net/~qwhew/segway/jpg_segway_sfest_08312003_sunday_3i.jpg
//
quote:Originally posted by q
quote:Originally posted by Neelix
quote:Originally posted by Michael McAuley
The wheel in the air will stop and the other will continue driving which will put you into a very quick turn.
Err... this doesn't sound right. Can anyone with more experience on the Seg than I confirm my hunch?
-------------------------
Fear not, for even though I come from the Forbidden City, I surely do not agree with the rules.
Chris Knight
//
"tru...dat!"
a seg needs _traction_ in
order for the computers to
calculate balance. if trac-
tion is lost, the computers
stop the motor(s), causing
the wheel(s) to stop (and
then all heck breaks loose
if one happens to be on it
at the time).
under the circumstances des-
cribed it the "topic," one
wheel stopped whilst the other,
not, would create a wicked turn
savage enough to disengage the
occupant from the unit, depend-
on speed.
moral: gliding and loss of trac-
tion do not mix.
kthxbye.
q.
http://www.pcisys.net/~qwhew/segway/jpg_segway_sfest_08312003_sunday_3i.jpg
//
//
oops! i was trying to confirm
the author of the topic's con-
clusion. (i was too eager to
thow in a "tru...dat!") (there-
fore, "_not_ tru..._not_ dat!)
my bad.
kthxbye.
q.
http://www.pcisys.net/~qwhew/segway/jpg_segway_sfest_08312003_sunday_3c.jpg
(plz click image to enlarge.)
//
stevew
10-04-2003, 03:49 AM
I don't think one wheel stops turning if it loses traction by leaving the ground. You can prove this by walking your seg in balance mode with one wheel off the ground. It still turns the same speed as the grounded wheel. The main reason you don't want one wheel to leave the ground is you no longer have steering, and when the wheel regrounds your seg may head off in a different direction than you. That is bad.
Bottom line, don't take curb cuts or sudden steps or bumps at high speed but rather climb over them one wheel at a time, shifting weight away from the climbing wheel, this takes some practice, when in doubt get off and power assist over a dubious piece of terrain.
i would sugges slowing down a bit, there isn't really any good reason to be going that fast over obstacles, it's just a matter of time until you take a spill.
cheers,
pt
quote:Originally posted by solarseg
tsoq giq stikes three times
//
"'pig post' strikes three times"?
cute, troll!
(now 4!) (btw, my 2nd post gave
a sql timeout error, so i thought
it didn't go through. hence, the
3d post.)
solarseq, with your 'tude, you're
in the _wrong_ forum. i'd suggest
your finding a newsgroupg that re-
lishes your whinging.
*plonk*
q.
//
Murray Fisher
10-04-2003, 11:50 AM
It is good to be very cautious on our Segs. However in my going on five months experience and a little over 1K miles now, I find they are not as TENDER as I thought they would be in reading others experiences prior to my ownership.
I have gone on loose gravel.....up inclines with no loss of traction, however I do not PUSH it at all. I EASE along these places. I go over garden hoses across the sidewalks all the time without slowing down.....small sticks and stones are not a problem. I try to NEVER go on wet grass but sometimes DO. Again, I just let it "take its head" pretty much. I go over quite bumpy lawns at grandkids football and soccer and baseball fields with no problems....just take it at walking speed or slightly more. At that time I also have a folding lawn chair strapped on the side carrier. On a recent one month vacation at a mountain resort area I even went up the Trail Head a few hundred feet.....I took it SLOW and EASY. I had to "glide" around large rocks and trees sometimes. When I turned to go back I was always amazed at how steep I had climbed. I have been surprised a few times going over sudden 2" drops in a sidewalk and got a jolt but no problem in "grabbing air". Going up and down curbs I always leave it in "balance" mode and can make the transition quickly with no problems. I go over driveway slopes very often, at an angle rather than turning and hitting it straight. I "hang loose" at these times and let the Seg tilt back and forth while I pretty much let my body stay still.
My first almost spill was a few days ago when I had been showing someone how the controls worked and then talked a bit with it turned off. I stepped on the platform without thinking and as I lost my balance, I stepped forward and did not fall and held onto the Seg! Kinda scary but I learned my lesson. ALWAYS look at the Smiley Face! Ho Ho.
Just as a little addendeum for those who do not know me, I am 82 years old and slightly disabled. I cannot walk very far without pain......but I can Seg all day and DO, as you can see by my mileage!
Murray Fisher
stuart
10-04-2003, 08:49 PM
I read this post and then went out and did something very similar...
I was out for a glide and was in the process of preparing to cross the street (residential area, not much traffic), was looking over my left shoulder to make sure that the road was clear to cross while traveling down the street. I hit a raised bit of asphalt near the sidewalk and lost control. I think because I was looking over my left shoulder when my right tire hit the bump it got airborn. I managed to regain my balance for a moment, but the Segway had turned to the left slightly so when I hit the ground it whipped left, then right (I think I turned it right). I flew foward and ended up with the Segway laying next to me, front side down. Not really much damage to speak of; the front trim piece on the handle bars is scratched up badly (I just replaced it, of course!) and my hands took a beating but otherwise I think everything is ok. I need to go out for another ride to make sure everything is running right. It was my first crash and hopefully my last.
Just thought it was a bit ironic to read this post and then have something similar happen to me.
Stuart
Update - The Segway seems fine. Had a great ride with lots of people smiling and me and saying hi. Was a little strange... felt sort of tentative not quite as comfortable as I was before but maybe that's a good thing.
solarseg-
removed your post, and sent an email. let's be cool, life is kinda short right?
cheers,
pt
quote:Originally posted by stuart
I read this post and then went out and did something very similar...
__snip__
It was my first crash and hopefully my last.
Just thought it was a bit ironic to read this post and then have something similar happen to me.
Stuart
__snip__
Was a little strange... felt sort of tentative not quite as comfortable as I was before but maybe that's a good thing.
//
yes, definitely.
in the beginning, i didn't
realize all the, shall we say,
"intricacies" of the glide,
which, basically, i took "for
granted; but soon i developed a
healthy respect for the seg and
its params, making me a much
better glider because of it.
glad you're okay.
kthxbye.
q.
http://www.pcisys.net/~qwhew/segway/jpg_segway_sfest_08312003_sunday_3l.jpg
(plz click image to enlarge.)
//
vBulletin® v3.7.1, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.