The Segway HT (Human Transport).

Wednesday, March 26, 2003 was a watershed day for me, because I rode a Segway HT for the first time. For those of you who haven’t been paying attention, the Segway is a self-balancing, two-wheeled personal electric transport device. Some people call it a “scooter”, and I used to do the same, until I encountered the device in person. The Segway is to the scooter what a Gulfstream jet is to a paper airplane. Just as the paper plane and the business jet both share the principles of aerodynamics, the Segway shares the characteristics of two wheels with the scooter. And there the similarity ends.

First off, the Segway’s wheels are aligned in a parallel fashion; all scooters have their wheels in-line. Second, the Segway employs 5 solid-state gyroscopes and a very sophisticated on-board computer, which gives the device the ability to not only balance it self, but balance you too, when you step on board. Try that with your razor-type scooter. Or even your Vespa, for that matter.

But before I get too far into the technical aspects of the Segway (and you should visit the Segway website for the real information), let me back up and explain what happened on March 26. I was in Old Town Pasadena, the yuppie restaurant and shopping foci of the San Gabriel Valley, and I saw this guy crossing the street on his Segway. Up to that point, I had only seen the Segway on the web and in magazine articles, so I actually had to do a double take to make sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me. The guy (his name is Joe), had accelerated across a crosswalk, and then quickly and smoothly slowed down to roll up the ramp onto the sidewalk. Then he stopped to talk to some pedestrians. Right then, I knew I had to talk to him.

As I approached, I was amazed that he was able to stand completely still, with what seemed like complete balance and control. And then, when his friends moved, or when people walked by, he was able to twist and pivot the Segway effortlessly. Despite the lunchtime crowds, there seemed to be plenty of room on the sidewalk for the Segway and the passing pedestrians, many of whom didn’t even give the unique device a passing glance. Not me, thought; I was entranced!

When I approached Joe, he was extremely friendly and seemed happy to answer any questions I had. He used the Segway to commute to work, and had just returned from a lunchtime errand run to buy dog food. His Segway featured a soft parcel bag on the front, similar to the old wire baskets that were used on older bicycles. He gave me a business card that was basically a FAQ list, and it also listed his website (www.pasadenasegway.com). Joe totally surprised me when I asked him how long it took for him to get so good at maneuvering the Segway….he hopped off and offered me a demonstration ride!

Now, as many of you know, I am an avid motorcyclist, and it’s nothing new for one biker to approach another to compliment or talk about their motorcycle. But it’s a very rare day indeed for a biker to offer a stranger a test ride on their pride and joy. But Joe did so without hesitation. I was floored! I was like a kid at Christmas!

Joe pulled what looked like keys out of his pocket…actually they were encoded magnets, and they were color-coded as well. He briefly explained that they governed the speed and sensitivity of the device. He inserted the black magnet into an opening on top of the “handlebars”, then stepped to the front of the Segway. He adjusted the height of the handlebars for my height (similar to adjusting the height of a microphone stand), then held the bars out for me and told me to take them.

First thing I noticed was that I didn’t have to hold the Segway up. Then Joe told me to put one foot on the platform. No problem. Then just step on board with the other. I did so without a concern in the world…and immediately I started wobbling back and forth. Joe quickly commented that this was normal, and it would stop as soon as I relaxed. So I did, and it did, and….I was balanced on the Segway! It was as if all I had to do was trust it, and it would take care of the hard part. It didn’t feel weird or out of control or anything. It didn’t feel as if I was on the verge of falling over it felt perfectly natural, as if I was standing on solid ground.

Then Joe instructed me to lean forward slightly. I did so, and the Segway started to roll forward. Then he said lean backward; I did, and it stopped. He told me to lean even farther back, which I did and the Segway began to slowly roll backward. We did that two more times. Then Joe told me to twist the left handgrip to the right. When I did that, the Segway pivoted to the right. I then twisted the grip left and pivoted back to my original position. Then he told me to turn right while leaning forward. And by that time I was completely hooked. I wanted to spend the rest of the day playing with that thing!

By the time I got home, I had figured out that the Segway was the answer for my own daily commute to work. I have mentioned before on this site that I live close enough to my office to bike to work, but biking requires specific bike-oriented clothing to be comfortable. A bicycle seat will destroy a pair of dress slacks in a matter of weeks. Plus, my ride home is all uphill…good for exercise, but bad for motivation. The Segway solves that problem entirely. You can ride a Segway wearing a suit, as long as the weather is good. And here in Southern California, good weather is a given.

Yes, the Segway is a viable transportation tool for people like me, who daily commute falls within its rather short 10-mile range. But the Segway costs nearly $5,000 (it’s available at Amazon.com right now) and that’s a hurdle that I cannot overcome at this time, both fiscally and conceptually. Being a motorcyclist, I am well aware that any number of very capable motorcycles can be bought for that amount or less, while providing much greater range and utility. However, the Segway is a revolutionary device because it can do something that no motorcycle or scooter will ever be able to do: it can co-exist on sidewalks and in buildings with people walking. I can ride the Segway from my kitchen at home right up to my desk at work, without ever getting off. The Segway is the closest thing to George Jetson’s spaceship-that-folds-up-into-a-briefcase yet. I gotta have one. I just have to figure out how to get one.

More later…
Paul