Just like magic I’m not sure what to call a Segway. Perhaps a personal transportation device or people mover might be close but it really defies classification because it is just so different from anything else. Whatever you want to call it, the Segway is one of the coolest things ever invented for moving around. A Segway has two wheels but instead of being in tandem like a bike they are on the sides. Sure looks intimidating the first time you are on one because it seems like the damn thing will fall over if you try to get on. But through the incredible computer and technological magic of the eccentric inventor, Dean Kamen, the Segway manages to stay upright with ease. Amazingly intuitive, you get the hang of moving around on a Segway in only a few minutes. Move the handle forward, you move forward. Lean to the side, you go to the side. Push the handle backwards, you actually go backwards. You can ever balance with ease at a full stop or do circles. The Segway does all the balancing for you. Sure the new owner of the company got killed riding over a cliff not too long ago, but that wasn’t the machines fault. I’ve been on these things many times and only fell off a few times. Every time it was my fault for trying to do sometime very stupid. The machine is absolutely brilliant. Even though the Segway is incredibly fun and a technological marvel, the problem is what exactly is it good for? Lots of places ban them on sidewalks and they aren’t really good on the road. Plus they don’t carry much and of course you are exposed to the elements. They really shine in places where you are away from traffic like in parks or large fields. You are starting to see them in tourist locations like Newport, Bermuda or in the Caribbean. Great fun for seeing the sights because you don’t have to think about controlling the machine but can still move around quickly. I would love to buy one but really have nowhere I can ride it. Just tooling around my driveway would get tedious. The Segway is a miraculous machine. If only it was a bit more practical.
