A new way to commute
Check out this interesting article about people using Segways for errands and daily commutes. I'm not sure where I fall on this. If you have the money and you want to buy a Segway for these kinds of purposes I guess it's OK. It seems to accomplish the same thing as using a bike for your primary commuting tool. But, it seems more cost effective to buy a $500 city bike. Not to mention the huge increase in resources necessary to make a Segway vs. a bike. But, a Segway isn't a car so that is also a positive.
I'm sure these are people who could never imagine riding a bike to do these kinds of things because as a civilized person they must use a machine to do their work for them (except the handicapped guy, he's excluded) even though using your body (also a machine) is incredibly efficient. I don't know. I'm just speculating on their thought process. If they don't think this way I don't understand why they wouldn't think about using a bike for the same thing.
I love the guy who tows his kid to school with the Segway. I think that is a great thing to do, and I can promise you your son would think it was just as cool if you were on a bike instead of a Segway.
FGLB
posted by Matt @ 12:56 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Segways annoy me. I suppose I should try to appreciate them as an alternative form of transportation, but I can't get past the my major problem with them: They're just one more way to eliminate physical activity. Why take a few steps when you can stand perfectly still?
I rarely see them in Alaska, but when I do, I feel like the people riding them are telling the world, "I won't even freakin' WALK, if I can possibly avoid it."
Most bikes sold in the US are the cheap department store variety. People who don't know about bikes are familiar with this type of bike, and know that, in general, riding a bike is unpleasant and uncomfortable and a lot of hard work. These people might also be peripherally aware of other types of bikes - they see the racer boys and girls out flying around in skintight clothes, but they can't relate to that on any level. So for lots of people out there, the appeal of bicycling is unknown and not understood. These are the people who buy Segways.
I rode a Segway once. Kind of interesting and fun. But I couldn't see using one as transportation. For any distance over 1/4 mile, I'll ride my bike, thank you.
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