Segway rider's rant

[Skunkle]

So, yeah, I own a Segway. It's not a rich-boy-toy for me. It's my transportation. I don't have the amount of balance needed for a bike, and I don't really want a car.

This thing goes at a top speed of 12 mph, so is ridden on the sidewalk save in places in some neighborhoods where there are none. I obey laws, try to be courteous in all cases, yield to cars, and at night (on the occasion that I go somewhere by day and have to return by night) I wear red LED flashers on my rear pockets and have a white LED headlight in front. Only thing I cannot do is give turn signals by hand, because these require the left hand, which operates the turning control and must stay on the left handlebar at all times.

I ALWAYS wear a helmet. I've taken a few spills on this, and I can tell that scrambled b rains would be a possibility. Only one of these spills has resulted in injury, and it was my own fault.

Now, I know Segways have a standing rep as a nerdmobile. First rant is on cars' drivers and the way they deal with me. First of all, many will roll down a window as I pass and YELL comments - some nice, some not, but all bad in that scaring a driver is always bad. My turning is controlled by a rotary cuff on the left handlebar. Jerking this suddenly while moving can easily result in a nasty spill, and this is often the result of having someone yell at me out of nowhere. When the comment IS nice, they're not going too fast for me to catch it, and I don't jump, I do wave and smile.

Second rant: at night, when I'm ON THE SIDEWALK, passing cars nearly always flip on their brights to see what's behind the LED headlight, and guess what? I'm suddenly 100% BLIND. Also not good. I might be a dick for this, but I do have a tendency to yell "I'm blind!!" when this happens, in hopes that maybe they heard me.

Then there are stupid punks. No race noted here, just the age range, which tends to be teens to early 20s, and most of these guys are walking with some chick (girlfriend?) they seem to be trying to impress. I ride by, they suddenly leap straight into my path, wave their arms frantically and SCREAM. I swerve and nearly go off the curb into traffic, and I usually hear one of three responses:
"Whoa, don't get all crazy, I was kiddin' around! Chill, man!"
"Yeah, you BETTER jump, Mr. rich boy! Motherfucker"
Or simply LMAO laughter, as if it's the funniest thing they've seen since Steve-O snorted wasabi on Jackass. I have half a mind to swerve AT them, and crash into them, but I have a sneaking suspicion they'd sue my ass off.

Last but not least, there's you, Mr. Racer. A guy in his early 30s, looks mature enough, on a racing bike and in racing gear. First I saw him waaay out of town on a bike trail. I had stopped to light my pipe, and he rolls by in the opposite direction, and hollers "Segways are fucking gay!!" as he flies past me. Okay, you look mature, but apparently looks aren't everything - I'm actually bi and I'm NOT offended by the comment, so much as I find his incredible immaturity incredibly sad. A few weeks later, I'm at a corner waiting to cross a street, and he pulls up at the light on his bike, a few feet away from me... looks up... points a finger so it's a foot from my face, and bursts out laughing so hard he's screaming. Once again, sir, if you think I look like a fool...

Aside from these assholes and nutjobs, I have a good time, and I usually give interested parties a try at the controls, since they're so unbelievably easy to learn.

Skunk rant mode off.

[tropicsgoddess]

Some time ago I pondered about getting a scotter, like a Vespa or something. But considering how the drivers lack respect to the bike riders , my dad thought it was a bad idea. So I nixed it. Not only that but the weather too. So I'm saving up for a car. I honestly hate how people are rude to you over your choice in mode of transportation. I take an hour ride on the bus and then I get off at my stop and have to take a long walk (about 40 minutes) to my job because the public transportation system sucks in Florida. So as a straight chick I sometimes do get these assholes that make cat calls to me while I'm walking to or from work. I was curious as to how much it is for a Segway and how much maintenance you have to do to keep it running right.

[Flyndaran]

...So as a straight chick I sometimes do get these assholes that make cat calls to me while I'm walking to or from work. I was curious as to how much it is for a Segway and how much maintenance you have to do to keep it running right.

How do strangers know that you're hetero? You have psychic slimeballs out there?
If I needed a baby vehicle, I would get a bike. Sadly, here in the U.S. the world is built and owned by car owners. Fortunately, in Beaverton Oregon, we have the best public transportation system in the country.

I think that the Segway looks ridiculous, but I wouldn't catcall somebody becuase of it.

[Depot Denizen]

I love Segways. I got to ride around on one for a little bit. Nimble little bastards they are. I'm a motorcycle rider, and I wave to all kinds of motorized transport. I have more respect for the Vespa commuter than a geared-out sportbike, but I wave to both. I ride a Lime Green Ninja 500, for reference. :D I dislike inconsiderate bicyclists, I've had a lot of problems with them darting out in the middle of traffic. Same with some pedestrians, too. Mostly the college kids.

[BlaqueKatt]

Sadly, here in the U.S. the world is built and owned by car owners.

sadly this is a common misconception:

Good Roads Movement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Roads_Movement)

"The Good Roads Movement was founded in May 1880, when bicycle enthusiasts, riding clubs and manufacturers met in Newport, Rhode Island to form the League of American Wheelmen to support the burgeoning use of bicycles and to protect their interests from legislative discrimination."

Horatio Earle is known as the "Father of Good Roads." Quoting from Earle's 1929 autobiography: "I often hear now-a-days, the automobile instigated good roads; that the automobile is the parent of good roads. Well, the truth is, the bicycle is the father of the good roads movement in this country." "The League fought for the privilege of building bicycle paths along the side of public highways." "The League fought for equal privileges with horse-drawn vehicles. All these battles were won and the bicyclist was accorded equal rights with other users of highways and streets."

[AdminAssistant]

There are a lot...a LOT of bicyclists in my town. If someone's using it as a mode for transportation, then I'll be pretty patient with them. However, if some yuppie asshole Lance Armstrong wannabe is blocking my way in the name of exercise I get really ticked off. There are bike paths at parks, there's no reason to be blocking traffic on the primary roadways in town.

Also prevalent, especially on campus, is something I call pedestrian rage. "Oh, there's a crosswalk, I don't actually need to stop and check for traffic, I'll just keep on texting, lah de dah, no need to hurry, I'll just stop here in the road and talk to my friends". Gah! And then, when crossing the road on foot, you nearly get run over. Can't win either way.

[Flyndaran]

sadly this is a common misconception:

Good Roads Movement (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Roads_Movement)

"The Good Roads Movement was founded in May 1880, when bicycle enthusiasts, riding clubs and manufacturers met in Newport, Rhode Island to form the League of American Wheelmen to support the burgeoning use of bicycles and to protect their interests from legislative discrimination."
...
I meant they are built now for cars alone. Bike paths are uncommon and riding in the street is dangerous because of drivers with a sense of entitlement.

[telecom_goddess]

How do strangers know that you're hetero? You have psychic slimeballs out there?
If I needed a baby vehicle, I would get a bike. Sadly, here in the U.S. the world is built and owned by car owners. Fortunately, in Beaverton Oregon, we have the best public transportation system in the country.

I think that the Segway looks ridiculous, but I wouldn't catcall somebody becuase of it.

Yah we have a great transportation system if you want to get from Beaverton to Portland, within Beaverton it's kinda sucky :(

I think a segway would be cool..... I don't own a car and never will. I've had a scooter in the past and a bike..and don't have any of those things at the moment. A segway would be fun :)

[blas87]

Amen, Admin! *applause*

And you can always tell the difference, too. Some poor college kid desperately trying to get home with their 100 lb backpack on their back, versus a yutz parade of yuppie assholes riding their bicycles in the middle of the damn road, not giving two cares that they are blocking and clogging up traffic.

[Flyndaran]

A jerk is a jerk no matter what they drive or ride.
The only difference is what kind of jerk could kill you. My money's on the guy with a car.

[AdminAssistant]

And you can always tell the difference, too. Some poor college kid desperately trying to get home with their 100 lb backpack on their back, versus a yutz parade of yuppie assholes riding their bicycles in the middle of the damn road, not giving two cares that they are blocking and clogging up traffic.

Yes, because the yuppie assholes wear those ridiculous spandex unitard thingies. *sheesh*

[blas87]

Hahaha, fortunately, I don't really see the total gear.

Instead, I get to see the most unattractive men riding in just their shorts.

[Skunkle]

I obey signs, I give right-of-way to drivers when I'm on neighborhood streets which have no sidewalk or shoulder, I take crosswalks quickly and only on-the-light. In short, I behave. And other drivers and pedestrians don't. Many do, but the few that don't, REALLY don't.

And yes, a Segway looks a little silly, but so dopes any form of transpoprtation for at least a decade after it appears, whether or not it catches on. And the Segway HAS caught on as much as it will, I firmly believe it's by no means a ride for everyone or a replacement for cars. For me it is, however, a mode of transportation, not a "rich boy toy". It goes 12mph and, in 20 minutes, I can get just about anywhere in town. And what I can't carry by saddlebag or backpack, I can sometimes still carry - yesterday I helped an acquaintence pick up a swamp cooler fan (a box about 2 1/2' by 1 1/2' square) and, as he was on a bike, I carried it home for him, balance on one of my fenders.

[Flyndaran]

... For me it is, however, a mode of transportation, not a "rich boy toy". It goes 12mph and, in 20 minutes, I can get just about anywhere in town. And what I can't carry by saddlebag or backpack, I can sometimes still carry - yesterday I helped an acquaintence pick up a swamp cooler fan (a box about 2 1/2' by 1 1/2' square) and, as he was on a bike, I carried it home for him, balance on one of my fenders.

For poverty stricken me, a bicycle is virtually a rich boy's toy.
Walk, ride, drive seem to be the only choices for healthy people on a budget. I believe you wrote that you have unusual physical handicaps. The segway will always be a very small niche item, perfect for you but not for most others except as a rich boy's toy.

[machinest]

I ride a motorbike to and from work and have noticed that the other commuters on bikes are more often the ones who are polite and legal riders . Something of the "this is my transportation" as opposed to "this is my toy.

[Skunkle]

Correct - for MOST a Segway is a toy, because of the high cost. And when they first appeared, they were around $3,000 new. Now they're $5100 - the company keeps coming out with new models and driving up the prices. I PREFERRED the older model's design, so I bought one used and paid half of retail or so.

I don't technically have what most people would call an impairment. Can't ride a bike? Yes you fucking can! Just do it, it's easy!! Uh, no, not for me... Oh, quit whining, it's easy for ME, it MUST be easy for YOU. I tried riding a bike when I was a kid - and would you believe, I managed to fall over while using training wheels.

Saw the biker again, though, out on the trail. He waited 'till he flew past before yelling "That's not exercise!!" I'll give him this much - this time he was at least making an honest statement (even if it was visibly intended as a jeer) so I'll agree - though if he ever stops when I'm stopped, I won't hesitate to say "I'm sorry, I just can't handle one of those things" and walk with a strong limp. :D No, I don't really have a limp at all, but I'll enjoy taking the wind out of his sails...

[Boozy]

Saw the biker again, though, out on the trail. He waited 'till he flew past before yelling "That's not exercise!!"

Well, duh. I can shout out obvious statements too: "Hey! There's a douchebag on a bicycle!"

[Flyndaran]

...
I don't technically have what most people would call an impairment. Can't ride a bike? Yes you fucking can! Just do it, it's easy!! Uh, no, not for me... Oh, quit whining, it's easy for ME, it MUST be easy for YOU. I tried riding a bike when I was a kid - and would you believe, I managed to fall over while using training wheels.
......

I would call a balance issue bad enough to make riding a bike impossible a serious impairment. I don't think anyone here has made the argument that easy for me is easy for you.
I'm sorry that you have jerks making your day harder.

[Skunkle]

Thankfully, 90% of the people who talk to me or call out from cars are nice. But like the horrible few who make Customers Suck what it is, the few who flip me shit do drive me nuts at times.

Anyone know any good, and fairly safe, ways to react to the guys who're walking by with their babes and try to impress them by leaping into my way and screaming at me while waving their hands? I have a feeling that if I crashed into them, they'd beat the tar out of me. Same for the guys (always gangsta-dressed ones, regardless of skin color) who jump at me and go "I'm gonna steal yer rich bitch toy, boy! Yeah, you BETTER jump, motherfucker!"

[Flyndaran]

Thankfully, 90% of the people who talk to me or call out from cars are nice. But like the horrible few who make Customers Suck what it is, the few who flip me shit do drive me nuts at times.

Anyone know any good, and fairly safe, ways to react to the guys who're walking by with their babes and try to impress them by leaping into my way and screaming at me while waving their hands? I have a feeling that if I crashed into them, they'd beat the tar out of me. Same for the guys (always gangsta-dressed ones, regardless of skin color) who jump at me and go "I'm gonna steal yer rich bitch toy, boy! Yeah, you BETTER jump, motherfucker!"

If you ever find out how to deal with a-holes while simultaneiously keeping your dignity and not getting beaten up, then please tell me.
As pedestrian, I deal with drivers pretending that I'm some kind of alien annoyance rather than a human using my evolved mode of transportation.
Jerks abound no matter what how you get around.

[violetyoshi]

Some guy jumped out at me while I was on one of those scooters at Disneyworld, and did that waving arms screaming thing. Your right, it's very difficult to resist the temptation to want to roll over their foot or hit them.

Note: I was one of those jerks who used the scooter because I was fat. I have resolved to exercise and diet, so when I go to Disneyworld I won't have to use one. It's not worth the trouble of the self-righteous a**holes who believe part of a vacation, is pointing out people who are different, and teaching their children the great American past time of discrimination.