Posted on 09/27/2010 8:21:19 AM PDT by traumer
The multi-millionaire owner of the Segway company died in a freak accident yesterday when he rode one of the high-tech two-wheel machines off a cliff and into a river.
Former miner Jimi Heselden, 62, plunged into the River Wharfe while riding around his West Yorkshire estate in Boston Spa on a rugged country version of the Segway.
He bought the firm last December and was using one of the machines - which use gyroscopes to remain upright and are controlled by the direction in which the rider leans - to inspect the grounds of his property. Big heart: Jimi Heselden donated more than £23 million to charity
Jimi Heselden, the multi-millionaire owner of the Segway company, died in a freak accident when he rode one of the high-tech two-wheel machines off a cliff and into a river
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said today: 'Police were called at 11.40am yesterday to reports of a man in the River Wharfe, apparently having fallen from the cliffs above.
'A Segway-style vehicle was recovered. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
'At this time we do not believe the death to be suspicious.'
Invesitgators are probing whether there was a fault with his particular machine or it was driver error.
His death comes just a week after he became one of the UK's most generous philanthropists, having given away £10million to a charity foundation he set up in 2008. He had previously given £13million to the same organisation.
Mr Heselden was worth £166million and ranked 395th on the Sunday Times Rich List - above X Factor boss Simon Cowell - thanks to his defence company Hesco Bastion.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
You cannot make these stories up....
Just proves it’s impossible to look cool riding a Segway even when you’re taking it over a cliff.
Irony alert....
Jeff Bridges on a Segway with a cigar..........
I’ve been saying for years these damned things should come standard with a parachute and a floatation device.
Sudden acceleration ???
Very sad that fellow died. Just a bizarre story. I’ve always thought the ‘Segway’ was a ridiculous idea; dangerous too.
Sudden negative acceleration...
FOX Business Channel just said, “not good marketing”.
that’s slightly less cool than Jeff with a cigar, I guess
:-)
...And in an unrelated story, the wife of the deceased has just announced her engagment to the Segway Corporation’s lead firmware engineer. (no pun intended)
Matlock, where are you? Oh- doing Obamacare commercials.
It’ll be interesting ro follow any coming lawsuits.hehehe
Yeah, it’s not the fall that kills ya’, it’s the sop.
He literally drove his business off a cliff...............
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