Posted on 04/14/2009 11:42:47 AM PDT by Tim Slagle
"A collaborative effort between General Motors and Segway Inc. debuted Tuesday April 7th in New York: the new PUMA (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility vehicle). With the assistance of GM, Segway did something everyone thought was absolutely impossible: They made the Segway even DORKIER.
Ever since they debuted to great fanfare in 2001, Segways never captured the hearts of Americans like they were supposed to. Originally projected to sell forty thousand units the first year, it is now speculated that Segway probably hasn't sold 30 thousand units to date. So why didn't they catch on?
I'm guessing just because they look so dang stupid. A Segway passenger looks like Urkel riding a lawnmower..."
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
This car, like the Segway, is probably only usefull in limited circumstances, like retirement communities, mobil home parks, etc. They are too dangerous on sidewalks and too vulnerable on city streets. Where do they see these things being used?
Segways are generally for lazy-a**es. They aren’t good for replacing cars- it just replaces walking. Plus, who wants to steer that through crowded sidewalks?
‘Wheelchair for two’. That’s all it is.
Definition of “Dorky”: a Baltimore cop riding a Segway inside the terminal at BWI. Most of these guys could use some exercise.
It’s not just that they look stupid. Other than hauling supervisors around a factory floor they have no practical use.
Funny how a vehicle with two parallel wheels is pervasively insulted, yet a vehicle with two in-line wheels is cool.
I’ve worked in factories where the techs rode tricycles around. Now, thats dorky. These would be a suitable replacement for those.
Otherwise, I’m not sure what they are good for.
For anyone paying attention, I’d love to have an electric car. I want one that can do 85 on the freeway, and can do it all day long. It needs to be able to come to a full charge while I’m eating dinner.
At minimum, it needs to go from LA to Vegas, or Houston to Dallas at plus-highway speeds with a little reserve for driving around after you get where you are going.
In other words, it needs to be an effective replacement for what I’m driving now.
This is future for Obama Motors. Not a pretty sight.
I am a fireman. I have been to the local mall twice to pick up mall security guards who have been injured after being thrown off their Segway. Now we get cars that throw people off. I think they call that job security.
I didn’t think a vehicle uglier than the SmartCar was even possible (though Pontiac’s Aztek is a close runner-up) but by golly, here one IS.
I have an alternative to the segway - it works great, it’s called walking.
The moped?
The problem is not the car technology, it's the roads...We simply need a national network of slot car track...
I’ve seen cops on these too. They look ridiculous!
I actually saw a good use for them - police patrolling a music festival.
They can get around a bit faster than walking, but not as disruptive as a car.
Of course, horses could do that too, and be more interesting.
We could pay for it with the stimulus package.
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