All Segways recalled

AP ^ | 9/26/2003

[presidio9]

The maker of the Segway Human Transporter has agreed to recall the motorized scooters because riders have been injured falling off when its batteries are low. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall Friday, saying that three people had been injured. One suffered a head wound and needed stitches.

[rftc]

Monseuir Kerry has his own Segway butler..while the disenfanchised with no Segways look on

[MotleyGirl70]

Okay, does he not realize how stupid that looks. I wonder if he thinks he'll pick up chicks riding that thing around. LOL!

[E Rocc]

They were talking about Segways on a local radio station this AM and said Jerome Bettis (for non-NFL fans out there, he is a Pittsburg Steelers running back) fell off one once.

What was the Richter Scale measurement?

-Eric

[rftc]

Big Time has to beat them off with a stick on his new Segway..

[theFIRMbss]

>riders have been injured falling off when its batteries are low

Electric motors
are for the sissies! Real men
always leave con trails...

[ArrogantBustard]

I saw some dude (not airport employee) tooling around LAX on one of those things, the other day. They look as dorky in person as they do in pictures.

[presidio9]

Careful there! Remember, Big Time has a weak ticker!

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Is there any way to tell if the batteries are low?

Yes. The battery indicator is when the rider falls off, the battery is low.

[Fury]

Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[discostu]

The pictures I can find show some dorky thing with a smiley face on it that might be the charge indicator or might not. And yes people do use their cellphones when the batteries are low all the time. If you need to make a call you hope to finish before the battery dies.

Here the resonsibility belongs to the company to make the device stop in a way that is safe if it's running out of power. If your car runs out of gas the wheels don't just lockup bringing you to a screeching halt, it coasts allowing you to come to a controlled stop. Proactive information to the operator would also help.

The technology behind the Segway is interesting. As an invention it blows chunks. It's over priced, oversized, too much technology for the task, and under tested. There's a reason the push scooters with lawnmower engines that cost a 10th as much are selling more than 10 times better.

[discostu]

The technology breakthrough isn't much of a breakthrough. It's doing nothing more than using gyroscopes to take instruction and keep the machine balanced. Planes have used gyroscopes for autopilot for decades, only thing he did here was make them really small.

[presidio9]

U.S. Issues Recall for Segway Scooters

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030926/ap_on_re_us/segway_recall_3

The maker of the Segway Human Transporter has agreed to recall the motorized scooters because riders have been injured falling off when its batteries are low.


The Consumer Product Safety Commission (news - web sites) announced the recall Friday, saying that three people had been injured. One suffered a head wound and needed stitches.


The recall involves about 6,000 of the single-rider, two-wheeled scooters that can travel up to 12 mph. The scooter uses gyroscopes to keep it upright, making it less likely to fall or be knocked over.


But the CPSC said that scooters being operated with low battery power may not have enough power to remain upright, causing the rider to fall.


The Segway was unveiled in December 2001 to much fanfare by Dean Kamen, an inventor who holds some 100 patents, including a wheelchair that climbs stairs and the first portable kidney dialysis machine.


Commercial and consumer models on the list include the Segway HT i167 (i series), the e167 (e series) and p133 (p series).


The scooters cost around $4,950 apiece.


The company is offering a free software upgrade. While Segway plans to contact owners, consumers also may call the company toll free at 1-877-889-9020 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. weekdays to obtain the free upgrade.


___

[GreyWolf]

They were talking about Segways on a local radio station this AM and said Jerome Bettis (for non-NFL fans out there, he is a Pittsburg Steelers running back) fell off one once.

As I recall, President Bush fell off one when they first came out and they loaned him one to play with.

[r9etb]

Maybe this product isn't the ideal, however, the technology breakthrough is the big news.

There's nothing particularly new about the technology, either. For example, the "standing up on its own" part is something that rockets have done for decades, using the same basic principles.

What this thing really is, is an attempt to define a market niche -- something that fulfills the same basic functions as a bicycle, withhout the need to climb onto same.

As an idea it's not too bad, but there are a number of downsides to this particular answer that make the Segway less than ideal. For example, its range is limited, which means you're probably not gonna commute to work on it. If you do use it in the city, you still have to find a place to park it, wherever you go -- not always easy. And of course there's always the question, "is it easier to walk?" It often is easier to walk -- especially if you're not alone.

[Willie Green]

LOL!!!

I just KNEW there had to be another reason for that smile on his face!
Karl Rove must've had her airbrushed out of the "official" picture that was released to the press.
But sooner or later, the TRUTH always comes out!!!

[presidio9]

[Liberal Classic]

VTEC? LOL!

[GreyWolf]

can I still drive my segeway down to Florida thes winter?

Yes, if you live in Florala, AL.

[presidio9]

While Segway plans to contact owners,

Seriesly, this could take literally hours to get a hold of all of them. Meanwhile the unreachable are scooting around on their two-wheeled deathtraps in blissful ignorance...