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All you've got to do is make the dumb thing freewheel instead of locking up...

Where does it say the wheels lock up? In the article I read - from the Taipei Times - there was no mention of that. Instead it said A Segway tends to tip forward when the batteries are low.

Before that happens the article states ... " A user who has such an accident must first ignore a number of signals from the Segway to get to the hazardous tipping point. The machines have a prominent battery level indicator built into the handlebars, and as power drains below a certain level, a light comes on, an alarm sounds, and the handlebars vibrate."

Segways are far from perfect but I do see some very valid applications. They really weren't meant to replace a car, or bike. They are a "personal transportation device" best suited, I would think, to warmer climes with farily level ground.

Even so I could sure use one instead of walking two and a half miles to work. It takes me 40 minutes now. with the Segway I could do it much faster and not be tired when I arrive.

Expensice? Yes, but prices should come down eventually.

prisoner6

I never said there weren't valid applications. I see the primary weakness of the Segway as being in competition with scooters but being sold at used car prices.

If you want a powered scooter go here: http://urbanscooters.com/index.php?af1=google
That's what Segway is in competition with, and that's what it's losing to. There's tons of different models out there all based around the push scooter frame, all much cheaper than Segway. Also all much lower tech, but geewhiz tech is really only cool for the first hour or two you own something, after then it's a question of usability and practicality.

The price will only come down if it sells well enough for them to make it in bulk. When it was unveiled it was projected to sell at $3000, now it's listing on Amazon at $4995, it's obviously not selling in bulk and with good reason, there are scooters on the market that are lighter, less bulky, faster, and go further on a charge for $300 to $500. All that technical geewhiz isn't providing a compelling reason to spend 10 times as much on something that, from a practicle perspective, isn't as useful a product.