So, this thing costs $3,000. Why not just get a moped? You can sit down, there's a tiny bit of carrying capacity, it gets much better range, goes faster, and can be driven on streets. For about $3,000, you can get a Vespa. Tres chic.
Heck, I thought he looked macho -- of course I thought Dukakis in the tank looked macho, so what do I know.
You don't understand PR and how the media and government really operate. Had he not been wearing a helmet the mainstream media and government would keep a million from being sold. One can only guess at how often people think they're doing good when in fact they're shooting themselves in the foot because they fail to understand the media stooges, politicians and bureaucrats' value destroying modus operandi.
Yes..........from my very limited understanding of standard MBA-type practices one of the things that is usually done with a new product is some sort of "Marketing" analysis (ie. to answer the questions: "What is the Market?", "How may can we sell?", "How much money should we invest, therefore, in manufacturing facilities to produce a given number of units given a certain-sized Market?").
One can conclude from the hoopla that this has been done when Kamen said "this device will replace the automobile" (snicker, snicker). If so, then he has been seriously misled by the marketing firm that he hired to perform this service and should get his money back.
I agree with you.........."scooters" already exist, and if you want an enclosed vehicle with a little bit of carrying capacity, with great gas-mileage then Smart (Chrysler subsidiary) already manufactures this product for a European "market". I'm likewise completely mystified as to what the "Market" is for this product in the US.