16 August 2011

...or not to segway. [with poll]

| screaming banshee
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I’m surprised there has been little discussion of the segway debacle down by the lake, but then there have been other wheeled lunatics to worry about of late.

Perhaps JB can add a poll as it seems that I cant, but personally I think there are some places that might be fine for experienced operators but the paths and areas around the lake are not the place.

Segways by the lake

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Pork Hunt said :

What sort of a shit fight will there be when jet back packs are perfected for everyday use?

Heh

“YOU ARE BEING FINED FOR OPPERATING AN UNREGISTERED VEHICLE…. COME DOWN HERE!”

“….no.”

They should build some awesome offroad segways, with suspension etc – kind of like a two wheeled moon buggy. That’d be good for rolling around bushy Canberra.

Henry82 said :

IF they decide to change the rules, they should include ALL vehicles/devices with engines up to a certain size, not just segways. I would love a 1500 watt motor on my bike.

1500 watts on a light bike would have it fairly flying.

Thoroughly Smashed said :

For some reason Segways always seem to remind me of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk2wViKSh_M

I bet they use 5000 cal per day!

Thoroughly Smashed said :

For some reason Segways always seem to remind me of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk2wViKSh_M

Thanks for spreading that love TS. It’s rare that the internet brings my an actual sensation of joy, but this was one of those occasions.

screaming banshee9:29 pm 16 Aug 11

thatsnotme said :

I guarantee that I can reach a much higher speed on a pushbike, than I ever could on a segway, and that the result of me hitting a pedestrian on that bike would be far nastier.

Would that be your first time on a bike in a possibly unfamiliar location, or have you been riding bikes for years and know where you are going?

Thoroughly Smashed said :

For some reason Segways always seem to remind me of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk2wViKSh_M

My eyes, the goggles do nothing!

alaninoz said :

What I am strongly against, though, is modifying the ACT road rules to benefit one company – any company.

+1

IF they decide to change the rules, they should include ALL vehicles/devices with engines up to a certain size, not just segways. I would love a 1500 watt motor on my bike.

Pork Hunt said :

Supercharged motor cars were banned until the motor industry did something about it for example…

Segway isn’t an industry, its a brand.

The issue is they are not legal under the Australian Road Rules in any state in Australia. My understanding is they are classified as a motorised scooter (ARR 244A). As such they can not exceed 200 watts of power or exceed 10 kph top speed. This is a similar reason you can’t buy an electric bicycle with a motor greater than 200 watts in Aus, or legally fit one with a petrol engine > 200 watts. Until the law is changed the only place you can use one in Australia legally is on private property.

As such it becomes an unregistered registrable vehicle so you would be liable for a fine of $1086 for riding an unreg and uninsured vehicle.

Thoroughly Smashed said :

For some reason Segways always seem to remind me of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk2wViKSh_M

That made my day, possibly even my week.

Thoroughly Smashed7:47 pm 16 Aug 11

For some reason Segways always seem to remind me of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk2wViKSh_M

alaninoz said :

I don’t care to vote for any of the options. I have nothing for or against the Segway, or the company trying to hire them out. What I am strongly against, though, is modifying the ACT road rules to benefit one company – any company. If, after due deliberation, the ACT Government concludes that the ACT road rules need to be changed to allow use of the Segway, then fine. Otherwise stiff bikkies.

+1 – when I wrote to Stanhope a while ago with my proposal to allow motorcyles to be ridden in the on road bike lanes (subject to a speed limit), he advised that he was not prepared to change the road rules to diferentiate from the States. Now it is OK to change the road rules in the ACT just for Segways?

Before anyone mentions “Segway founder\inventor died”, etc…
Dean Kamen the piss-drinker is still alive and well.

Jimi Heselden was neither founder nor inventor, he just owned the European distribution rights and had bought the company about six months prior to riding the ‘all terrain’ model backwards off a 13m cliff.

Also, I don’t care about the machines, Segway riders are a menace and should be regulated out of existence.

alaninoz said :

I don’t care to vote for any of the options. I have nothing for or against the Segway, or the company trying to hire them out. What I am strongly against, though, is modifying the ACT road rules to benefit one company – any company. If, after due deliberation, the ACT Government concludes that the ACT road rules need to be changed to allow use of the Segway, then fine. Otherwise stiff bikkies.

What sort of a Luddite are you?

If our laws didn’t keep up with technological innovation we might as well all be Amish.

Supercharged motor cars were banned until the motor industry did something about it for example…

What sort of a shit fight will there be when jet back packs are perfected for everyday use?

creative_canberran6:31 pm 16 Aug 11

gooterz said :

But the problem with having a big motor is that it would allow you in theory to go pretty fast and is dangerious

In theory, yes. But the normal models are limited to 20km/h, while these ones are reportedly limited to 12km/h.
Worth noting the founder of the company who bought Segway in 2010 died after riding one into a river later the same year. Check out YouTube and there’s heaps of videos of people coming off these things.
That said, they’re no more dangerous than a bike so not sure the point of banning them.

Conversely though, you’d have to be pretty lazy to use one. Are we so lazy now?

The problem with them is that they need a high powered motor to keep you balanced. Not for speed. The motor needs to be pretty decent for the control system to work, when you start falling it needs to be able to lift you up pretty quickly a small motor wouldnt cut it.

But the problem with having a big motor is that it would allow you in theory to go pretty fast and is dangerious, but i’m sure its fitted with some kind of speed limitor so the motor isnt doing all the work to move you and having nothing left to do the job of keeping you balanced.

I’d rather the government pick a safe speed for this after testing it rather than just ban it on its motor power. Then get all the segways programmed to operate at that speed at a maximum. Maybe less if they are near a lake

What I want to know is how a segway can do a burnout with only two wheels… Crazy stuff…

I don’t care to vote for any of the options. I have nothing for or against the Segway, or the company trying to hire them out. What I am strongly against, though, is modifying the ACT road rules to benefit one company – any company. If, after due deliberation, the ACT Government concludes that the ACT road rules need to be changed to allow use of the Segway, then fine. Otherwise stiff bikkies.

I guarantee that I can reach a much higher speed on a pushbike, than I ever could on a segway, and that the result of me hitting a pedestrian on that bike would be far nastier.

They could just remove the restriction on any electric vehicle under, say 100kgs ( what does a segway weigh?).

Sure there would be some people on electric mopeds, but is that really any more dangerous then a car? Mmmmm, having trouble figuring out how to fit nice modern technology into archaic classifications of vehicles.

Can someone explain to me why this is an issue? They look fun. Canberra needs fun. Bring them in.

Debacle is the right word; surely it’s only a matter of (not much) time before the legislature catches up with the real world. These things are no more danger than a pushbike, they’re a good way to get around for touristing or commuting, and they’re a bit of fun.
I put the kids on one (each) for a tour of Currumbin Sanctuary and they had a blast.

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