posted
This got me thinking. Currently, the king of pedestrian transportation is a good bike. I'm just kind of thinking how IT would be better than a bike. As far as I'm concerned, they are about on par with each other.
They both are on par with regards to usefulness on a typical city sidewalk. With regards to speed, they are about on, or at least, will be on par with each other. (The one Kamen showed on GMA had a top speed of 12 MPH, but he hinted that future models might be able to go faster.)
Advantages IT has over a bike: It's more comfortable than a bike. hehe. For me, standing has always been more comfortable than sitting on bike seats for extended periods of time. +5 over a bike!
IT looks cooler than a bike. +1 over a bike
IT is definetly less bulky than a standard bike. +3 over a bike
It would be far more convenient for larger guys like myself where 26" wheel bycicles (the largest stores carry from what I've seen) are quite a bit on the small side. My uncle had to special order his bike which ran him about 2 or 3 hundred dollars. +6 over a bike.
Advantages a bike has over IT: You get plenty of excerise from using a bike. Sense I'm quite a bit overwight, this is a big plus over IT. +8 over IT
A bike is far cheaper even if you have to special order one. +5
+3 or 4 for all the other smaller advatages a bike has over IT that I haven't thought of yet.
posted
Of course, you forgot to list that, if you aren't looking for a workout, but simply to get from point A to point B, the Segway is much less tiring.
Registered: Mar 1999
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MIB
Ex-Member
posted
That is true. If you need to get from your home to work and if you don't want to be stuck in traffic and all, IT would be a better choice over a bike if you don't want to arrive at work all sweaty.
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posted
And if there's one thing America needs, it's something that will help them take even less exercise.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
A couple of things on your assessment which I would contend, MIB:
I haven't seen the thing in action yet, but from the pictures I wouldn't really say that the Segway looks better than a bike. It's more a matter of personal preference.
Another important factor is the fact that the Segway needs to be charged
Bicycles puncture, whereas the Segway has solid wheels.
We still don't know which is better for jousting, I'd probably bet on the Segway for that one
By the way, has anyone seen how the thing performs when it encounters the typical kerb?
-------------------- "Out of doubt, out of dark to the day's rising I came singing in the sun, sword unsheathing. To hope's end I rode and to heart's breaking: Now for wrath, now for ruin and a red nightfall!"
The Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
I heard that the SegWay can detect the approaching curb, and right before it hits uses the tiny gyroscopes to project a tiny cascaded quantum instability directly in front of the wheels. That's really where the cost come in. Anyway the instability's interaction with the curb can result in either the vehicle stopping short and flinging you over the handlebar, or transporting up to the level of the sidewalk depending, of course, on the height of the curb.
-------------------- "Nah. The 9th chevron is for changing the ringtone from "grindy-grindy chonk-chonk" to the theme tune to dallas." -Reverend42
Registered: Sep 2000
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OnToMars
Now on to the making of films!
Member # 621
posted
Odd thing is, it doesn't actually choose between the two states (flipping or hopping the curb) until after you've observed your ass on the ground.
-------------------- If God didn't want us to fly, he wouldn't have given us Bernoulli's Principle.
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
"Oh, like you don't have fat people in Britain."
First of all, wow. I Henry VIII joke. You're doing a great job of keeping up with current events there Tim.
Besides, we obviously have fat people in Britain. I think we're the fattest country in Europe, with about one quarter of the population being medically obese. Of course, you're in the lead with one third, but we might still catch you yet. It's not like you can run fast or anything.
-------------------- Yes, you're despicable, and... and picable... and... and you're definitely, definitely despicable. How a person can get so despicable in one lifetime is beyond me. It isn't as though I haven't met a lot of people. Goodness knows it isn't that. It isn't just that... it isn't... it's... it's despicable.
posted
Hey, now... I keep up w/ current events. I know full well that Henry VIII isn't your monarch anymore. It's Elizabeth. His daughter.
Registered: Mar 1999
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