Why don't you ask Paris Hilton? :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxtc75biScU

This is true. If your IQ is under 12.5, it's possible you could injure yourself.

Consider the type riding them. Frail vegans with birdlike bone structures, for the most part.

Lame though the Segway is, I can't help thinking it would be kind of fun to ride, especially at full speed through a mall.

Imagine you're standing there on the sidewalk, talking to a friend, when suddenly the sidewalk jerks a couple inches in one direction and then drops out from under you. The resulting surprise and confusion could prove quite injurious. And in a society where tape dispensers without a safety warning are cause for a lawsuit, I understand their concern. Besides, if I spend a few thousand on something like that - it better freakin' work flawlessly.

I take exception to paleomedics comment. I have one here at work and ride it regularly. I'm neither frail or vegan. They are quite fun to ride; it's just unfortunate that you can not look masculine while doing it.

Notice, their were no reports of BRAIN injuries:)
I'd say most of the people getting injured on these stupid things are the same people that caused one chainsaw manufacturer to put this label on their chainsaws: "do not use genitals to stop chain".

Bah! Capitalist swine! Only 12.5 mph?

Our regime uses our own Soviet inspired Svegways for our State Executions! Ours are made from armor plated plywood, an upright 2 x 4 and a pair of old tricycle wheels but the effect is the same!

Convicted political prisoner is given cigarette and blindfold, placed on Svegway, rolled to ramp, given opportunity to speak. Once mouth opens, we kick him down ramp onto electrified railway of our glorious Workers State Expresslines. Though there is no danger of being struck by broken down Express trains, the low-voltage shocks from the faulty State generators can be quite annoying until the prisoner dies of boredom during protracted brownouts.

// Fun or not - If I spend that much cash on something that has wheels on it... it better have a cup holder, tilt steering and room for a babe in the passenger seat. It better have enough horsepower under the hood to piss off my insurance company... and it should NOT turn on the people standing in line to see the YMCA Reunion Tour when riding by.

The only redeeming feature might be, MIGHT BE, to take PaleoMedic's idea of riding full speed thru a mall... but hot-wire the motors for about 25 mph and wear gladiator costumes with swords for a full scale Ben-Hur battle just to piss off the security guards. Now THAT might be fun... heck, I'd almost pay to watch that.//

Having ridden one, I can see where going full tilt forward on one and then having it suddenly decide it needed to go full tilt backward with no rider anticipation could be a problem. Especially since you're probably not wearing things like helmets or kneepads, since it would make you look even more like a geek.

The demo where I tried one out didn't require helmets or kneepads, just a signature on a waiver absolving them of all responsibility if I hurt or killed myself while riding one. You can get up to what feels like a fairly good speed on one, and they do have the capability to stop very abruptly. I drove one up to the rope barrier at full speed and was able to completely stop within less than a foot of the rope, and that was with only a couple of minutes of practice. Given that I'm a notoriously bad driver, I'd guess that someone with a little more skill could stop it on a dime.

My apologies to the good doctor. I based my comments on what I've seen, and I must reiterate that I would love to ride one. Looks like a blast. But, I had to snicker at the inventors of the vehicle stating brazenly some eyars ago that the Segway would replace the automobile.

Don't get me wrong, they are a blast to ride. They just make everyone riding them look like a target for bullies. They are sort of like drinking with a straw, you can't look intimidating when using one.

I'm waiting for the armored urban assault version to debut.

Why is it so damn easy to picture John Kerry riding one? ...and, if possible, looking even more unmanly?