City Segway Tours has just signed an exclusive contract with the Adler Planetarium here in Chicago (where I work) to house their fleet of Segways in order to provide people with tours of the lake front.
I got trained on a Segway while participating in a film shoot for the program 190 North and met Doug Banks. Sadly, they cut my interview out. But I don't really care, because now I can say I've tried the Segway.
Here's the clip from the show. But first, remember: It's 'Smithe'... with an E. (East siiide! Walter is clearly throwing down, my homies.)
(Mmm. Brown's catering.)
I find it very amusing that it costs $4,500 to design, build and mass-produce a machine with 5 gyroscopes that can only emulate one of the two axes of a unicycle, which costs a little over $250. Humans are pretty amazingly adaptable creatures.
So, I don't think I'll be buying myself a Segway any time soon; their limited battery charge and range (3-5 hours charge, 12 miles average distance) and high cost leave something to be desired. For short distances there's walking, or unicycling; for longer distances there's a regular old bike, and beyond that, my car. I don't see where the Segway would really fit into that picture. (Sorry, Dean. :)
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