Segway Hauler Failure = 60 MPH Segway

[MuttonChops]

*** First Off This Could Have Been Far Far Worse ***

Background
I2 Segway PT Hauler.
This unit is very similar to the original Segway Corp Hauler but is not Segway manufactured/controlled. It was sold by a quality Segway Dealership. You can see their old ads on uTube. For my car the 1.25 inch tow bar is used and it is a solid steel bar with a plate welded to the end so the Hauler can be bolted on.

Event
All four side welds at the tow bar to plate interface broke while driving at 60 MPH.
Note: Hauler Welds do not appear to be quality welds. Instead of blended metal, weld bead is more like glue. Most of bead stayed with plate. Draw Bar is as smooth and square (at the former bead locations) as new stock bar.

So What Happened
Driving east bound on I-90, 60 MPH, right hand lane of a 5-lane highway.
SNAP, car pitches a bit. “What the H...”
Look in rear-view mirror, Segway is a car length behind me!
And it's on the right wheel at some 30 degrees (left wheel airborne)
Then it was Left wheel down and Right wheel airborne,
After a few oscillations the Hauler post hit the highway and the SEG continued on upright in a three point configuration; wheels and hauler contacting the highway.
For reasons we'll never know the SEG turned right off the highway instead of left into heavy traffic.
There was(is) several feet of scarred highway as the Hauler post braked the 150# of Hauler+SEG. There was also a 2+ feet long 1+ inch deep ditch cut in the road side mud and grass before the SEG stopped.

Afterward
There was a break in the highway chain link fence so I was able to move the SEG & Hauler to a frontage road. And of course the Segway works fine. However an aftermarket tail light broke (again).
Since the SEG seemed OK I decided to continue with my Segway Adventure of 11 miles round trip gliding an area I've not visited . . . the whole time thinking 'Now how do I get the SEG home?'

To get home. Removed the handle bars (not lean steer base), dropped the batteries, and loaded it into a Mazda 3 sedan. Dropped the batteries to get the weight into a range I felt OK lifting. And the base with wheels just that is just fits into a Mazda 3 sedan back door (trunk opening is too small)

Time to repeat, This Could Have Been Far Far Worse.

Final Note:
Of course I quickly pulled off the Interstate, set my flashers, and started walking back toward the SEG. And there is this guy hauling it away into the bushes! I yelled at him and he got the SEG out of the bushes and took off. 5-6 years ago I worked in that area and had at times seen some guy taking unsecured load items off the shoulder . . . several times only moments after the items flew off a passing car. He must sit all day in the bushes waiting and he is fast!

Four Years Gliding, just under 8,000 miles