Cyclists still hate Segways

[jimmiem]

Lest you thought the war was over, be it known that cyclist Segway rage lives on. I was in NYC today, where Segways admittedly are not legal to ride, and experienced more vitriol than I've felt since being picked on by bullies in elementary school.

This was for the independent film production that you may have seen posted here recently. The crew was a merry band of bootstrappers, clearly working on a shoestring budget. Much of the day you would have been hard pressed to discern that what we were doing was filming. That being said...

Enter the cyclists. It started with dirty looks. I thought maybe I was just being self conscious and dismissed them. Then came the first comment: "aren't those for fat, lazy a--holes !?" That was the nicest thing a stranger said to me for the rest of the day. I was called a stupid mother f---er", f---ing a--hole", "dipsh--", etc... And the dirty looks just got worse and worse. People shaking their heads at me. Telling me to "get f---ing lost".

They aren't legal to ride in NYC, but New Yorkers don't bat an eyelash over pretty crimes like that. I once saw a man relieve himself out of a taxi cab at a stop light like it was nobody's business. This was about the perception that I was "in their way". I wasn't really in anyone's way. Bicycle traffic flowed smoothly around me when I wasn't riding at their speed. Most of the day I was overtaking cyclists.

There's no point to this story, I just wanted to share. It isn't that I think they should have been OK with me gliding, but I never expected such an outpouring of hate. People do some crazy, crazy things in NYC and the world passes by like they aren't even there. But ride a Segway? That's an invitation for verbal assault.

[Tritium]

Don't blame it on bicyclists.
Blame it on the people, and their personal hatred for what they don't have.

They'd likely still have the same mentality even if they didn't even ride (or own) a bicycle at all.

[eJM]

It still amazes me how different life is here in my part of the world on a Segway. I see bicyclists all the time and without exception, they move off the sidewalk for me - with a smile and a nod, if not a verbal greeting of the friendly variety. I even have people try to step off the curb or into the dirt or weeds for me. I remind them they never have to make room for me, I will make room for them. When they see me jump the Seg off a curb or glide up into a yard or edge of the hill to make room for them, I want them to understand that they have the right-of-way and it is my pleasure to give them the room they need.

I see reports of these confrontations on SegwayChat often. I wish there was an easy answer. I'm glad I don't have to suffer through that crap.

Jim

[KSagal]

Originally Posted by jimmiem

Lest you thought the war was over, be it known that cyclist Segway rage lives on. I was in NYC today, where Segways admittedly are not legal to ride, and experienced more vitriol than I've felt since being picked on by bullies in elementary school.

This was for the independent film production that you may have seen posted here recently. The crew was a merry band of bootstrappers, clearly working on a shoestring budget. Much of the day you would have been hard pressed to discern that what we were doing was filming. That being said...

Enter the cyclists. It started with dirty looks. I thought maybe I was just being self conscious and dismissed them. Then came the first comment: "aren't those for fat, lazy a--holes !?" That was the nicest thing a stranger said to me for the rest of the day. I was called a stupid mother f---er", f---ing a--hole", "dipsh--", etc... And the dirty looks just got worse and worse. People shaking their heads at me. Telling me to "get f---ing lost".

They aren't legal to ride in NYC, but New Yorkers don't bat an eyelash over pretty crimes like that. I once saw a man relieve himself out of a taxi cab at a stop light like it was nobody's business. This was about the perception that I was "in their way". I wasn't really in anyone's way. Bicycle traffic flowed smoothly around me when I wasn't riding at their speed. Most of the day I was overtaking cyclists.

There's no point to this story, I just wanted to share. It isn't that I think they should have been OK with me gliding, but I never expected such an outpouring of hate. People do some crazy, crazy things in NYC and the world passes by like they aren't even there. But ride a Segway? That's an invitation for verbal assault.

I find it all too common. And I do blame the bicycle crowd, because it is them. We can make excuses all we like, but the hard core bike crowd does hate many things, and segways most of all. They are very vocal, and it is pretty common all over.

Now, Jim makes a good point, in that in places like out west (not all the way to the ocean), people in general are more polite, and less vocal to attack others anyway, and the bike crowd there reflects the environment around it.

But most anyplace you hear of this type of exchange, there are often bikes in the mix. More so bikes than any other group I can think of. More negative, and more vocal.

I am sorry for your negative experience, but do not feel singled out. The reaction is commonplace. Much more in urban areas than out in the country, but commonplace none the less.

In Massachusetts, as in many places, it is not legal to ride a bike on a sidewalk. Most places completely ignore kids, as is appropriate, but adults on the sidewalk are breaking the law, yet when I am there, I get nasty comments from some bikers, even though they are breaking the law and I am not.

Also, common place around here are paved paths that in old railroad paths. They tear up the tracks, and make a nice 6 foot wide paths. Everyone has access, bikes, pedestrians, roller bladers, people with baby carriages, bikes with toddler trailers, etc... When I am there with a segway, I often am told that I am blocking something, often from two bikes riding abreast. They are annoyed they have to go single file, as they should have been in the first place. I see them bully the peds off the side of the trail, and since I don't bully easily, I get their vitriol instead. In this environment, almost 100% of the nasty comes from the bikes. Also in this environment, almost 100% of the non bike comments are positive.

Interestingly, I do not recall ever getting a negative comment from a roller blader. I recall at a NYC street fest several years ago, I suggested a kite tail for my segway made up of several roller bladers, and we all had a fun time, me towing them, they riding around. I even got a couple screaming in laughter, when I pivoted and tossed them away with the centrifugal force... ( or is it centripetal force?)

[JohnM]

Lest we forget: Dean Kamen himself cast the first stone (in Time magazine) on the day that the Segway was introduced. Look it up.

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by JohnM

Lest we forget: Dean Kamen himself cast the first stone (in Time magazine) on the day that the Segway was introduced. Look it up.

You mean this article?

http://content.time.com/time/busines...6660-1,00.html

I read it again - I do not see any such reference. Perhaps in a different article. Then again, if we're talking about someone yelling epithets, cheap insults, slurs, and other such bullying, I'm having a difficult time imagining Mr. Kamen casting such first stones.

[JohnM]

Originally Posted by PeteInLongBeach

You mean this article?

http://content.time.com/time/busines...6660-1,00.html

I read it again - I do not see any such reference. Perhaps in a different article. Then again, if we're talking about someone yelling epithets, cheap insults, slurs, and other such bullying, I'm having a difficult time imagining Mr. Kamen casting such first stones.

Not surprised that you could not see his attack on bicycles. Not surprised at all.

There are an estimated 100 million bicycles in the US. It must be a real ego trip to think that all those bike riders hold any opinion on Segways, bad or good. On the other hand, Segway riders all seem to have opinions on bicycles.

[KSagal]

Originally Posted by JohnM

Not surprised that you could not see his attack on bicycles. Not surprised at all.

There are an estimated 100 million bicycles in the US. It must be a real ego trip to think that all those bike riders hold any opinion on Segways, bad or good. On the other hand, Segway riders all seem to have opinions on bicycles.

JohnM, did you really mean to say that? 100 million bikers cannot have a single opinion, but 50 thousand seggers can? That is silly. It is fairly uncommon to find 5 people with a singular opinion on something, surely not 50K nor 100 M.

Also, I did not see (or do not recall ) any posts that said ALL bikers feel this way, just that the most vocal and obvious haters are often bikers. I do feel this is accurate enough.

And for the record, he stated his opinion, which did not seem too attackish to me. I read how he thought they are too fast for the sidewalk, and too small to compete with trucks. The laws in most places match his opinion, as well as the majority of people I know, and I believe accident statistics bear it out as well.

There are extremely few accidents that involve segways, and most all complaints are from people who feel or claim that they were 'nearly' or 'almost' hit by one.

There are many 'nearly' or 'almost hit' complaints about bikes, but also plenty of actual hits and accidents. Often from bikes mixing poorly with vehicles like cars and trucks (bikes loose) and from bikes mixing poorly with pedestrians (pedestrians loose).

There are lots of bikes, and lots of bikers, and lots of biker opinions.

But if I am on a common and open public space like a park, or trail, or city street or sidewalk, I am not as likely to get a nasty comment from pedestrians, baby stroller pushers, joggers, or skaters, than I am from bikers. You can deny it, but that does not make it so...

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by JohnM

Not surprised that you could not see his attack on bicycles. Not surprised at all.

There are an estimated 100 million bicycles in the US. It must be a real ego trip to think that all those bike riders hold any opinion on Segways, bad or good. On the other hand, Segway riders all seem to have opinions on bicycles.

And I'm not surprised you prefer to be condescending rather than actually provide the article & quote in support of your comment. On the other hand, I went to the trouble of researching and reading the article, and responded back respectfully.

Regarding opinions on bikes, FWIW, I own a Schwinn Black Phantom and a Brompton H6R. So yes, I do tend to have some definite opinions on bikes and their usage. Would you care to qualify your statement on Segway owner opinions on bikes, or was that just a cheap rhetorical shot?

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by KSagal

And for the record, he stated his opinion, which did not seem too attackish to me. I read how he thought they are too fast for the sidewalk, and too small to compete with trucks. The laws in most places match his opinion, as well as the majority of people I know, and I believe accident statistics bear it out as well....

Thank you for this, Karl. I missed this because, based on JohnM's posting, I was looking for something that equated to an "attack" and related to the comments and behaviors described by the original poster. Mr. Kamen's opinion in no way "cast the first stone" in this regard.