New York Times article

[SONORAMA]

Anyone see the front page NYT article on Segways? (view it here: http://www.segwaychat.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=11257

One the one hand I'm happy to see that the legislature may finally legalize Segs in the great State of New York. On the other hand, I was appalled and disgusted by the amount of coverage the article gave to the usual anti-Segway luddites. Its too bad the author didn't bother to interview a Segway user anywhere. I guess part of my disgust goes towards the "environmental" and "public-interest research group" lobbyists the article features. I think these folks are entirely focused on their own "agenda" and not on anything in the public interest. I guess, however, some people just oppose anything that's new and good. Hopefully, their shortsighted agenda
will be exposed for what it is and will not delay the legalization of Segways.

[Sal]

Sonoroma, you're so right about the airplay anti-Segway folks get, because, it seems on appearance, that there are so many more of them. The Anti-Segway folks seem to be more organized or more vocal in the media, than those FOR the Segway.

Funny, it seems it's far easier to classify those folks against the Segway (as "luddites") than it is to classify the Segway itself. I totally agree.

How can those in the article ignore the impact of automobiles on the environment? It seems all the arguments against the Segway can be wholeheartedly defended with logic and pure common-sense. The luddites throw things that are not very well thought out. "forcing pedestrians to use the car???" becuase of the threat of Segways on the sidewalk??? Give me a break.

Anyway, I could go on and on on a rant, but I will leave it to the rest of the forum members to continue, and to feel just as passionately for the Segway, as we all do against the luddites.

-Sal

Think Different
www.apple.com

[Brooster]

If nothing else this is a good reminder to all of us that every time we go out and use our Segs on the sidewalks, we have an opportunity to make an impression on the public ... good or bad.

So far, I think we've all done a pretty darn good job of being courteous, yielding to pedestrians, and demonstrating that the Seg can blend right in with the pedestrian environment with very few problems if any.

The sidewalks of America are one of this country's most under-utilized resources ... why not use them to help ease congestion in our cities? You'd sure think that environmentalists would be pleased at the prospect of having a few less smog-producing cars on the road. What's better, burning a couple of gallons of gasoline and contibuting to traffic congestion, or using 10¢ worth of electricity and using a sidewalk that relatively few people are walking on? Seems like a no-brainer to me.

[8][:P]

Brooster

[yosgof]

Has anybody actually tried getting an assembly member to glide on a Seg? Preferably a very vocal one.

We all know that once a person actually gets on a Seg he gets that smile on his face and then the rest is forgotten. So I think giving a demo to assembly members should be a prime objective.

I think there is a lot of interest in this for us outside the US to see how things play out in NYC because it is a major reference.

"If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere
It's up to you, New York, New York"


- Yossi
http://gallery.photo.net/photo/3365119-lg.jpg