Newbie From Texas!

[Merthyn]

Hi all! I just purchased and brought home my new white i2 today! I've been wanting a segway since I rode one at Disney World over two years ago!
Wanna hear something sad?
I crashed and burned in my first 50 yards of riding my new i2! haha
I didn't even make it to the end of the street (riding on the sidewalk)!
Someone had a basketball goal set up and I tried to go around it.
One tire had to get off in the grass and I guess it caused me to over correct which ended up with me catching the left tire against the goal's base!
Wow! It flipped me around pretty bad even though I had slowed down quite a bit!
I haven't had that bad a case of road rash since I was just a kid! And let me tell you, that was a long time ago! LOL
I hate to tell you, but that sure takes the charm off getting a new segway!
I even had to re-adjust the steering column after that.

Now I just hope that I don't get buyer's remorse!

Anyhow, I look forward to joining the group here and sharing experiences and knowledge!
I hope my future excursions will be more enjoyable and renew my interest in riding my segway!

[behindblueeyes]

Where in Texas are you located. I'm in Southeast Texas. Sorry to hear about your fall. There will be more spills along the way. It's all a learning experience. Main thing get back on that horse and ride. I have over 1400 miles on mine and just two weeks ago had a fall. I was going to fast and made a quick cut and the right wheel caught the curb and OUCH. Even with the falls that I have had it has been nothing but fun every time out. I too was biten by the Segway bug at Disneyworld, came home and started looking. Ended up buying two, one for me(X2) and one for my gal(I2). Glad you found this site. It is informative.

[jrwilcox]

Don't forget the most common fall. The unseen speed bump. I have have seen even the most seasoned gliders miss a speed bump and only realize it as the look back at the ground while they are air born.

Jim

[mark1qhorsey]

Hi Newbie
This thread brings up the largely anecdotal "data" regarding
Segway PT safety.
The operative problem is "going fast". Sidewalks and bikelanes
need to be negotiated with care, as they are often
crennelated. Love that word :)
The ADA mandated sidewalk ride offs are often not useable
for even 10 mph and crosswalks are not inherently safe,
in any case.

Although Segway cites third-party evaluations of the PT safety
(see their web site), with results that indicate it's "very safe".
The real answer is "It's the rider, stupid" - to ensure your safe gliding.
Lot's of people ride horses stupidly too... I know.

Glide on!
Mark1qhorsey

[wwhopper]

And if you don't do it in the MOST EMBARASSING place, then it does not count.

It is just apart of the initiation of owning a Segway.

So if a tumble that roughs you up a bit is too much for you, just wait until you get out in the real world, when the rednecks in big pickup trucks and SUV's make off the wall comments to you, or you get stopped by that very righteous person, who thinks that you are wrong for being on a Segway (often that person is dressed in lycra and riding a bike - but they won't stop, they will just tell you that you are wrong as they go past you at break neck speed) Or the Pedestrian activist - if you have them in Texas, tells you to get that dam thing off the sidewalk.

Welcome to the world of owning a Segway, falls and dealing with people who think they know what YOU should be doing are all apart of the ownership experience. Though a very very small part.

The fun is when you get out there and enjoy using your machine, meet others who love the machine and you get to where you are going and you have not been pumping 4 dollar a gallon gas into a tank to take you there!

Don't give up! Glide until you get the hang of it.

As they say, once you fall off a horse, get right back on!

Enjoy!

[bentbiker]

. . . they are often crennelated. Love that word :) . . .
OK -- I think you made that up -- with the double "n".

[mark1qhorsey]

Thanks John, for the correction. Sidewalks are
a great place to glide but have their own problems!:rolleyes:

[Merthyn]

Wow! Thanks the welcome and for all the great stories and advice!
I even learned a new word..."crennelated"! LOL

Just for the record, I was back up and riding again right after the fall. Didn't matter if I was dripping blood and could barely walk, I was back out there giving it my best!

I have to say that I'm not encouraged by the thought that there are more spills in my future! I was hoping that once was enough!
(Well, maybe I should say twice! I took out the sign to the Italian food restaurant at Epcot with a Segway!) lol
I'm hoping that I will be an exception! I did learn to watch where I am going with a lot more intense concentration now!
And "thanks" for the warning about speed bumps! haha I will most certainly watch out for them!

I've already gained a lot of good information from this site!
It was even the reason I decided to buy from my nearest dealer rather than purchase a used segway off eBay! Even though it cost me a little bit more, I feel good that I have someone who will help me out and be there to work on my segway if I need it! Plus, he's a good guy to get to know!

I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you much better as I spend more time here sharing my Segway enthusiasm!
Thanks all!

[Suzined]

If you are unfortunate enough to land on the top of your skull, you will have a crenelated skull ;>)

I got thrown once a month, each month, for the first three months. Pilot error every time. Since then I've stayed vertical but occasionally in a most undignified manner. Welcome aboard, ya'll.

[KSagal]

If you want falling experience, you should try what I did...

After several years of ownership, buy a new GPS hand held unit... Then you can glide with no hands, while playing with your new toy...

When you get to the center of town, glide right into the curb with only one wheel, fall into the street (Church Street, at the edge of the town common or Green) and make a big display of it all... The first person on site is the Baptist Minister, who was right across the street, as well as several other townies whom you know well...

VERY embarrassing!

My only credit in this whole event is that neither I nor my steed were badly hurt, and my Stetson did not fall off!


And it was only one of a just a few. I rarely fall, and you do not need to feel they are inevitable. It mostly depends on your riding style. You should always be prepared that it may happen, but it is very very uncommon for most of us.