[2manycarz]

(re-posted from the HT forum)

Dear Mr. kamen,

On Friday, my wife and I drove to Salt Lake City from Aspen for the sole purpose of test riding a Segway. Thanks to "Magic Sooter" and Daniel Mauer the drive was worth every mile -- you see, my wife is an above the knee amputee and while she can walk with with a prosthesis, it is very tiring and we have not had many long walks together since her accident. You should have seen her smile as we zoomed around Salt Lake, rode elevators, went into restaurants and glided through the park. Thanks Daniel, and Mr. Kamen!

I believe the Segway is, as yet, a somewhat misunderstood product. I believe many people that haven't experienced it, may have written it off, when it didn't live up to the impossibly over-hyped sales expectations preceding its announcement. When they realize that this is not just some fad, they will take a second look -- especially as rentals become available and word of mouth begins to take effect.

The single biggest misimpression that we had going in,was thinking that the balance required to turn the Segway would be tricky -- a scary thing for someone with titianium rods in her arm and residual leg. We didn't realize that a simple twist of the grip rotates the Segway.[/b] This is an aspect of the Segway that should receive more attention -- it really was a pleasant surprise to discover how easy they are to turn. Also, the tip from someone about keeping the elbows in at first, was helpful. In some respects, 'flying' a Segway is a little like flying a helicopter -- forward-backward-rotate right-rotate left -- everything except vertical (c'mon Dean, when can we go vertical?).

We are looking forward to the day our new Segways arrive and we can glide along into the future together -- Red Key, ENGAGE!

Thanks once again, 2