Drive through/thru on Segways?

Tritium · 07-16-2013, 05:08 PM

I am never hungry until late at night, and most of the places around here only have drive throughs open at those times, so I have constantly tried to go through them to order food, but almost every single time, nobody even answers me in the microphone so I just leave and don't eat.
In the daytime hours, 9 out of 10 fast food places let me inside on a Segway but none have any answers for why they won't respond while I'm outside...

I was looking at a thread and it said many people have had good luck ordering food on their Segways, so, what's the deal?

SegNerd · 07-16-2013, 07:15 PM

Just for the record, I got chewed out for asking this because my efforts to search before posting were apparently not sufficient.

I haven't been brave enough to try drive through food order on my Segway yet, but my bank has a drive through ATM, and I have gone through that on my Segway several times. It has never been a problem, although I usually try to let people in cars go first.

KSagal · 07-16-2013, 07:59 PM

People are not expecting segways in the drive thru lanes, so it is not really that safe, in my opinion. Of course, opinions vary.

This is not to say that I have not used a segway in drive thru lanes for all sorts of things, because I have. I am careful, and use lights to attract attention.

Why they do not respond to you via intercom to order your food will likely have different answers. There may be a sensor pad that rings inside the restaurant to alert them that there is someone at the order point, that you segway is too light to activate, but I doubt that is the only thing going on at various restaurants.

I suspect that some have cameras that the inside staff uses to see who is outside, and you may be in the wrong place to be seen. Look for the camera, and be sure you are in range.

I have glode right up to the window, and knocked on it in the past. I have startled more than one teen age employee that way. (Same at the drug store prescription window, but with older employees)

Remember, most times we push for the rights of pedestrians, wanting to glide on sidewalks and inside malls. If we are pedestrians while on segways, we should not be in the drive up lanes, as they would not serve walkers there either. Sometimes we need to be consistent, and if we do not want to need a drivers license or registration on the segways, as we would for a proper vehicle, then we should not act like it is a vehicle when we want French Fries, but also act like it is not a vehicle when some authority figure wants to restrict our access because vehicles are not allowed. It is the burden of trying to be fair.

SegwayDan · 07-17-2013, 07:00 AM

Karl's right.

Gliding through drive-thrus is: _________

A. Dangerous
B. Strange
C. Awkward
D. An insurance liability for the establishment
E. Confuses the issue of: Vehicle? Pedestrian?
F. Lazy
G. Stupid
H. Just plain silly
J. All of the above

I'm going with J.

Our city has a drive thru for paying water and gas bills. I tried (lazily) once gliding through it, and was politely informed by the lady that they didn't allow pedestrians there as it was dangerous. That was a head-slap moment for me. On my last visit, they even suggested that I glide right into the building and up to the walk-up window.

Now THERE'S progress on the Segway PR front!

Besides, why the hell is anyone in their right mind still poisoning themselves with fast food or jeopardizing our gliding rights/public image by doing this?

gbrandwood · 07-17-2013, 08:37 AM

Does anyone remember the video depicting this? With a guy about to do a presentation - wondering if he had time to nip out and grab lunch?

Brilliant. Cleverly done. It was some years ago. Can't seem to find it on youtube but some of the old timers might recall it.

SegwayDan · 07-17-2013, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbrandwood

Does anyone remember the video depicting this? With a guy about to do a presentation - wondering if he had time to nip out and grab lunch?

Brilliant. Cleverly done. It was some years ago. Can't seem to find it on youtube but some of the old timers might recall it.

I found this one just now:

Yeah, they're just having a little fun, but if you listen to the Micky D's people they tell the guy it's for public safety reasons that they don't allow Segs in the drive thru.

SegNerd · 07-17-2013, 09:26 AM

Was that intended to be funny? I found it kind of painful to watch. I think both McDonald's and the prankster's actions were kind of disappointing.

I know it's a little OT, but I like this one a lot better.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/xVrJ8DxECbg

jgbackes · 07-17-2013, 11:11 AM

I've done it. George Clark has done it. If it's not too crowded, go ahead.

It is a free country!

Be SAFE!

KSagal · 07-17-2013, 11:44 AM

Okay, the rude guy who lied about being handicapped was an idiot. He should have been treated much worse, and it would be fine with me if that restaurant filed some sort of charges. I believe the McDonalds people did fine, they wanted him to not use the busy drive thru for safety reasons. That was okay. When he wanted in, they said no, unless he was handicapped. He said he was, and they were fine. He could not get in the door (because he was on the wrong kind of segway) and they volunteered to bring his food to him. I thought the restaurant did fine, and he was a fool. (I should add that while it may be obvious, I have a bias against rude people being rude. If he was polite, the gag might have even been more funny, but as it was, he proved himself to be as I described him)

The other link about the invisible driver was pretty funny, and pretty imaginative. I give good marks for that. It was even filmed fairly well. (He had another video that I did not watch but was linked at the end of this film where he faked fainting in the car, and I am not even willing to see that one, as I believe it is a poor topic for gags.)

Back to the original topic, the OP indicated that the want to use the drive thru windows was late at night, after the regular dining rooms were closed. That is also the time where driving and drivers are not at their most attentive, or most aware. Something that may work fine in the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday may be a very different and far more dangerous activity after midnight on a Friday or Saturday night.

Ever see all those yellow bumper stickers telling people to be aware and look twice to see motorcycles? If a big guy on a Harley has to remind people to see him on his ride, how quick do you think an unsuspecting driver will see you on a segway, late at night?

Again, I have used them, but in very limited situations, and I was very aware of the danger I put myself in.

One time, I even went to a Sonic restaurant, just to confuse the kids. It is a kind of restaurant where you pull into a stall, order via an intercom, and a young server arrives with your food via roller skates. I was there, and the poor girl had no idea what to do when she rolled over. It was funny, and we both had a laugh over it. (I had no place for her to hook the food tray)

SegNerd · 07-18-2013, 09:14 AM

I also think he probably was lying about being disabled, considering he was laughing (and also filming), and pretty much acting like a jerk. But just as an aside, I'd like to ask everyone to remember that you can't tell if someone is disabled or has special needs just by looking at them.

I didn't notice the fainting video - I would not approve of that one either.

I generally agree with your comments about restricting Segways to places where pedestrians or bicycles go. Regarding my comment about the ATM, I actually would use that ATM on foot because it is the only ATM my bank has, and I only use it when the bank is closed.

07-16-2013, 05:08 PM	#1
Tritium Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Tucson Posts: 792	Drive through/thru on Segways? I am never hungry until late at night, and most of the places around here only have drive throughs open at those times, so I have constantly tried to go through them to order food, but almost every single time, nobody even answers me in the microphone so I just leave and don't eat. In the daytime hours, 9 out of 10 fast food places let me inside on a Segway but none have any answers for why they won't respond while I'm outside... I was looking at a thread and it said many people have had good luck ordering food on their Segways, so, what's the deal?

07-16-2013, 07:59 PM	#3
KSagal Glides a lot, talks more... Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Pelham, NH, USA. Posts: 10,356	People are not expecting segways in the drive thru lanes, so it is not really that safe, in my opinion. Of course, opinions vary. This is not to say that I have not used a segway in drive thru lanes for all sorts of things, because I have. I am careful, and use lights to attract attention. Why they do not respond to you via intercom to order your food will likely have different answers. There may be a sensor pad that rings inside the restaurant to alert them that there is someone at the order point, that you segway is too light to activate, but I doubt that is the only thing going on at various restaurants. I suspect that some have cameras that the inside staff uses to see who is outside, and you may be in the wrong place to be seen. Look for the camera, and be sure you are in range. I have glode right up to the window, and knocked on it in the past. I have startled more than one teen age employee that way. (Same at the drug store prescription window, but with older employees) Remember, most times we push for the rights of pedestrians, wanting to glide on sidewalks and inside malls. If we are pedestrians while on segways, we should not be in the drive up lanes, as they would not serve walkers there either. Sometimes we need to be consistent, and if we do not want to need a drivers license or registration on the segways, as we would for a proper vehicle, then we should not act like it is a vehicle when we want French Fries, but also act like it is not a vehicle when some authority figure wants to restrict our access because vehicles are not allowed. It is the burden of trying to be fair. __________________ Karl Ian Sagal To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "Well done is better than well said." (Ben Franklin) Bene factum melior bene dictum Proud past President of SEG America and member of the First Premier Segway Enthusiasts Group and subsequent ones as well.

07-17-2013, 07:00 AM	#4
SegwayDan Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Clearwater, FL, USA. Posts: 2,666	Karl's right. Gliding through drive-thrus is: _________ A. Dangerous B. Strange C. Awkward D. An insurance liability for the establishment E. Confuses the issue of: Vehicle? Pedestrian? F. Lazy G. Stupid H. Just plain silly J. All of the above I'm going with J. Our city has a drive thru for paying water and gas bills. I tried (lazily) once gliding through it, and was politely informed by the lady that they didn't allow pedestrians there as it was dangerous. That was a head-slap moment for me. On my last visit, they even suggested that I glide right into the building and up to the walk-up window. Now THERE'S progress on the Segway PR front! Besides, why the hell is anyone in their right mind still poisoning themselves with fast food or jeopardizing our gliding rights/public image by doing this? __________________ "Never stop looking for what isn't there." --Monty Wildhorn Dan Swanson To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 727-403-2628 Last edited by SegwayDan; 07-17-2013 at 07:22 AM..

07-17-2013, 08:37 AM	#5
gbrandwood Advanced Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: North west England, UK. Posts: 3,043	Does anyone remember the video depicting this? With a guy about to do a presentation - wondering if he had time to nip out and grab lunch? Brilliant. Cleverly done. It was some years ago. Can't seem to find it on youtube but some of the old timers might recall it. __________________ Gareth Brandwood The comments posted are made by the fat figners of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of the brain.

07-17-2013, 11:11 AM	#8
jgbackes Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Jose, CA - USA Posts: 1,314	I've done it. George Clark has done it. If it's not too crowded, go ahead. It is a free country! Be SAFE! __________________ sǝʞɔɐq ɟɟǝɾ If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

07-16-2013, 07:15 PM	#2
SegNerd Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Portland Posts: 672	Just for the record, I got chewed out for asking this because my efforts to search before posting were apparently not sufficient. I haven't been brave enough to try drive through food order on my Segway yet, but my bank has a drive through ATM, and I have gone through that on my Segway several times. It has never been a problem, although I usually try to let people in cars go first.

07-17-2013, 09:26 AM	#7
SegNerd Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Portland Posts: 672	Was that intended to be funny? I found it kind of painful to watch. I think both McDonald's and the prankster's actions were kind of disappointing. I know it's a little OT, but I like this one a lot better. http://www.youtube.com/embed/xVrJ8DxECbg

07-17-2013, 11:44 AM	#9
KSagal Glides a lot, talks more... Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Pelham, NH, USA. Posts: 10,356	Okay, the rude guy who lied about being handicapped was an idiot. He should have been treated much worse, and it would be fine with me if that restaurant filed some sort of charges. I believe the McDonalds people did fine, they wanted him to not use the busy drive thru for safety reasons. That was okay. When he wanted in, they said no, unless he was handicapped. He said he was, and they were fine. He could not get in the door (because he was on the wrong kind of segway) and they volunteered to bring his food to him. I thought the restaurant did fine, and he was a fool. (I should add that while it may be obvious, I have a bias against rude people being rude. If he was polite, the gag might have even been more funny, but as it was, he proved himself to be as I described him) The other link about the invisible driver was pretty funny, and pretty imaginative. I give good marks for that. It was even filmed fairly well. (He had another video that I did not watch but was linked at the end of this film where he faked fainting in the car, and I am not even willing to see that one, as I believe it is a poor topic for gags.) Back to the original topic, the OP indicated that the want to use the drive thru windows was late at night, after the regular dining rooms were closed. That is also the time where driving and drivers are not at their most attentive, or most aware. Something that may work fine in the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday may be a very different and far more dangerous activity after midnight on a Friday or Saturday night. Ever see all those yellow bumper stickers telling people to be aware and look twice to see motorcycles? If a big guy on a Harley has to remind people to see him on his ride, how quick do you think an unsuspecting driver will see you on a segway, late at night? Again, I have used them, but in very limited situations, and I was very aware of the danger I put myself in. One time, I even went to a Sonic restaurant, just to confuse the kids. It is a kind of restaurant where you pull into a stall, order via an intercom, and a young server arrives with your food via roller skates. I was there, and the poor girl had no idea what to do when she rolled over. It was funny, and we both had a laugh over it. (I had no place for her to hook the food tray) __________________ Karl Ian Sagal To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "Well done is better than well said." (Ben Franklin) Bene factum melior bene dictum Proud past President of SEG America and member of the First Premier Segway Enthusiasts Group and subsequent ones as well.

07-18-2013, 09:14 AM	#10
SegNerd Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Portland Posts: 672	I also think he probably was lying about being disabled, considering he was laughing (and also filming), and pretty much acting like a jerk. But just as an aside, I'd like to ask everyone to remember that you can't tell if someone is disabled or has special needs just by looking at them. I didn't notice the fainting video - I would not approve of that one either. I generally agree with your comments about restricting Segways to places where pedestrians or bicycles go. Regarding my comment about the ATM, I actually would use that ATM on foot because it is the only ATM my bank has, and I only use it when the bank is closed.

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