fools on segways

[polo_pro]

Looks like our friends from across the pond have been busy! Check out the spill just after the 2 min mark in the video. Have any of you seen an i2 act this erratically?



ps - The poster had 6 other videos, but they were mainly of segways being used at events in Germany. One video shows an adapted bike trailer being towed behind the segway!

[quade]

Originally Posted by polo

!

Holy crap! I thought these things were perfectly safe in any and all circumstances! They never go out of control whenever they catch an edge on something and they can't do any substantial damage at all. They'd certainly never be able to do anything like punch a hole in a wall or anything as forceful as that.

Gee . . . I wonder where I ever got the idea that Segways could be dangerous?

BTW, Steve, to answer your question. Yes, I've seen an i2 exhibit that behavior and more by people that over correct errors. The compilation only scratches the surface of modes the device can get into. For instance, they really didn't show the one I like best; the uneven curb cut, which has taken me down twice so far. I'm now FAR more leery and watchful for it. I personally think it's a flaw of the lean-steer design.

Not that I can even vaguely attempt to justify the baby controlling the Segway, but did you see how fast the device spun around when it caught one tire on a small bush? The device wasn't even going all the fast at that point either.

But then again . . . I obviously know nothing about it since they are perfectly safe in all conditions.

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by quade

For instance, they really didn't show the one I like best; the uneven curb cut, which has taken me down twice so far. I'm now FAR more leery and watchful for it. I personally think it's a flaw of the lean-steer design.

I've glided through every curb cut imaginable on my i2 with no problems, and can't figure out what you're referring to. The leansteer makes curb cuts (or any other surface irregularity) much more manageable than the gen1 design.

I also gotta say that I was inexperienced a couple years ago too, but never even came close to some of the falls & situations shown in the video. Other than paying attention to the safety video and operator instructions, what have I been doing wrong?

[quade]

Originally Posted by PeteInLongBeach

I've glided through every curb cut imaginable on my i2 with no problems, and can't figure out what you're referring to.

Hehe . . . I gotta take you on a tour of Santa Ana and Tustin.

The leansteer makes curb cuts (or any other surface irregularity) much more manageable than the gen1 design.

I have little (only a couple of minutes) experience on a Gen 1 machine, so I can't speak to it being more manageable. However, I do believe that the concept of the LeanSteer has a flaw when it comes to traversing certain curb cuts. Some curb cuts can be particularly deceptive in how they're angled and how people might be used to traversing them on other two-wheeled vehicles. Yes, if you slow down to a near crawl, just about any can be traversed. That's not the issue. The issue is attempting to traverse them at higher speeds and how that might set up an instability due to the LeanSteer design.

[bentbiker]

Originally Posted by quade

I have little (only a couple of minutes) experience on a Gen 1 machine, so I can't speak to it being more manageable. However, I do believe that the concept of the LeanSteer has a flaw when it comes to traversing certain curb cuts. Some curb cuts can be particularly deceptive in how they're angled and how people might be used to traversing them on other two-wheeled vehicles. Yes, if you slow down to a near crawl, just about any can be traversed. That's not the issue. The issue is attempting to traverse them at higher speeds and how that might set up an instability due to the LeanSteer design.

I wonder if something could be wrong with your base. That is, err, your Segway's base. Like Pete, I am impressed at how well mine handles curb cuts at 8-10 mph. As long as I maintain the same angle on the LSF with respect to gravity as I had before the cut, it immediately senses that the angle of the LSF to the platform is only because of the equal angle of the platform with respect to level, and provides no added steering input. Like magic.

[quade]

Originally Posted by bentbiker

I wonder if something could be wrong with your base. That is, err, your Segway's base.

I have a near 100% confidence the unit is operating as designed.

That said, I don't think the designers either imagined or took in account 100% of all curb cuts that exist in the "real world".

The issue that I believe exists is when the sidewalk is high enough, the ramp is steep enough, the road is crowned enough and the unit rolls on the roll axis enough that it sets up a brief yaw oscillation. I am nearly 100% convinced that at the right speeds the device is simply given enough conflicting information and tries to over correct for one thing just slightly after the next that it is enough to throw the rider. My belief is that the LSF is actually the culprit here and that if the device was not getting the "back and forth" information provided from it the condition wouldn't exist.

This exact same curb cut would be trivial for a bicycle to negotiate.

If you'd like to test it out, I've included one that I now know can be a problem and it's a fairly repeatable test too!

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by bentbiker

I wonder if something could be wrong with your base. That is, err, your Segway's base. Like Pete, I am impressed at how well mine handles curb cuts at 8-10 mph. As long as I maintain the same angle on the LSF with respect to gravity as I had before the cut, it immediately senses that the angle of the LSF to the platform is only because of the equal angle of the platform with respect to level, and provides no added steering input. Like magic.

John's post exactly echos my experience with lean steer. I've gone through transitions with the i2 that would have thrown me off the i180. It is as close to magic as machines get.

[hellphish]

Can you be more specific about the "flaw" in the LeanSteer design? It seems to do exactly what it is supposed to do, when operated properly. You ARE operating it properly right?

Originally Posted by quade

Hehe . . . I gotta take you on a tour of Santa Ana and Tustin.



I have little (only a couple of minutes) experience on a Gen 1 machine, so I can't speak to it being more manageable. However, I do believe that the concept of the LeanSteer has a flaw when it comes to traversing certain curb cuts. Some curb cuts can be particularly deceptive in how they're angled and how people might be used to traversing them on other two-wheeled vehicles. Yes, if you slow down to a near crawl, just about any can be traversed. That's not the issue. The issue is attempting to traverse them at higher speeds and how that might set up an instability due to the LeanSteer design.

[PeteInLongBeach]

Originally Posted by quade

Hehe . . . I gotta take you on a tour of Santa Ana and Tustin.

I used to live in Santa Ana. I just came back from a long weekend with the i2 in San Diego. I took a long glide through North Park on Saturday night to see friends, going over buckled sidewalks and sketchy curb cuts that made Santa Ana look like Beverly Hills by comparison. Not a single moment of bad behavior or instability from the i2. It was one of the more memorable and satisfying glides I've had in a while, as I felt it really proved the merit of the lean steer design.

I really don't understand what you're referring to....

[macgeek]

And broken cookies have no calories!

I have always said, for every fool proof device there is a smarter fool.


Jonathan