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Special Needs, Mobility and Disabled Use Information and discussion for those with special needs interested in the Segway.

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Old 09-08-2015, 09:44 AM   #21
joebarnin
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Originally Posted by rwoynaro View Post
Hi Joe:

I had not know about the GoChair, so I just checked out the webpage. Can you give me a ballpark as to the cost of one ? Thanks.
I bought mine about 10 years ago - as I recall it was around $1500. Advantages: breaks apart into 4 pieces that can fit into a trunk or hatchback; each piece weighs from 20-35 pounds. Biggest disadvantage is the limited range of the batteries: 3-5 miles.
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Old 09-09-2015, 02:00 AM   #22
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I use a TravelScoot for airline travel and quick trips to the Big Box Stores. Just under 30# to include the 7# airline approved Lithium Battery Pack. Obviously, a more comfortable seat on the GoChair, but the TravelScoot has been very convenientt with 10 hours of use per charge.
www.travelscoot.com
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Old 09-09-2015, 05:37 AM   #23
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Originally Posted by rickb View Post
I use a TravelScoot for airline travel and quick trips to the Big Box Stores. Just under 30# to include the 7# airline approved Lithium Battery Pack. Obviously, a more comfortable seat on the GoChair, but the TravelScoot has been very convenientt with 10 hours of use per charge.
www.travelscoot.com
Thank you both. These sound like some good options I may need to add.
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Old 09-17-2015, 03:00 AM   #24
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i was at first becausei have a very bad back and leg. it has built up my endurance. i snagged a segsaddle but never used it much. if i had a big soft seat like an ally seati might never have built up my endurance. the segsaddle seat isnt large enough for my skinny butt.so i never really rode with it just sat on the floor.
i didnt have any help fixing a leansteer joystick either though i badly wanted one. maneuvering my seg is exactly the same control inputas you do with hovering a helicopter.
segways are perfectly controllable in an inside environment i only worry about children or noisey environments where talking like= im right behind you or im passing you on your rightdoesnt work as well as i wishedsome people seem to walk sidewards into me
i had an old electric carand ended up putting a stereo in it. for when i picked up my daughter at elementary school
maybe i might add one to my seg?


they are smooth totally quiet most places are happy to help me in through the doors i have an x2 with the fatty off road tires.once folks see how masterly stable that i am they are fine.
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Old 09-17-2015, 03:05 AM   #25
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Being a paraplegic I need a full time seat on my seg. I have experimented with different seats and stabilizers since 2008 on both gens of segways. In my opinion the majority of segway wheelchair mods for sale are overkill with electronics and are way too expensive. The one closest to fit my needs is the Blumil.com from Poland. And it's price at $1500 is the the lowest I've seen. If I buy one I will post updates.

I have always felt that there is a need for stabilizers that can be used by those who ride the seg standing but just need a little help getting on and off. I'd like to hear any feedback.

-R
maybe the chinese will produse a good model for our disabled folksi really hope so i had a bad stroke but am still able to ride well. i lean mine to get on and off
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Old 09-17-2015, 03:07 AM   #26
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maybe the chinese will produse a good model for our disabled folksi really hope so i had a bad stroke but am still able to ride well. i lean mine to get on and off
be sure the seat can allow you to move far back so you can make a quickstop
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Old 09-18-2015, 03:55 PM   #27
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The ninebot folks have the "Niño". It was designed by the same gentleman in France that made one of the original adapted seated segways. They are looking for a US distributor. It is already in use in china and France.

Also, just FYI: Last week I email/spoke to the blumil people. They do now have 2 sizes and are $3500 US.
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Old 10-21-2015, 10:09 PM   #28
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I personally use three different Segway type configurations, a manual chair, a rollator and / or 1-2 quad canes. Here are some of the lessons I've learned after nearly 15 years (the last 7+ on a lean-steer equipped device).

Strengths:
- USE A CANE MOUNT: This makes the device a lot easier as i'll explain later
- With the i2 turning systems, the device is totally hands free.
- Being tall means you are tripped on, knocked over, spilled on, etc. a LOT less in crowded places.
- The thing is incredibly stable. I 'wobble' instead of falling.
- A modified control rod makes a big difference difference.
- Range: I can use the thing for an entire day without problems
- Power: an 'i' model can handle any road-like or indoor terrain. Especially inclines. An 'x' model can handle beaches, rocks, outdoor trails, and other similar situations much better. The 'x' tires also make for a very smooth ride.
- Size: It's uses less than 40% of floor space used by a standard wheelchair including wobble room. When you add in turning space, it's even better. The device compares even more favorably to a mobility scooter.
- Maneuverability: It has a 'zero' turn radius and I can easily maneuver the device in areas with less than 2in width clearance. It's also very easy to see just how wide you are and what is going on around you.
- Opening doors: Operating any door is VERY easy on one of these. My hands are free. I don't have to worry about the door hitting my feet / legs as it closes. The device's power gives me the extra oomph needed to open a frustratingly heavy door. The device's maneuverability gives me a lot of flexibility. I simply can't even open the door to my condo building's garage safely (thus leave my building) on any other device. This is usually how I make the call to use a Seg.


Weaknesses
- Attracts WAY too much attention! People may not understand (or care) that you are disabled, others are just curious. This can vary from glares, to endless questions, to fowl language, to threats of or actual violence.
- Can't stay perfectly still: I need about 6in of 'wobble room' around me. I still take up about 40% as much floor space as a standard wheelchair, but people don't get that, don't give me the space, or get upset when I wobble close to them. This is somewhat similar to the 'turning' problem I've experienced with other mobility devices.
- Weight: It is lighter than many scooters and almost any power wheelchair, but still heavy. My p133 weighs a lot less, but is still heavy, has been discontinued, and looses many of the advantages of its bigger cousins.
- Bulk & Roll: It's bulky, very bulky. without the rod, the footprint is 19x19x26. It won't fit in most trunks and the weird shape makes it hard to maneuver in and out of these spaces. It also doesn't stay put! I've found the best way to transport the device is to use my customized hatchback, or use some towels and the seat belt of a car seat.
- Fatigue: Standing close to still is very tiring. Moving around a lot seems to make using the device for long periods easier, but it is still a problem. The earlier seat options are kind of like bike seats, meaning they aren't that comfortable and still make you tired. Using the more wheelchair-like options can reduce some of the benefits of the device. You'll want to find walls to lean into, bar stools, etc. if you intend to use it for long periods.
- Getting on and Off: I call this the 'transfer'. This is THE HARDEST PART of using these devices. If I intend to frequently go from using my device to sitting somewhere else (like at the gym or around the house) I use a rollator.



Good places
- Restaurants: I move too slowly, get knocked over or fall using the bathrooms too much with canes or a rollator. Scooters take up too much room.
- Bathrooms: For the men, let me make a little comment about the bathroom. I can go number 1 in the number 1 place without a transfer or dismount! Maybe I'm just 'equipped' for it, but honestly, I don't think that's the trick. Unfortunately, the 'MANeuver' does attract A LOT OF ATTENTION (search for Woz pulling this off). I've had issues with people taking pictures. But the convenience of not having to use the ADA facility or dismounting to go is a major time saver, not to mention very liberating. As an aside, if I find myself attracting too much attention, I can use my cane to put up the toilet seat in the ADA. It's harder to do and less convenient, but reduces the likelihood of the immature and / or inebriated becoming a sex offender by taking a picture of me when I go.
- Big Crowds: The Seg can keep me upright in the most crowded and crazy situations like Bars, Nightclubs, Festivals, Halloween in West Hollywood, etc. I have been trapped, trampled and knocked over on scooters and wheelchairs in such busy crowds. After hundreds of festivals and going out an average of 4 nights a week for 8 years on my devices I've accidentally ended up on the ground 3 times. Twice were when fights broke out right next to me, the third time involved me dancing and a live performance featuring 50 gallons of milk. When using other devices, I fell once or twice a week.
- Malls / Shopping (low-to-medium density crowds): They see me, I see them, the terrain couldn't be easier to work with. Strip malls often have a lot of slopes and uneven terrain which is much better handled by a Seg than alternatives. Pushing carts, getting to merchandise, etc. are also made much easier by the device. Security can be redundant and annoying.
- Airports: Similar to malls, but people are a lot more likely to push into and knock me. I can't tell you how many times the wheelchair porters have pushed me into barriers or just let me slide down slopes and into things, or otherwise enabled me to somehow end up on the ground and hurt. NB:You'll see a lot of discussion about travel and the legality of the batteries. Fortunately, I've had the resources (both legal and financial) to work with airlines in order to facilitate the safe, legal, and protected transport of my batteries since the launch of the Lithium Segway. Unfortunately, this required a lot of planning and coordination and the airlines sometimes forgot to follow through with the parts / preparation required on their end, which could lead to significant delays. As of about a year ago, this is much less of an issue for everyone.
- Dancing: Yes, I said it: I can dance on my Seg!


Bad Places
- Lines: Standing close to still is a very tiring process for me, and people tend to crowd me in which makes wobble effect difficult to work with. Others also can react very negatively when I explain that I need 'wobble' room. Unfortunately, this situation can be a challenge with any mobility device. In general, I don't have to wait in a physical line if I ask for assistance. I don't actually recall not receiving assistance when requested for the past few years.
- Theme Parks: Lines, frequently getting on and off for rides or other attractions, fatigue, lack of readily available stools, the need to park the device during rides and maneuver it to exits; these are all reasons that can make the device less desirable in a theme park. There's been a lot of legal drama with this and Disney. But, in many other places, there aren't the same insane restrictions. I also think everyone's use case is different. If you want to use your device, you should be able to do so. You need to be able to learn what mobility device works best for you and in what situations. Finally, if you have a fully integrated seat setup like the new design from the UK, the situation would be much different.
- The Gym: While crowds, slopes, weird bumps, and the occasional door can pose a challenge; I simply can't get on and off as often as is needed to get from one piece of equipment to another. In most places, the distances needed to travel are manageable on my rollator; If they aren't, I use my Seg, to push the roller to a central location, dismount, and then use the rollator. Also, some positions require the rollator to get in and out of.
- At Home: Short distances don't justify the trouble of getting on and off. Interior doors are light and easy for me to operate.
- In The Office: This is similar to my home use. Bathroom doors are harder to work with in commercial environments, so I use the Seg when the need arises. Generally, once I get to my office, I transfer to a rollator.
- Serial Shopping: I'm talking about running a lot of errands which require me to drive to many different places. Driving is a challenge for me in general. Waiting for the device to load / unload from the car is tedious. Transferring from Seg, to cane, to car and back again is difficult. For me, the whole exercise is a masochistic process of pain and patience. In my experience, there is NO solution to this problem. I get through the issue by limiting the number of driving trips needed and visiting places where I can complete several errands without needing to get in and out of the car.


ADVICE
- Plan ahead: let places know you're coming and what your needs are
- Mount your cane: getting on and off is an unavoidable and challenging task. I need my cane to pull it off. You've got to put it somewhere to really enjoy the benefits of a Seg. That's the first thing I suggest you figure out.
- Be prepared to attract A LOT of attention: Whether positive, negative, or somewhere in between, You will attract attention. In my experience, any mobility device will attract attention; but with the Seg, people are much less likely to leave you alone. Always be 'camera ready'. Be warned, be prepared, & refill your Xanax prescription early and often.
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Old 11-15-2015, 11:49 AM   #29
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Wow- what a get deal of information and experience. Thanks for sharing!

Do you -can you mount your rollator?
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Old 12-30-2015, 05:29 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by therealzam View Post
- A modified control rod makes a big difference difference.
Do you mean LeanSteer or something else?

Quote:
Originally Posted by therealzam View Post
- With the i2 turning systems, the device is totally hands free.
What did you purchase to make yours hands-free?

Have you used an X2 on sand? I seem to remember most users saying it won't work on most sand, but one guy learned how to ride on sand with practice.
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