Sad day for iBot

[segsurfer]

Originally Posted by Gihgehls

Are you sure you mean camber? Camber is like when you view a car from behind and the tires look like this /--\ or \--/

Duly noted/corrected. Camber was the first word that came to mind.
-segsurfer

[bgrh@mac.com]

Originally Posted by Bob.Kerns

Right on all points. It becomes a medical device, ... Yes, "adulterated product" is the legal term.

As you point out, there's absolutely no such constraint on us, or on our doctors, rehab specialists, researchers, the news media, charitable foundations, or other parts of the government (e.g. the VA).

Bob thanks for the clarification. So we are all Segway evangelists now?

[Madsegs]

Been away skiing for a week so to catch up since my last post...

To sum up my views on cost:

The average USA salary is higher than most EU countries (almost all).
The cost of living is higher here in the EU in most cases.
The EU is very enviromentally aware and friendly (should be an easy market for segways).
Most sales in the USA are for recreation as you often live and work farther than the range of a segway, not the case in the EU.
Most segway sold in the EU are used as transport (and tours).
We get NO incentive or tax cuts to buy segways.
SO WHY IS THE PRICE still 8000$+ here and the market equals the US market sales.

Im sure at 9000$+ (when i started with rates at the time) the usa sales would almost cease.
Maby Obama can help the US market and your ways of life and respect for the enviroment in the coming years and sales will hopefully escalate. Here in the EU the price is the only stumbling block as even at three times the price of a scooter (common motorcycle) we still buy them but they are not within the range of most salaries.

This is also the reason that almost all my segways are purchased in the USA, shipped here with fast UPS or Fedex and i pay import duties. After this yes i loose my warranty but i have 3 segways for less than the price of 2 and so far no mechanical faults (which was originally my warranty plan-extra segway for parts).

Must add: Segways are more expensive than scooters to run when you consider the replacement batteries are at present rates 2930$ here, which is more than the fuel, oil, service and insurance costs combined for more than 3 years even if you use it a lot. And to buy a reasonable one new is only 2400 as they are made in the east.....this is where my original comment came from and Jacky Chan seems to agree. But this may not be the case in the USA?

[Bill Seright]

Originally Posted by segsurfer

If by this device you are referring to the ibot, you couldn't be more wrong. It was designed to allow the wheels some degree of travel thus allowing it the compensate for varying terrain. If you are referring to the Japanese device, it appears to work in a similar manor as the ibot, but at the very least I'm sure it will be rigorously tested to perform safely in a multitude of environments before being released.
-segsurfer

No I was talking about that Toyota thing. By the time my message got approved I guess the main thrust of the thread had changed again.

Bill Seright

[bgrh@mac.com]

Originally Posted by Bill Seright

No I was talking about that Toyota thing. By the time my message got approved I guess the main thrust of the thread had changed again.

Bill Seright

Bill are you talking about the Winglet? I also saw a seated two wheel device in a video where the wheels were independent, so if one went over the bump the device stayed level.