My first Segway crash.

[Rolacoy]

It was not fun, it happened very quickly, but I was not hurt. Well my pride or dignity, may a little confidence? Fortunately, no videos. We were in a Texas state park on Sunday evening, we had been over a lot of the roadways. We went back to the motor home and my wife stayed, because her feet were hurting. I decided to try a walking/bike trail. I rode down the road to the trail end, but there were several exposed tree roots on the hill where the trail started. I started back to the MH and some kid came down the trail on a bike. I asked him if all of the trail had exposed roots, he said yes, but it was fun.

There was no way I could get up the hill so I started back to the MH. Then I saw another place to get on the trail. I went about a quarter of a mile and came to a gully, I made it down and back up the other side. About another 100 yards was another gully this one was not so steep but had a lot of tree roots. The only way to know is to give it a try. I hit one root with one wheel, the Segway jerked and I got one foot off the Segway and on the ground. I held it and got back on. There was a root running the same way as the path, I thought I can straddle this root, but then there were several more roots, I hit high center, it was a bumpy ride.

I realized this is not going to work. I stopped, got off, evaluated the return trip over the roots or around them. I decided if I zig here and zag there I can make it. WRONG, the next thing I know the front left side of my head is on the ground. It happens pretty fast, doesn't it. I was glad no one saw me. I had to drag the Segway about 50' up the hill past the roots. I got back on and made it back to the MH. It didn't hurt me or the Segway, it could have, but it didn't. I learned the some of the limits of me and the Segway.

[KSagal]

In my book, there are only two kinds of seggers.

1. Those who have fallen off their segway.

2. Those who lie about having fallen off their segway.

I suppose there could be a couple folks out there who don't fit these two categories, but I am confident that most do.


I am glad you did not get hurt.

[Rolacoy]

As I think back, I should have told my wife where I was going, I was off the road far enough that I would have been hard to find, and I should have worn a helmet for off road. But, I am hear to learn, and learned.

[team222badbrad]

Sounds like you need an x2.

Here's my watch out list off the top of my head:

big rocks, wet/mucky grass (sometimes not easily noticed), sticks, roots, potholes.

I once decided to go moonlight gliding and well I found a big pothole on a gravel road. No major damages to either of us, but it was an experience flying through the air!

[gbrandwood]

Originally Posted by KSagal

In my book, there are only two kinds of seggers.

1. Those who have fallen off their segway.

2. Those who lie about having fallen off their segway.

I suppose there could be a couple folks out there who don't fit these two categories, but I am confident that most do.


I am glad you did not get hurt.

Depends how you define a fall. I define a fall as any time you leave the Segway and do not land on your feet. It may not be the best definition, but it's the definition I use to record "falls" in my tour business and it at least allows me to clearly distinguish between a "fall" and someone just stepping off. I toyed with another definition of "Any time you leave a Segway unexpectedly" but that was too vague and most times people just step off.

With my current definition, I have never fallen from any Segway. I have had to step off once or twice. The first time riding my i2 backwards in 2006 the first time I tried it. Had to step off. But no biggie.

This doesn't make me better or worse than those who have fallen off - just lucky I guess. I'm sure the day will come. I'd hate to be left out of Karl's book

And, Rolacoy, glad you are ok following your tumble. We live and learn.

[rwoynaro]

Glad you are okay. Consider it part of the the learning curve. You now have a better idea of what you can/should try on a seg. Been there myself, I am now more careful and have more respect for the seg and a better idea what it can do and what you shouldn't try. As long as you get up and keep going !

[Mamrax]

I've got a few falls on the books. My worst was when I was trying to go around someone on my morning commute and they were wearing headphones. This involved me gliding with one tire in the grass. What I didn't see was the erosion area next to the sidewalk that was over grown with grass. The segway tire went down into it and it threw me to the sidewalk. My head bounced twice on the pavement. Luckily I was wearing a helmet and it split instead of my skull. Now I never glide without a helmet.

I have also developed a rule. "If I have to stop and think about how I'm going to glide over something, I get off and push."

[Rolacoy]

OK, gbrandwood, that seems like a good standard. Then on my trip on the trail I logged at least 3 step-offs and one fall. I would think that when your head hits the ground it is a fall. Some good suggestions. I knew I was on the edge, but sometimes you just have to find out yourself. I should have had a helmet, I did have my cell phone to call for help if I had broke something.

[lilnyc]

Glad you're okay.

I was bumped off by a bus that I believe didn't see me while making a tight turn. I landed on one foot which resulted in a sprained ankle about 1.5 years or so ago.

I'm all healed now, but more cautious because I turned to answer someone who had a question about it, and in that split second, boom.

Now I concentrate fully while gliding and answer questions when I'm off.

[SegwayDan]

Originally Posted by Rolacoy

It was not fun, it happened very quickly, but I was not hurt. Well my pride or dignity, may a little confidence? Fortunately, no videos. We were in a Texas state park on Sunday evening, we had been over a lot of the roadways. We went back to the motor home and my wife stayed, because her feet were hurting. I decided to try a walking/bike trail. I rode down the road to the trail end, but there were several exposed tree roots on the hill where the trail started. I started back to the MH and some kid came down the trail on a bike. I asked him if all of the trail had exposed roots, he said yes, but it was fun.

There was no way I could get up the hill so I started back to the MH. Then I saw another place to get on the trail. I went about a quarter of a mile and came to a gully, I made it down and back up the other side. About another 100 yards was another gully this one was not so steep but had a lot of tree roots. The only way to know is to give it a try. I hit one root with one wheel, the Segway jerked and I got one foot off the Segway and on the ground. I held it and got back on. There was a root running the same way as the path, I thought I can straddle this root, but then there were several more roots, I hit high center, it was a bumpy ride.

I realized this is not going to work. I stopped, got off, evaluated the return trip over the roots or around them. I decided if I zig here and zag there I can make it. WRONG, the next thing I know the front left side of my head is on the ground. It happens pretty fast, doesn't it. I was glad no one saw me. I had to drag the Segway about 50' up the hill past the roots. I got back on and made it back to the MH. It didn't hurt me or the Segway, it could have, but it didn't. I learned the some of the limits of me and the Segway.

I'm glad you learned some of the limits of you and the machine without getting too badly hurt.

My own minor falls (no injuries) within my first year of gliding taught me valuable stuff, too. And I've been incident-free for the balance of about six years of gliding on an almost daily basis.

The two most important factors affecting gliding are: the machine's power limits, and tire traction. Overtax either one for even a moment, and you're DOWN NOW.

There's no need to be afraid of these limits, as long as you learn them well from gliding experience. With care and good attention, you can also come close enough to them without machine failure for you to know where they are. Practice and experience can provide this knowledge.

Once you know them, then the game is simply to always be aware of them and take action or inaction and care not to ever exceed those limits.

Add to that an ability to be continually aware of your surroundings in a 360 degrees sphere, including a good estimation of exactly what that nearby driver could possibly do to NOT see you, NOT stop for you; or a good estimation of what could be coming in the opposite direction around that nearby blind corner, and you've got the best possible insurance against mishap.

I also congratulate you for your spirit of adventure at the age of 71. I'm 61 and fully intend to maintain my own adventurous spirit for the next few decades, as well.

You know, I'm thinking this matter of falling may very well be the major deterrent for most non-gliders to even giving gliding a try, or to the thought of ownership. They see the side-by-side wheels and the initial spectacle of the machine not falling over, and they immediately invalidate themselves by being convinced that they'll fall.

It's sad to witness such endemic superstition and lack of personal confidence and or personal capability to the point of never getting even the concept that they could simply "glide", to say nothing of the lack of ability, confidence, or dedication and persistence to work harder/longer/smarter and/or save enough to afford a Segway PT.

Perhaps that was the fundamental mis-estimation of effort on Dean's part. He didn't consider the mental barriers of the broad public that still stand in the way of mass adoption.