Segways used to seem quaint, even Quixotic. Now, they increasingly look visionary and even sensible.
The regional dealer of the two-wheeled personal transportation device hopes the futuristic rides are poised for a sales takeoff after Gov. David Paterson last month signed legislation making Segways legal on the streets under basically the same rules that govern bicycles. Â
Segways were introduced with a ballyhooed broadcast on “Good Morning America” in 2001 as “the next big thing.” Since then, they have perhaps been most famous because President Bush managed to fall off one, an accident that happened because someone forgot to turn it on. The 105-pound machine uses battery power to run its gyroscopes and for propulsion.
But as a recent visit to Segway of the Hudson Valley in Poughkeepsie showed, properly activated and operated, a Segway is simplicity itself, requiring a rider to lean forward to go forward, and to crouch slightly to stop. A left turn requires a lean to the left, a right turn leans right. The machine can pivot almost as easily as a person can turn around.
But selling points for Segways these days go well beyond fun. As gas prices hover around $4 per gallon, a Segway will go 24 miles on 10 cents worth of electricity, and with zero emissions, said Jason White, vice president of Segway of the Hudson Valley, located on Main Street at the train station. “For the most part, reception is really positive,” White said. “With gas at over $4 per gallon, we are definitely getting people to take a look.”   Â
Under the legislation signed by Paterson July 23, the Segway in state law is officially called an EPAMD, Electronic Personal Assistive Mobility Device. It allows the Segway to be used on low speed roadways (as opposed to high speed roads such as the Thruway or regional parkways) and bike paths. Municipalities are allowed to enact further regulations governing their use. The law makes New York the 43rd state to allow Segway use on public road systems.
White said that the device is ideal for times when a car isn”™t needed. With a starting price about $5,300, the Segway can travel at just over 12 miles per hour, tooling along at a five-minute mile pace. Available accessories such as saddle bags allow for errands to be completed during the emission-free ride. Fully charged, the lithium-ion batteries will travel between 16 and 24 miles.
White says the average American”™s car trip is something less than five miles. “So for many trips, where you are not going very far and you are burning a lot of gas, Segway is an excellent alternative,” he said.
Segway, a privately held company based in New Hampshire, does not disclose exact sales figures, said Sarah LaLiberte, company public relations specialist. But she said that first quarter sales were up 25 percent over last year, and preliminary data show a 50 percent increase in second quarter sales over 2007. “Sales are much more robust than we expected,” she said.
Sales in Florida and California are particularly good, she said, and Chicago is also a strong source of sales. She said the company expected an upsurge in sales in New York now that the device is street legal.Â
Police departments and others who need to be visible and get around quickly. The police department in Tuckahoe recently purchased a Segway and the Lloyd police have been using the device to patrol rail-trails in town. And the Westchester County Police Chief”™s Association is hosting a get-to-know Segway event in September.
Meanwhile, the combination of fun and history is showing what Segways can do. Segway of the Hudson Valley has devised a tour of historic Poughkeepsie via Segway. A half-hour of training is provided, early on, “You can see the light bulb go off,” said White of those learning to use the device for the tour. “Then we glide north along the Hudson River for an enjoyable few hours.”              Â
