Your reasoning sounds good to me.

 

None of this changes the fact that the operating costs once battery replacement is taken into account, are not cheap at all. Unless there is something we aren't aware of, like you'd have to pay $200mo in parking fees, you are paying a lot more to ride a Segway... especially since you already have a TCH.

It's a toy.

As for you Delta, I'm tired of you jumping into threads, providing absolutely NO useful information except to argue (with no research, no data), and then a few threads later suggest I stop arguing. Take a hike.

 

I never said it was cheap.

I said it was CLEAN compared to driving a car. And it IS.

And if you read my last post, you'll reach the conclusion that I don't use it for a toy, and that I cannot afford a $6,000 toy. Some people might use it as a toy. Some people might be able to afford a toy that costly. I cannot.

 

I have no problem with opinions but I do have a big problem when snippets of studies are brought in as 'facts' to support a point of view. This editing of "inconvenient truths" is why I prefer scientific jounals and magazines.

As for editorials in scientific journals, they are pretty good about not going beyond what empirical data supports. They get a lot of letters whenever they do. But sad to say, such discipline is lacking in the Car and Driver editorial.

Bob Wilson

 

CO, my last post is common sense.

Per your posts, you seem to think only you have the right to make such ("common sense") posts, and lecture Segway owners when you don't have one and probably never ridden one, then project flame-baiting on others.

 

Well I'm glad you've now realized it isn't cheap. Want to fathom a guess as to why? Because there is a lot of energy input into the manufacturer of the machine, and the manufacture of the batteries that you're going to be replacing.

Why don't you drive the TCH?

 

True, We can all be glad that Brock Yates was released from the staff.

 

I do drive the TCH with my two kids in it, to their school. Then I park the car and Segway the remainder of the drive.
Let's drop this Segway issue and get back on topic. We both made our points. If you want to continue, let's continue on a Segway blog or something.

 

I found the Car & Driver article to be outrageous -- taking a rather extremist viewpoint based on anything we presumably do know which supports their view, ignoring any facts we presumably do know which supports the opposing point of view, and then making the assumption that everything we *don't* know (that stuff in the middle for which we don't know which viewpoint it would eventually support) will eventually be discovered to safely support their point of view as well. And all of this while labeling their opposition as an extremist.

The opposition, meanwhile, whether secretly planning a radical lifestyle change or not, has offered many suggestions to substantially reduce your carbon footprint without having much noticeable impact on your lifestyle. Things such as turning off devices you are no longer using instead of letting them run. After all.... if you aren't around to watch your TV, why let it consume power? Does it really impact your lifestyle to click the 'off' button on the remote when you leave the room for a while?

I found the Segway discussion rather interesting. I don't own one, but I've always been interested in them.

I'm wondering how the energy consumption of a Segway would compare to an electric bicycle (e.g. http://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/030...sp?model=11424 ) It says it costs about $1000. Runs on NiMH batteries. It estimates 500 charge cycles before the batteries are shot. It also claims a 30 mile range.

Of course I have no idea how they come up with these claims. My personal experience with "all things rechargable" is to take whatever their claims are and DIVIDE BY TWO. My numbers always seem to be closer to reality than the manufacturers.

NiMH will last much longer if, in addition to not fully draining it you *also* don't ever fully *charge* it (you'll notice your hybrid car never really fully charges or drains your battery. At least neither my FEH nor my Prius do.... and Ford engineers at the "FEH Fuel Economy Experience" they held last year explained why: fully charing or fully draining NiMH reduces it life. These batteries like to operate in the middle of their charge capacity.

The obvious advantage of the bicycle is that it's a hybrid human-powered & electric. Going downhill it uses no energy. On flat land you could probably peddle it yourself... esp. if the wind is with you. You primarily use the electric to drive against the wind or uphill. Finally, if the battery expires, you *can* still peddle it the old fashioned way -- so you're never stranded.

The disadvantage is most towns will _not_ allow you to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk. So if the thought of having to ride your bike in traffic is unsettling to you... =)