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The gig is up for Dean Kamen: His 12 mph speed demon, the Segway Human Transporter, has been recalled! Apparently people have been falling off when the batteries are low. Yikes, that's just like...riding a bike! Helmets, people, helmets.
Pressing questions Gothamist has:
- How will Phillip Torrone get around? What happens to the Book of Seg? If Gothamist ran a network news division, he'd be number two on the list (behind Kamen) of who deserves to give a soundbite.
- Is President Bush, embarking on some delayed spinning, going to claim that batteries were low when he attempted to get on the Segway to hilarious effect?
- The recall took place in the U.S.; how much money on the French letting people continue riding them?
- No more NYPD on Segways? This has Jeff Koyen's rag written on all over it!
- Gizmodo reports the Segways has been suffering from low sales; with the recall, now what?
Well, we guess we know the Segway is one gift we WON'T be getting this birthday. Freaking Consumer Product Safety Commission. Here's the CPSC's official announcement regarding public vehicle enemy number one.
Everything Segway on Gothamist.
[Thanks to readers John, Amina and Karru; there's nothing like coming back from Dallas learn that Segways have been recalled - why didn't the pilot announce it on the PA?]
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I met Phillip Torrone he and his wife show up at the Seattle weblog meetups from time to time.
Personally I think my mountain bike kicks ass and I would challange any Segway owner for a race any time any place.
Well, until your mountain bike is recalled, it's a no-go for now.
The recall seems somewhat silly though since as best as I can figure out is that the new software will shut the Segway down while it still has power but once it is in that range where people might stumble, ala Bushie II.
The best part was how the NYTimes, for at least a moment today, had this way, way above the "fold" on their site in a "News Alert" box. Usually the stuff in the "News Alert" box is on the order of pre-emptive invasion or shuttle disaster, not recalls of 6,000 toys for the rich. Perhaps the NYPD's usage of Segways makes the recall a national security issue.