Segway - Why It Failed

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  • Опубликовано: 9 июн 2024
  • The Segway was once one of the most anticipated pieces of technology, yet today it's mostly seen as a joke. This video explores what happened.
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Комментарии • 7 тыс.

  • @ghostcoffee1099
    @ghostcoffee1099 Год назад +8888

    Segway will always be associated with Paul Blart

    • @-Down-D-Stairs-
      @-Down-D-Stairs- Год назад +240

      That's the first thing that comes to mind

    • @tjenadonn6158
      @tjenadonn6158 Год назад +220

      Pop Blop Mop Cop.

    • @thetrench8486
      @thetrench8486 Год назад +71

      As it should be

    • @CandidLy1
      @CandidLy1 Год назад +128

      I thought it was perfect for a security guard in a large mall, and he made it look like so much fun!

    • @toonboy2041
      @toonboy2041 Год назад +43

      🎵the haters hate me, I pass em byyyyyy!🎵
      🎵I’m rollin rollin, on my seg-way!🎵

  • @AngelArm1110
    @AngelArm1110 Год назад +4930

    That stair climbing, auto balancing wheelchair was orders of magnitude more impressive, and more needed than the Segway could ever have dreamed of.

    • @karstenschuhmann8334
      @karstenschuhmann8334 Год назад +171

      But imagine how expensive this would have been.
      Today things could be made much cheaper. All components have become much cheaper:
      - Powerful light batteries.
      - Powerful high-torque electric motors.
      - powerful alternators
      - acceleration sensors

    • @nellayema2455
      @nellayema2455 Год назад +231

      The iBot was an amazing device. The 3000 was good, but the 4000 was more refined, and had better tires. The high cost was what killed it. I was a factory trained technician for several years.

    • @bobair2
      @bobair2 Год назад +9

      Very true!

    • @benjaminrobinson3842
      @benjaminrobinson3842 Год назад +101

      I heard about the iBot *after* I learned about the Segway, and thought "Wow, that's a much more practical use for the Segway tech!" I'm surprised, to say the least, that it was the other way around.

    • @coachbrandon01
      @coachbrandon01 Год назад +138

      I was heavily in the wheelchair community when the wheelchair was advertised and demonstrated. The high cost and insurance was prohibitive, to start. The big reason that it failed to gain any traction was because wheelchair users did not trust the technology failing. Imagine being in a wheelchair, that high, when the power fails.... on steps. The wheelchair users said, no thanks. It never took off because of that. Some even said that it would kill them if it fell over.
      The Segway was a much more practical use of the tech, and way less risk. It has been known for injuries and risks, too. It is not so much a tech problem, but a human issue.

  • @OfficialUSKRprogram
    @OfficialUSKRprogram 5 месяцев назад +264

    Segways just look goofy, which is why I want one, you cannot be taken seriously while on a segway

    • @iwanaGoFast2010
      @iwanaGoFast2010 4 месяца назад

      Imagine being a midget on a Segway!!

    • @Dr.Kornelius
      @Dr.Kornelius 4 месяца назад +22

      ideal vehicle for escaping a crime scene

    • @robertbutler8004
      @robertbutler8004 4 месяца назад +1

      @@Dr.Kornelius they could not out run a snail!

  • @roquefortfiles
    @roquefortfiles 8 месяцев назад +523

    In case you're too young to remember!! The build up to this thing was enormous. We were told something was coming that was going to revolutionize transportation. A game changer. The hype around this thing went on for half a year. Finally it was released. Everybody went... "Huh?.. what?? within a month it was forgotten about. The only thing it revolutionized was getting around a car factory.

    • @ShinrithatGriethrat-cg4pg
      @ShinrithatGriethrat-cg4pg 7 месяцев назад +42

      I remember them, saying that supposedly the way City’s were built was going to change because of everybody being on these things. What a joke lol.

    • @roquefortfiles
      @roquefortfiles 7 месяцев назад +30

      @@ShinrithatGriethrat-cg4pg The build up was huge!!. And then it was like..... That's it???? !. And it disappeared. Maybe mall cops use it

    • @almubarak89458
      @almubarak89458 7 месяцев назад +26

      If you ever seen the South Park episode where Mr Garrison invents a super fast traveling device named "IT". The creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone said the Launching of the Segway and how they built it up to be the greatest thing ever was the main inspiration for the show.

    • @roquefortfiles
      @roquefortfiles 7 месяцев назад

      @@almubarak89458 Never seen it. But the southpark guys got the joke. I think everyone remembers the endless hype.

    • @SkepticalSteve01
      @SkepticalSteve01 5 месяцев назад

      Bad luck for it to come out less than three months after 9-11 and the World Trade Center massacre. We all had a lot more on our minds than wanky little electric scooters with the wheels on wrong.
      It’s been a joke ever since the smoke cleared.
      I’m a little surprised Elon Musk didn’t buy up the company and make it his trademark personal transportation system, for getting over that awkward gap between your front door and the Tesla parked in your driveway.

  • @DanielAyy
    @DanielAyy Год назад +861

    The fact you could buy a half-decent used car for the same price as a new segway is in my opinion the biggest deciding factor against getting one back then.

    • @johnzabrenski6327
      @johnzabrenski6327 Год назад +46

      Yeah, I bought a used S class Mercedes 450SL (R107) in 2001 for $5000

    • @randomami8176
      @randomami8176 Год назад +11

      My thought exactly.

    • @johnpekkala6941
      @johnpekkala6941 11 месяцев назад +24

      Exactly. "Needed the money to run the company" Well if your product is so expensive only rich people can afford it to use just as a goofy gimmick thing you will never succeed. A normal person would buy a high end motorcycle instead for that money. Todays Escooters including Ninebot that we see everywhere today have becone a huge success largley because everyone can afford them and they perform really well and are also not clumsy and goofy like the Segway but a proper and practical vehicle that can also be easily folded and carried. I bought myself one last year for around 450 dollars and it works just great. Its not self balancing or anything but its stable and it takes me where i need to go quickly. Sure the Segway was a cool thing when it first released and i have tested one at a time and i liked the feeling when riding it but as said I clearly see why todays E Scooters is a success and Segway failed.

    • @StellaHulliet
      @StellaHulliet 11 месяцев назад

      I just stumbled upon a new crowdfunding project called freebeat Morph 2-in-1 e-Bike, and it seems quite promising! One outstanding feature is that it can be charged indoors, which is a game-changer. With its powerful motor and fat tires, it offers a smooth and adventurous ride in any terrain. The smart technology and fitness integration make it an ideal choice for those looking to stay motivated during indoor and outdoor rides. Plus, the eco-friendly aspect of converting indoor calories into CO2-free miles is commendable. I'm excited to see how the Morph e-Bike will revolutionize the cycling experience!

    • @MrComradebuttons
      @MrComradebuttons 10 месяцев назад +3

      modern e-bikes cost more than my audi a4… the e-bike companies aren’t failing

  • @Sweet00thtkc
    @Sweet00thtkc Год назад +1345

    My mother once told me I should try getting a Segway and I said that I had never seen an actual person on one in public in my entire life. I continued to rant about how unpopular they were when two people came up over a hill on them right in front of us.

    • @williampotter2098
      @williampotter2098 Год назад +288

      Mother's do that. It's part of their power

    • @chriswheeler6092
      @chriswheeler6092 Год назад +64

      In my city they were everywhere for a while. There was a company that even took people on a tour of the city on segways. It was common to see security guards using them. Then all at once people stopped using them.

    • @order3457
      @order3457 Год назад +79

      lmfao god trolling u.

    • @NJdaniels96
      @NJdaniels96 Год назад +83

      Sitcom timing

    • @srfnsurfer
      @srfnsurfer Год назад +10

      The franchise quarterback of the Carolina Panthers was riding one through downtown. When he was out with an injury.

  • @pasiondemarginales
    @pasiondemarginales 4 месяца назад +63

    I used to be a Segway tour guide and I can confidently say it is one of the most dangerous activities you can ever do. Most of the accidents lead to minor injuries, but we just had way too many of them...

    • @Dontbustthecrust
      @Dontbustthecrust 4 месяца назад +2

      ​@@be.prepared.to.do.that. and I can think of 100 more. Lol

    • @Krunschy
      @Krunschy 4 месяца назад +4

      I imagine this was probably due to this type of environment being a poor way to familiarize with the technology.

    • @Dontbustthecrust
      @Dontbustthecrust 4 месяца назад +5

      @@Krunschy totally. It's not like a bike that's been around for 1000 years already. You'd have to do a 30 minute class before you start the tour and that's not at all practical for a business.

    • @myoutuber77
      @myoutuber77 3 месяца назад +1

      I dont think safety had anything to do with this. You see, snowboards and motorcycles are probably more dangerous vehicles and still somehow their sales do not depend on safety records. For the US consumer I put my bet on the fact that the company name didn't sound "cool" and it also should have started with an "i".

    • @Dontbustthecrust
      @Dontbustthecrust 3 месяца назад +1

      @@myoutuber77 the risk to reward is way better with motorcycles and snowboards. they are just not that risky in the big picture. And not that expensive compared to a Segway.

  • @revelationnow
    @revelationnow 4 месяца назад +48

    One of my colleagues once rode a segway for a tour of a bluechip factory in the US. He was French and was visiting. Anyway, during the tour his segway ran over a loose tile on the floor, and it freaked out and threw him off, leading to a broken hip for which he needed a metal hip joint installed resulting in a limp. The great thing about bicycles is they are much more predictable.

    • @jamesesparza6893
      @jamesesparza6893 3 месяца назад +4

      Fun fact, that is because the bicycle has an intuitive design, the front wheel actually self-corrects when the writer removes their hands from the steering wheel. This is why some people can ride a bike without holding the handlebars, it's literally within the design to keep you going straight even after a bad bump.

    • @josepheaton5087
      @josepheaton5087 23 дня назад

      But you can die on anything, bicycles, motorcycles, skateboards etc…. But yet all these things are still sold and used, I covered 21 miles of rail trails on my mini Segway and found it amazing

  • @Verinia
    @Verinia Год назад +410

    I once had a client who used to own a segway dealership. Yes there were dealerships, and they were in malls. Anyway, I worked at a homeless shelter.

    • @Chronosmaster002
      @Chronosmaster002 Год назад +22

      Volunteering at a homeless shelter has reminded of varied and interesting (if a bit sad) some of the client’s stories are.

    • @williampotter2098
      @williampotter2098 Год назад +45

      LOL, It isn't very civilized to laugh at that, but damn it! It's funny ....

    • @ShaftyMegee
      @ShaftyMegee Год назад +8

      Oof...

    • @tjenadonn6158
      @tjenadonn6158 Год назад +10

      Ouch. There is such a story there

    • @TheLonelySoulja
      @TheLonelySoulja Год назад +9

      AM sorry, but HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA damn that was funny, but sad

  • @MikePhalin
    @MikePhalin Год назад +1114

    I remember when they started showing up at theme parks for security. You can't take someone seriously when they're on one. The best thing about the Segway was its role in Paul Blart.

    • @Starry_Night_Sky7455
      @Starry_Night_Sky7455 Год назад +28

      You mean Mall Cop.

    • @mattm1686
      @mattm1686 Год назад +1

      @Super Nostalgia I thought the Easter bunny saved us

    • @WordUnheard
      @WordUnheard Год назад +88

      Paul Blart was the final nail in Segway's coffin. While a lot of Americans look like Paul Blart, no one WANTS to look like Paul Blart. They damn sure don't want to pay thousands of dollars to look like Paul Blart.

    • @PeugeotRocket
      @PeugeotRocket Год назад +9

      Why can't you take them seriously? It helps them get around without exerting themselves thus helping them have more energy when they need to actually use it.
      I mean, of course you can't rely on it solely. You need to get some exercise too. But I can totally see it being useful for security, especially those who need to patrol large spaces.

    • @MercenaryBlackWaterz
      @MercenaryBlackWaterz Год назад +18

      In my city there is a "gang" of Segway riders (I call them the Segwees) they get no respect at all, for obvious reasons.

  • @edwardtaylor4785
    @edwardtaylor4785 7 месяцев назад +22

    It was a technologically advanced, clever, and expensive solution to a problem that didn't really exist.

    • @brianjones7660
      @brianjones7660 4 месяца назад +2

      A cure in search of a disease…..

    • @ALObtuse
      @ALObtuse 22 дня назад

      Reinventing the wheel, if he’d only put the wheels inline he’d have had the electric scooter before everyone else. They seem very popular

  • @Jalmaan
    @Jalmaan 4 месяца назад +32

    A device on two wheels that can go barely faster than walking, on which you have to stand. I don't see how they didn't realize it was doomed to fail.

    • @photonfield
      @photonfield 4 месяца назад +4

      And yet e-scooters are more popular than ever. Of course these cost $50 per unit when bought in bulk compared to the Segway's $5000. I think it would have been a successful product if they could get the price down to even $300. But 5k is just dead in the water.

    • @Jalmaan
      @Jalmaan 4 месяца назад +1

      @@photonfield i rarely see them used ever. It feels like a gimmick, like 3D, fidget spinners, etc

    • @photonfield
      @photonfield 4 месяца назад +2

      @@Jalmaan E-scooters? They have rental companies set up in the summer in most big cities. Companies like Voi, Tier, Bird, Ryde, Bolt. I see literally hundreds of them when walking around downtown.

    • @Jalmaan
      @Jalmaan 4 месяца назад +1

      @@photonfield oh, those things, they're banned in the Netherlands haha, so I always forget they exist. We mostly have rental mopeds (for which you need a drivers license)

    • @BlurbFish
      @BlurbFish 4 месяца назад +1

      @@photonfield You mean the e-scooters that are several times faster than walking?

  • @David-qi1ys
    @David-qi1ys Год назад +1781

    To me, this was a solution looking for a problem. Hailed as “revolutionary” by media and those selling the product, meanwhile everyone I knew was asking “revolutionising what?”

    • @tjenadonn6158
      @tjenadonn6158 Год назад +172

      The sort of thing that Elon Musk would be big on today.

    • @planescaped
      @planescaped Год назад +195

      All the hype from the tech sector really came off as an echo-chamber from people who were out of touch with the reality of such a product. I did not know a single person who saw the segway as anything other than an overpriced novelty or a punchline for obesity.
      The only people who cared were the overly indulgent tech-addicts and people with more money than sense.

    • @DFWRailVideos
      @DFWRailVideos Год назад +24

      In other words, a Gadgetbahn.

    • @ZhovtoBlakytniy
      @ZhovtoBlakytniy Год назад +84

      It's like walking- but lazy and possibly more deadly

    • @Funni-guy99
      @Funni-guy99 Год назад +71

      Like the metaverse

  • @abemartinez9623
    @abemartinez9623 10 месяцев назад +1404

    As a former mall security guard . The Segway patroller 6. Was a badass product. It had 3 wheels . 3 feet off the ground all terrain tires. Had an 50 mile charge . It was designed for university or military/ hospital properties that had many buildings on the same land that were outside. It was fast an reliable. The mall I worked at was a Tanger outlets. An it was huge . Before Covid on Black Friday we had thousands of people you couldn’t even walk. But this thing could make way very easy. Crowd control was a breeze on top of it . When the mall closed at night we would race around it was a great time. Kinda miss that joh

    • @GeorgeSukFuk
      @GeorgeSukFuk 10 месяцев назад +3

      Ok Paul blart

    • @abemartinez9623
      @abemartinez9623 10 месяцев назад +13

      @@GeorgeSukFuk hilarious. Never heard that one beforeZ very clever

    • @GeorgeSukFuk
      @GeorgeSukFuk 10 месяцев назад +3

      @@abemartinez9623 haha I'm surprised you never heard it before. It's a pretty common jest

    • @abemartinez9623
      @abemartinez9623 10 месяцев назад +17

      @@GeorgeSukFuk yeah that’s weird , never heard it at all. You’re on some next level deep intelligential thinking. Definitely consider a career in comedy. That was some 4th dimensional shit right there . Hilarious

    • @GeorgeSukFuk
      @GeorgeSukFuk 10 месяцев назад +1

      @@abemartinez9623 well now I feel like you're messing with me

  • @Prettygirldomoharvin1
    @Prettygirldomoharvin1 8 месяцев назад +28

    This just unlocked a forgotten memory. I remember riding one and almost crashing into a building, but was able to swerve into some bushes.
    I was around 14 years old when Segway first came out, I’m now 28. These were all over DC as an alternative for bikes to move around the city & one day they just all disappeared. Now, it’s just bikes and scooters.

    • @poindextertunes
      @poindextertunes 4 месяца назад +2

      Who would’ve thought an already existing technology would be way better for public transportation?? 😅

  • @dangheathen
    @dangheathen 4 месяца назад +9

    My band booked Sun Studios (formerly Sun Records)for a night's recording session. We were out back taking a break at about 3:00 in the morning when the owner pulled up on a Segway. He then proceeded to let all four of us ride it around the parking lot and it was one of the most surreal experiences of my entire life. Good times...

  • @bf0189
    @bf0189 Год назад +485

    Dean is such a nice person. I was in Robotics in high school and we won the state tournament but we only came in 37th in the international championship in Atlanta. He still talked to all my team mates and myself for hours and hours. He really gave his own time to us and I'll never forget that.

    • @perfectallycromulent
      @perfectallycromulent Год назад +11

      alternatively: a very rich many was pumping young people for new ideas for his company, with no plans to pay anyone for those ideas.

    • @bluelight628
      @bluelight628 Год назад +87

      ​@@perfectallycromulentif that was the case why would he listen to ideas from the team which came 37th

    • @timofy2641
      @timofy2641 Год назад +72

      @@perfectallycromulent dude he's a nice guy. Founded multiple entire non-profit robotics competitions just to educate and inspire new engineers. Everything doesn't have to be so negative

    • @lulumoon6942
      @lulumoon6942 Год назад +1

      Great story!

    • @JoeStuffzAlt
      @JoeStuffzAlt Год назад +18

      He might have enjoyed it. He probably saw your team as fellow engineers and not students.

  • @joannamarieart
    @joannamarieart 8 месяцев назад +174

    I think another one of the big issues is that the US as a whole is not built for pedestrian traffic, and the segway was a pedestrian-level vehicle. Many cities do not have decent sidewalks, or sidewalks at all, so attempting to travel around on a segway would be extremely impractical.

    • @stanislavlestal6707
      @stanislavlestal6707 4 месяца назад +23

      Exactly! Unfortunately, the US is made for cars/trucks only.

    • @aimxdy8680
      @aimxdy8680 4 месяца назад +5

      depends on parts of the US, in the northeast and parts of the midwest it’s very walkable, while in the sunbelt sprawling cities it’s not very walkable.

    • @sandal_thong8631
      @sandal_thong8631 4 месяца назад +3

      Even places that are pedestrian and bike-friendly like Amsterdam don't like other types of people-movers like electric wheelchairs.

    • @Marc-gj9vx
      @Marc-gj9vx 4 месяца назад +5

      Even if they had all that, what you do when you want to go inside a store? How do you "park" it somwhere without no one stealing it (its expensive). Also why not just walking, its good for your health.

    • @schwarzerritter5724
      @schwarzerritter5724 4 месяца назад +2

      If a place is built for pedestrian traffic, it is built for bicycle traffic. Bicycles, even electric ones, are faster and cheaper.

  • @almadixon-cider31
    @almadixon-cider31 4 месяца назад +7

    That Wheel Chair Was Off The Hook!🤯🤯

  • @edgarcontreras3833
    @edgarcontreras3833 8 месяцев назад +4

    I love how clear and concise your video is about obscure topic I would’ve never even thought about

  • @Jzany34
    @Jzany34 Год назад +322

    I had a friend who let me ride his Segway often. Once, I was riding it around the neighborhood and had a few spectators (this was around 2004). I did a demonstration showing how to accelerate and decelerate, but when I leaned back at peak speed to apply the brakes, the system failed and I crashed down on the pavement and slid a short ways. Thankfully I wasn’t injured, though my backside was numb for a bit. Let’s just say the novelty wore off for me.

    • @karsaorlong3761
      @karsaorlong3761 Год назад +7

      not surprising, segway looks very cringy and unimpressive

    • @SidewalkSurfer212
      @SidewalkSurfer212 Год назад +3

      No man, there’s an update/patch you can buy that turns off the safety features. That thing will FLY

    • @jessikapiche6097
      @jessikapiche6097 Год назад +7

      it failed because the wheel could never adapt to the road we have here (all breakup and unequal) so rural area was a no go. it was not really that portable either, more between a bike and a scooter... could not replace the skateboard for kids, young adult, and could not replace the speed of a scooter either.

  • @sheikahjin
    @sheikahjin Год назад +394

    I think the design is intrinsically funny. It’s that smooth floating motion while you stiffly look straight ahead, like you defy anyone to mock it.

    • @samuelglover7685
      @samuelglover7685 Год назад +26

      What it really needed was a matching Spandex (tm) full-body outfit, with little tiny wings at the ankles and temples.

    • @Blox117
      @Blox117 Год назад +9

      unicycles are way cooler

    • @2-Way_Intersection
      @2-Way_Intersection Год назад

      creative mode lookin ass

    • @foilist1
      @foilist1 Год назад +4

      @@Blox117 And cheaper too!! 🤣

    • @Blox117
      @Blox117 Год назад +1

      @@foilist1 true

  • @thelibertyworkshop2952
    @thelibertyworkshop2952 4 месяца назад +5

    Before my brother passed away , he was handicapped so that he couldn't walk even a short distance ... He had purchased a Segway PT and a Segway Ninebot ... He rode them all the time , and they were as reliable as the day is long ... It was funny because the older folks that lived in his senior apartment building , always called them " witchcraft " , L O L ... Anyway , after his passing , I inherited them and they are great fun !!

  • @HypherNet
    @HypherNet 7 месяцев назад +12

    Given that onewheels and other self-balancing devices have become pretty commonplace, it's clear that the basic idea and tech were sound innovations, and that mostly it was the missteps you mentioned that stopped them from being successful. I would have loved to see some comparisons in this video (or maybe a new video) to those successful derivative products.

  • @ellencoleman4604
    @ellencoleman4604 Год назад +230

    I am actually shocked at the number actually sold. They were so prevalent in media, were production teams the only people that bought them?

    • @connormclernon26
      @connormclernon26 Год назад +18

      Segway tours in major cities

    • @hj-mr5gg
      @hj-mr5gg Год назад +6

      The security company im at had 2 of them

    • @eugenetswong
      @eugenetswong Год назад +11

      Yeah, I thought that I was in the minority. I'm surprised that there were less than 1m.

    • @grahamsmith9541
      @grahamsmith9541 Год назад +3

      Leeds Castle in Kent UK. Have Segway tours of the grounds.

    • @johnbockelie3899
      @johnbockelie3899 Год назад +4

      "Wwwwaalllking ?????, no NOT ME !!!".

  • @sonoftheredfox
    @sonoftheredfox Год назад +154

    I had completely forgotten about Segways so much, that I didn't even know the whole thing about the dude that bought them plunging off a cliff on one. Company Man has met my "learn one new thing today" goal.

    • @TheSupart91
      @TheSupart91 Год назад

      ​@SuperNostalgia.Why? The logic makes no sense? Save me bcuz he knew i was gonna sin regardless? Sounds controlling

    • @sonoftheredfox
      @sonoftheredfox Год назад +1

      @Super Nostalgia While I completely agree with what you're saying there Mr. Bot, you need to tweak your reply algorithm a little bit.

  • @raymondjensen4603
    @raymondjensen4603 4 месяца назад +5

    We used to travel the expansive factory areas at Boeing with bicycles. At one point it was rumored that Boeing was considering using Segways, but the cost was the deal breaker, so the rumor goes.

  • @QuinnnMallory
    @QuinnnMallory 7 месяцев назад +2

    There was an episode of Frasier in the early 21st century that included a Segway. Niles was riding it and hyping it up.

  • @mikesmusicden
    @mikesmusicden Год назад +166

    Dean Kamen was his own biggest enemy. Before the Segway came out, I remember how over-hyped it was. You are right when you mention that people literally thought it was a teleportation machine or anti-gravity device. When people saw what it was, it was a huge letdown. Every interview I saw with Kamen when the Segway came out he came across as arrogant and obnoxious. He was on Jay Leno once and Jay was being lighthearted and trying to ride the Segway and Kamen was getting angrier and angrier because Jay and the audience wasn't approaching his invention with gravitas and awe. No doubt that Dean Kamen was a genius and invented some very important (and lifesaving) devices, but his ego and hubris seemed unmatched

    • @alexforce9
      @alexforce9 Год назад +38

      He probably looked at his device with the scientific eyes - all the interesting and amazing science and engineering that lead to it. But obvs not a shred of marketing sense or popular design ,

    • @Allen_Leigh_Canada
      @Allen_Leigh_Canada Год назад +11

      agree, being a genius is not enough, one needs to have good characters.

    • @thesuperknot_
      @thesuperknot_ Год назад +21

      I remember the hype. “Ginger” was supposed to change the world. What changed the world instead was 9/11.

    • @ccricers
      @ccricers Год назад +14

      He seemed to have a good track record with medical inventions, but clearly transportation and urban planning is out of his area of expertise.

    • @mikesmusicden
      @mikesmusicden Год назад +13

      @@ccricers I agree with that. His medication pump device and multi-wheel wheelchair really helped improve the quality of life for a lot of people but, yeah, he was out of his lane with the Segway...and being as obnoxious as he seemed to be didn't help...

  • @ivanvarykino8202
    @ivanvarykino8202 10 месяцев назад +687

    Ya gotta give the guy credit. He actually designed products and delivered them. Both life saving, and "pedestrian" 😉
    The Segway may not have lived up to the hype, but it exists.
    I would never call an inventor who at least attempted to deliver on promises, a failure.
    But ya, when the new owner rode his own investment off a cliff, it kind of served as an epitaph to both owner and product.

    • @tanjinpang
      @tanjinpang 8 месяцев назад +25

      Agree! Meanwhile we can easily see many kickstarter scam...

    • @ivanvarykino8202
      @ivanvarykino8202 8 месяцев назад +13

      @@tanjinpang Exactly! Some have no intention to deliver or create anything. Only to take the money.

    • @kbo8029
      @kbo8029 7 месяцев назад +9

      ​@@codyfrisch4378oh god, fucking one wheels.. I knew a guy who was obsessed with his and rode it all the time. He only took breaks when he had to heal from whatever he broke riding it most recently.

    • @zwerko
      @zwerko 6 месяцев назад +3

      You mean - both life saving, and life taking. Segway did end up claiming a few lives... Not necessarily a big deal given that it's practically impossible to have a transportation device that will never claim any lives, but still...

    • @AyoMillz
      @AyoMillz 6 месяцев назад +2

      Gave riding off into the sunset a different meaning

  • @jsmith2028
    @jsmith2028 6 месяцев назад

    I just want to say, I appreciate your videos. I appreciate the in depth look that you provide.

  • @Zanthum
    @Zanthum 7 месяцев назад +4

    I have not ridden a Segway but I was at Dean Kamen's robotics competitions in highschool F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Competition (FRC) and there were officials for the competition riding them around the venues. Speaking with one of them it came up what it was like to ride them vs being on foot. They said it was useful for getting around faster and being able to see above the crowds, but that balancing on them all day was really hard on their legs like balancing on a ladder and that they would rather be on foot because it wouldn't be as much of a workout.
    So the one thing the Segway was supposed to do, make walking easier, it failed at.

  • @runtofthelitter420
    @runtofthelitter420 Год назад +184

    I remember when the segway launched. They really pushed it as something to rent instead of owning. Going on local tours on segways was popular. You had groups of 10 segwaying through the city centers led by a guide. It felt like it was a huge thing for a a while. Then all of a sudden they were just gone.

    • @gomahklawm4446
      @gomahklawm4446 Год назад +17

      Accidents and resulting lawsuits. They're a pool of risk.

    • @xrrrismickey
      @xrrrismickey Год назад +1

      They're still using them in Seattle. I saw them today.

    • @CameronJP
      @CameronJP Год назад

      They still use them in really touristy cities. However I am remember they even had Segway tours in non tourist cities.

    • @Aligartornator13
      @Aligartornator13 Год назад +5

      A few years back I was in Prague with some friends. Over the course of three days we witnessed 4 (!) people having crashes with segways. Two just kinda fell off, one crashed into a pedestrian and one got stuck on a curb an faceplanted onto the pavement. All without wearing a helmet. Was no good publicity for the product...

    • @Dave-Shearer
      @Dave-Shearer Год назад

      @@CameronJP I once got pitched on buying a franchise to offer Segway tours in my non-tourist city. I took a Segway tour in Salem, and found riding them so much fun I seriously considered it.

  • @sneakyquick
    @sneakyquick Год назад +70

    I honestly think that the wheelchair they made ibot was much more impressive than the segway.

    • @MundaneGray
      @MundaneGray Год назад +14

      Well, yes. Because it actually solved a real problem. The Segway didn't.

    • @bradtorville5526
      @bradtorville5526 Год назад +8

      And yet when the hell was the last time you've seen a person on the iBot? Truly innovative and something that addressed a lot of issues for disabled people who need a wheelchair but they're nowhere to be found these days.

    • @marcst3199
      @marcst3199 Год назад +2

      I guess it was too pricy and the insurances wouldn't pay for that.

  • @everythingthrice2582
    @everythingthrice2582 8 месяцев назад +6

    The segway would become the "handless segway" aka the hoverboard which is still used today

    • @KaoticReach1999
      @KaoticReach1999 Месяц назад

      Aren't the hoverboards suffering the same fate?

  • @MrJ1GS4W
    @MrJ1GS4W 8 месяцев назад +8

    When I was in middle school the brother of a friend of mine, who had a problem with his hips and couldn’t get around easily, rode a Segway to/from/around school and would often let me ride it. It was a custom Segway that had this massive tires and overall looked pretty cool.

  • @insederec
    @insederec Год назад +65

    The concept was extremely successful once other companies removed the handles and started calling them hoverboards

  • @Oddman1980
    @Oddman1980 Год назад +209

    I remember looking to see what a segway cost when they were still being sold in the 2000's, and at the time for the price of a Segway you could literally buy a Harley-Davidson. The price was, as you pointed out, crazy. Paying motorcycle money for something that couldn't keep up with a $500 electric bicycle from Walmart just wasn't ever going to work. The bicycle was safer and you could sit down on it, too.

    • @sodapone
      @sodapone Год назад +17

      It reminds me of the same challenge that electric scooters face, and why Lime and Byrd got so much pushback - sure, it's more convenient to just step onto one and go, but it's also less safe since your head has further to fall compared to a bicycle.

    • @groupewaite
      @groupewaite Год назад +2

      Is safer!

    • @jonathankessler7436
      @jonathankessler7436 Год назад +2

      I think it was a risk proposition from the outset because it is unclear of what it really can be used for.

    • @eriklarson9137
      @eriklarson9137 Год назад +1

      @@groupewaite what is!

    • @DerBingle1
      @DerBingle1 Год назад +1

      and this was supposed to change the world.

  • @MajinMattPlays
    @MajinMattPlays 8 месяцев назад +7

    I'm a bit young to have gotten a good chance to use the Segway before it became nothing more than a joke and a forgotten piece of the past, but I've always thought the idea was pretty cool. As someone who can't ride a bike due to some stuff wrong up top that makes it really difficult to coordinate myself properly, the idea of something like this is really cool, and truthfully I'm a bit sad something similar never really caught on.

  • @smithfield06
    @smithfield06 5 месяцев назад +2

    You have to hand it to this guy, as regards medical appliances this guy was a genius. The Segway was so hyped up reminded of sir Clive Sinclair and his C5.

  • @RedlineGuiding
    @RedlineGuiding Год назад +114

    Several years ago I had an opportunity to ride an "off-road" Segway at a NH ski resort during their summer operations. After 5-10 minutes climbing the learning curve we were set free a bit and loosely guided on some local trails. I must say, it was ridiculously fun. Within a half hour we could ride no hands, do donuts, and more. Going down hills was a bit scary until you trusted the machine, but overall it was a blast. Much better than the zip lines we also tried that day. The "scooters" where much more interactive and the experience lasted a while.

  • @jamescogswell9297
    @jamescogswell9297 Год назад +36

    “He saw someone in a wheelchair struggling to get it up” - Company Man, 2023

    • @cancel1913
      @cancel1913 Год назад +5

      I see what you did there! LOL

  • @WowIndescribable
    @WowIndescribable 7 месяцев назад

    Great video! The definitive Cliff Notes version of the Segway story.

  • @itsmellslikeshitdontit3752
    @itsmellslikeshitdontit3752 4 месяца назад

    Once again I'm very impressed with your videos

  • @jrr851
    @jrr851 Год назад +129

    As a FIRST Robotics kid who grew up in it, Dean Kaman was an idol. When Segway failed, it was sad, we all had such high hopes for it.

    • @sepg5084
      @sepg5084 Год назад +11

      I never had any hopes for it even though i was a "tech nerd". It cost as much as a motorcycle, rode not as fast nor as far, can only have one passenger, and is more unsafe than an ordinary kick scooter. It was also extremely over hyped, i was like "wtf????" when i finally saw it revealed on TV.

    • @mahzorimipod
      @mahzorimipod Год назад +6

      building personality cults around autists was not a good idea

    • @skunkfac3
      @skunkfac3 Год назад +11

      ​@@mahzorimipodDo your research before labeling something a cult. FIRST changes lives. Thousands of high schoolers had their career paths illuminated through their involvement in the program, myself included. Implying that the program exists for little more than to stroke Dean's ego is not only wrong, but insulting.

    • @anasevi9456
      @anasevi9456 Год назад +1

      That technologies only real practical use was with stair climbing wheelchairs. Segway's themselves were just stupid and dangerous, and if you felt otherwise as an adult; you should learn to give a bit of healthy cynicism towards hype. As a kid always wanted to ride one though.

    • @king_big_pp
      @king_big_pp Год назад +1

      @@skunkfac3 Dude's not incorrect. Dean may have been this great guy and influential and all that jazz. And the technology behind the segway may be impressive. But acting like anything a genius creates is automatically some revolutionary product is part of that cult-of-personality.

  • @johnmickey5017
    @johnmickey5017 Год назад +107

    My friend was a Segway tour guide for a few years. They gave the tourists’ Segways a lower max speed - so that he could intervene when a newbie would start driving toward a parked car.

    • @joeyvindictive3552
      @joeyvindictive3552 Год назад +10

      That job sounds like a complete headache!

    • @youjustlikeit3774
      @youjustlikeit3774 Год назад +8

      "Segway Tour Guide." Now that is what you want to see on a person's resume.

  • @desmondsouthwell3529
    @desmondsouthwell3529 4 месяца назад +1

    My wife and I rode Segways in the UK quite a few years ago. We just paid for about one-and-a-half hours on them. They were great fun, riding on a track on private property. The first half-hour was a learning trip. But after that. those who had paid for the longer second session got to really push them to their limits. Full speed, on a much longer track, sharp turns, up and down inclines, etc.
    This all came to a standstill about two-thirds through the session, when my wife was aiming to drive hers up a hill, misjudged it and came off, trapping her foot somewhere on the platform, which twisted it and fractured a small bone in it. Bags of ice were sent for from the hotel, and she was then put in a van and transported to our hotel. The people in charge were extremely helpful, too. The bone eventually knitted completely, with no long-term problems. We put no blame on the owners of the Segways, as she made the mistake of starting up the hill before she was told to, so no one was in a position to catch her in case something like that happened. But it did show that there was some danger in using them. Yes, there would always be the problem of not being safe to use on footpaths, etc, so maybe not such a great idea as at first thought.

  • @TheRacerG
    @TheRacerG 5 месяцев назад

    Appreciate the info, Companaman.

  • @grey4904
    @grey4904 Год назад +97

    I still can’t believe the guy who bought the company while riding one off a cliff. I always thought it was a joke but nope

    • @mykolperez2808
      @mykolperez2808 Год назад +16

      It wasn't the inventor, it was the man who bought the company.

    • @grey4904
      @grey4904 Год назад +3

      @@mykolperez2808 my bad 🫢

    • @charlockprime
      @charlockprime Год назад +9

      This. That right there is crazier than most of the stuff Hollywood can come up with. It's definitely high on my personal list of reasons to never own one of those things.

    • @gameskyjumper1721
      @gameskyjumper1721 Год назад +3

      Not the person that invented it. The person who bought the company.

    • @benjaminwatt2436
      @benjaminwatt2436 Год назад +4

      I looked up several articles and none of them say the accident happened because of the segway. although the way Company man says it, it does sound that way. its too sensational to be true

  • @zakmartin
    @zakmartin Год назад +53

    I remember the hype. They didn't call it a Segway in the beginning, they called it "It", which was widely understood to stand for "individual transport". And of course there were numerous articles in newspapers and magazines titled "What is IT?"
    It (!) failed because it didn't live up to the hype. For one thing it was far heavier and bulkier than the public had been led to expect. Most people expected it to be lightweight and easy to stow away, perhaps in some kind of carry bag. If you rode one to your local mall or city centre, where would you park it? It was too big to take into a shop, a bar or a cinema, but too light and valuable to leave on the street, secured only with a bike lock. And then there was the price.
    Another "revolutionary form of transport" that turned out to be a dismal failure was the C5 car.

    • @exoticeditz8863
      @exoticeditz8863 8 месяцев назад

      Im sure if they did what Uber is doing now with lime scooters it could’ve worked. It had potential, but they hyped it up like it was going to be revolutionary technology

  • @ninapaquette2750
    @ninapaquette2750 8 месяцев назад +18

    I went to Dean’s house for winning the FIRST Robotics world championship. Everyone ate lunch on his helicopter pad and he has a train engine in his living room. He also invented those coke freestyle machines. The winning teams also toured his development HQ and I really think he just makes whatever he wants no matter how hard it is to make because he has company’s who invested and buy anything he makes. He makes the impossible and sells every aspect of it and uses the money to poor into the next project.

    • @castonyoung7514
      @castonyoung7514 7 месяцев назад

      Did you mean pour? Or is he giving to the poor?

    • @Pairrot
      @Pairrot 7 месяцев назад +1

      Whoah, had no idea the winners toured his home! I got his signature on the back of a 7461 Sushi Squad shirt, got it in a trade for two of my teams shirts which was 100% worth it

    • @ericgropuis
      @ericgropuis 6 месяцев назад

      I didn’t know they got a tour, I knew they got to meet him in person, my team didn’t get that far during that competition

  • @earldonald3095
    @earldonald3095 8 месяцев назад +16

    I couldn't help but think of certain similarities between some of the issues faced by Segway and some of the scooter rental companies like Lime and Bird appearing in many cities, especially the part about working with municipal governments around allowing their usage in public spaces and sidewalks. There are apparent differences in the technology and application of these products. But I’d be curious to hear your analysis on this and if, in some ways, Segway walked so these newer companies could run decades later. Great video, as usual!

    • @vilukisu
      @vilukisu 6 месяцев назад +4

      The things electric scooters share with Segway are the problems with infrastructure and being motor powered light-vechiles (thus seemingly more comfortable than muscles powered vechiles like bicyles). There are crucial differences however that make e-scooters popular and more succesful.
      The Segway seemingly tried to compete with cars, as indicated by the quote that it would be to cars what cars were to horses. That is quite simply unrealistic because actual replacements for personal cars exist; it's not a matter of coming up with one. Thing holding those back is the environment they operate in: lack of infrastructure for cycling, places only being reachable by car, public transport being underfunded. The problem of the Segway becomes apparent when it's compared to a bicyle: it's far more expensive, needs charging, is harder to maintain and offers no means of transporting things which a bike can achieve with just a simple basket attatchement. So it cannot compete with cars, because their dominance (looking at the US specifically for now) is due to infrastructure and environment, and it cannot compete with a bike because it 1) is more expensive, 2) is seemingly harder to control, 3) requires charging, 4) lacks even the small cargo space of a bike basket, and 5) cannot take advantage of what bicycle infrastructure exists (repairshops, parts being easily available, even the most basic places for parking and locking up a bike).
      No, why do electric scooters work, especially as a rental model? Because they are not necessarily competing with bikes or cars. They are an alternative for pedestrians whose choices are walking or public transport. Compared to Segway, e-scooters are easier to control and to learn. For those that own their own e-scooters, they are far lighter and foldable, so you can actually carry them up a flight of stairs to bring it indoors, so it can be charged and it is stored safely. But the reason they really thrive is that they are offered through a rental model which makes them accessible. A person can rent one, drive where they need to be, end the rental and not have to worry about it. They might move about smaller distances by foot or otherwise and end their day somewhere other than where they innitially arrived and they can ideally grab an e-scooted from the next street corner. This is a thing where a Segway could have worked, it really seems to have failed because it expected people to buy an expensive vechile which they cannot safely store or charge, an expensive investment that they are responsible for that does not offer the benefits of a personal car or a bicycle, nor is it as easily or cheaply maintained. Another point needs to be made about the fact that afaik e-scooters are far more popular here in Europe where bicycle and walking infrastructure exists far more than in the US. I could see rental Segways existing here if they had beat the e-scooters and were commercially viable in terms of cost.

    • @andriesquast2028
      @andriesquast2028 4 месяца назад

      Those companies exploit the public space commercially.
      Whereas normal companies have to buy a space to display or advertize their goods or services.
      So, i think those rental companies should pay counties for having their crap on the streets all the time.

  • @Sketch105
    @Sketch105 Год назад +37

    Disney had designated Segway tours at Epcot for a few years because it seemed “futuristic”. Years later there was a class action suit by a group of disabled guests who were upset that their own personal Segways were banned from use in the theme parks. It was a great idea to help people be more mobile but just impractical and safe in public spaces.

  • @mr_q_02
    @mr_q_02 Год назад +701

    I remember this release. It was insane. People KEPT talking about it and how it was going to change the world. Except no one knew what it was. Then finally they showed it off, and everyone was like "well...that's kind of stupid, isn't it?" 😂

    • @noelleelizabeth9991
      @noelleelizabeth9991 Год назад +48

      I remember everyone saying walking will be obsolete, followed by extreme pearl clutching about obesely rates.

    • @papaelf
      @papaelf Год назад +15

      Exactly how I remember it too.

    • @ACoolKidsProduction
      @ACoolKidsProduction Год назад +28

      Yeah, I remember how, as the South Park clip showed, in pre-announcement hype it was just called "IT." It doesn't get more hyped up than that.

    • @rubyy.7374
      @rubyy.7374 Год назад +6

      @@noelleelizabeth9991 Man, I guess tech bros weren’t a recent development like I thought.

    • @noelleelizabeth9991
      @noelleelizabeth9991 11 месяцев назад +3

      @@rubyy.7374 nah 😂 my dad lowkey is one

  • @HeleneLouise
    @HeleneLouise 5 месяцев назад +2

    I thought that this device probably was one that people with mobility issues might have considered. Except that the same mobility issues would have made it difficult to use. A person with arthritis might not be able to stand very long, for one thing. And it seemed to be something that would take a lot of clearance space to use inside a house. It's hard to imagine very many situations this would work in.

  • @alokbanapurmath1640
    @alokbanapurmath1640 6 месяцев назад

    Thanks for this case study, I enjoyed it.

  • @Beer_Dad1975
    @Beer_Dad1975 Год назад +151

    My family (myself, my wife and my 2 kids) did a Segway ride thing at a park at Lake Taupo in New Zealand a number of years ago - it was fun and they were mostly easy to control, though reversing one apparently requires some kind of boss level skills as my wife and I both fell off them when trying to reverse. A few years later, cheap Chinese "hoverboards" hit the market, and we bought our kids those - essentially a small Segway without the handle bars and only a couple of hundred bucks each. The kids were mad for them for about a year, then they lost all interest - and now they sit gathering dust in the corner of the garage (just after we'd spent more money on replacing the batteries in them too). Instead they both go everywhere on their bikes - which are really a far better and more affordable solution to getting around than the Segway ever could be.

    • @KRAFTWERK2K6
      @KRAFTWERK2K6 Год назад +11

      classic case of "it's just a fad". I'm glad they use bicycles tho. So it wasn't for nothing. And who knows... in a few years they might remember these Mini Segways again and develop a new appreciation for it and how awesome parents you are for having bought them for your kids. :)

    • @omgjimmyboy
      @omgjimmyboy Год назад +11

      Now we have electronic scooters laying all around the streets

    • @Hyper_Drud
      @Hyper_Drud Год назад +3

      I think I’ve seen a Segway once in real life. I’ve seen those “hoverboards” more times. There was a guy who rode on one around my college campus and my sister even got one for her birthday. I tried it out a few times before she was done with it and I thought it was a neat little novelty. I think it still works it just needs a new battery charger because our uncle’s puppy chewed up the cord when he brought it over for Thanksgiving.

    • @Skank_and_Gutterboy
      @Skank_and_Gutterboy Год назад +5

      This is what killed the hoverboard: the only video you could ever find of them involved mom getting on it to try it and smashing her head on a tile floor 1.8 seconds later, and the shot cutting off before you could see the blood. 99.999% of all parents see that and say, "I'll get my kid one of these about half past never. Lifelong doctor bills is just what I want. Hard pass!"

    • @mission3479
      @mission3479 Год назад

      ​@@Skank_and_Gutterboy what killed the hoverboard were all the incidences of them catching fire and burning people's homes down because they had cheap lithium batteries

  • @suntanironman
    @suntanironman Год назад +543

    My lasting memory of the Segway is this: I was jogging around my college campus at night in 2006 (give or take a year). Very few people lived on-campus and it could be quite quiet at night (possible to run a full lap around the entire campus without passing by another person). As I was running, I saw a group of police officers (maybe 9 or so) on Segways… in a ‘Flying V’ formation… just rolling down the empty street on this empty campus. And I laughed so hard after they went by. I just remember thinking “What the hell are they doing? Are they flying home for the winter? 😂”
    I think that might have been the first time I had actually seen a Segway in-person (actual real world use). And my reaction to finally seeing the product in-person was uncontrollable laughter. 😂 And it wasn’t even the product itself I was laughing at - it was the situation in which I saw the product being used. But that situation made me think of the product as basically a joke (whereas before I hadn’t really formed an opinion on the product).

    • @12345fowler
      @12345fowler 11 месяцев назад +52

      Flying home for the winter was a good one.

    • @chouseification
      @chouseification 10 месяцев назад +4

      by contrast, there are a few useful places for them - I live in MN, and there's a neat river road going along the Mississippi and over a few cool pedestrian bridges. There's a Segway tour that goes at least several miles - opening it up to a lot more peeps than otherwise.

    • @largol33t12
      @largol33t12 10 месяцев назад +5

      I think the real problem was it was too dang expensive. I actually rode on one and it's easy to quickly understand how the vehicle works. I could see myself riding this around town every day. Segway also should have branched out and offered different versions. They had a working prototype ATV. It still could use the gyroscopic stabilizer. You simply popped a wheelie and it would fold the front wheels in. Then you rode it like a normal 2-wheel Segway. I think it was a mistake to not offer it. I would have bought one for sure.

    • @davidhorton276
      @davidhorton276 10 месяцев назад

      I have two - a Segway robot and a mini pro and I love riding them..

    • @ciscornBIG
      @ciscornBIG 10 месяцев назад

      ​@12345fowler glad you signed off on his quip, chief

  • @kwebmail2007
    @kwebmail2007 5 месяцев назад +3

    Wow this brings back memories, I was a 20-something tech involved person when this thing was being hyped before launch. The media push was just off the charts about how amazing this "new thing" was going to be, people legit thought things like a real hoverboard or "Aliens" style personal exoskeleton. Then they showed it and it was just incredibly underwhelming... like how could you even imagine this thing is revolutionary? I remember some authors in the tech sector were even complaining "thats not what I was shown and have been reporting about". However it definitely taught the younger me a great lesson about the echo-chamber effect of the tech investment world and the media essentially being hype-machines regurgitating whatever they're given. Cool technology I guess but just not seeing things from a bigger perspective.

  • @rraallvv
    @rraallvv 4 месяца назад +2

    Its weight, platform stability, and bar handle might have made it seem safer to ride than it actually was.

  • @eicdesigner
    @eicdesigner Год назад +160

    I tried to ride a Segway...TWICE. Both times I found it extremely difficult to maneuver in a typical sidewalk environment and almost impossible to stop. Handling around pedestrians and other Segway riders was nerve-wracking. If you get up some speed and a 4-year-old future track star runs in front of you, just start selling everything because that parent is going to own you. Yes, it was a brilliant piece of tech that needed 5 or 10 more years to make it safe for the average human at the DMV. And, yes, I consider them a joke, even when I see the police using them.

    • @brettrobinson2901
      @brettrobinson2901 Год назад

      Next you'll say we need to make sure " the tech is safe & effective " before we start sending heavily armed Robocops to apprehend dangerous juveniles out skipping school..... loser...😜

    • @I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music
      @I_Have_The_Most_Japanese_Music Год назад +5

      "Almost impossible to stop": why didn't they use that in their marketing campaign?

    • @iamagi
      @iamagi Год назад +2

      I used it on and found it intuitive to use.

    • @chloedsmith
      @chloedsmith Год назад +1

      Rode one twice myself, fell once and it's not workable if anyone is getting too close, but for something like what I did (outdoor tours of a vineyard) it's really up there in terms of fun.

    • @HarmanRobotics
      @HarmanRobotics Год назад

      You probably need more than two attempts to get proficient at operating a Segway. The problem as I see it is that there is this notion that it nearly drives itself, and that no skill is required to use it.
      That is totally wrong. Yes, it is very easy to ride but to operate safely requires the user to put in some effort on learning how to operate it proficiently. It absolutely can stop extremely quickly - but a first timer will not be able to do that.
      When the Segways were first sold you had to get training on them, a Segway rep would come to your place (for free*) and make sure that you understood how to operate it - it was part of the cost of buying one. *meaning that the cost was built into the purchase price.

  • @ypvsypvs
    @ypvsypvs Год назад +153

    I have one since 11 years. Used it for 12000miles. I live in Stockholm Sweden and am handicapped to the extent that I can stand up and walk with a stick short distances after a motorcycle accident in 2005 after which I was confined tyo a wheelchair for 6-7 years before able to stand up. The Segway completely changed my life. I can again get out in forests, go swimming in lakes in the summer. with the 20 miles (plus) on a charge I go around town, use it for myshopping with a back pack etc. It's a pity it got thought of in a certain way that is not at all deserved as it is a wonderful thing. I use it extensively every day and am still to break or wear out a single part on it. I even use the original battery pack still, even though it this year is starting to sag a bit from before. So that is getting changed soon. But hey, I rode it half way around the globe, so I'm good with that.

    • @sophocles1198
      @sophocles1198 10 месяцев назад +4

      You wrote 1200 miles, you meant 12,000 miles?

    • @Wargasm54
      @Wargasm54 10 месяцев назад +6

      So. You had a life altering crash on a 2 wheeled vehicle and you decided to buy another 2 wheeled vehicle? 🤔

    • @Mortgage_guru
      @Mortgage_guru 10 месяцев назад +7

      I have almost the same story I have gout attacks and sometimes is very painful to walk so I use my Segway to get around and love it.

    • @HooLeePhucingSheet
      @HooLeePhucingSheet 10 месяцев назад +1

      So did you pay out of pocket or did you make your insurance pay for it?

    • @FernandoHernandez-jw4yy
      @FernandoHernandez-jw4yy 10 месяцев назад +30

      @@Wargasm54 What a nonsensical and inconsiderate comment. That's like saying "So you had an incident while walking and you decided to walk again?". Motorbikes go several orders of magnitude faster than a Segway. There is no comparison.

  • @robderiche
    @robderiche 4 месяца назад +3

    the segway was just too powerful for its own good. i have seen mild-mannered tourists instantly transformed into rampaging speed demons as soon as they stepped aboard. society just wasn’t ready to adapt to this quantum leap in personal mobility. it drove people mad.

  • @sergeiburtsev5712
    @sergeiburtsev5712 4 месяца назад +2

    Segway is not dead. It has evolved into electric scooter.

  • @pete_bruschi_racing
    @pete_bruschi_racing Год назад +193

    I met Dean at the FIRST Robotics NYC Regional 2012. He not only founded this high school competition, but stayed hands on with it, and spent so much time with so many of our teams. He set the career path for probably hundreds of thousands of kids for STEM fields. Such a nice guy. Unfortunate that the Segway didnt take off for him. But to be honest, it was always weird.

    • @ShadyLife101
      @ShadyLife101 Год назад +4

      I didn’t know that he was the founder. I had been on my school’s robotics team that same year, but we were a small and new team whose robot was over 50% wood 😅

    • @samuelglover7685
      @samuelglover7685 Год назад

      Guess he really wasted his life, then. He needed somebody to pull him aside and say, "Think about what you're trying to do here, because you're spending a helluva lotta time and money to do what tricycles have been doing for centuries."

    • @egill624
      @egill624 Год назад +11

      @@samuelglover7685 He started a robotics organization to inspire high schoolers to get into STEM and invented many things to help disabled people and people receiving medical care. I wouldn't call that wasting your life.

    • @john2g1
      @john2g1 Год назад

      @@samuelglover7685 This video also missed how the Segway basically became the "hoverboards" of the 20teens the sold tons of units. In the US the "hoverboards" ended up being banned in most indoor spaces and air travel (because of the batteries).

    • @HarmanRobotics
      @HarmanRobotics Год назад

      @@ShadyLife101 Cool, our team's robot was about 90% wood. We made it to Nationals twice in four years with wood robots.

  • @brycedunlap
    @brycedunlap Год назад +167

    The Segway directly lead to Hoverboards, one wheels, mono-wheels, and a number of other personal transportation devices which people are still using. While the Segway itself may have "failed", it had a significant impact that still is seen today.

    • @SimuLord
      @SimuLord Год назад +43

      True, but all of those products you mentioned are hideously unsafe, terribly impractical for everyday use, look ridiculous, and tend to be expensive. New look, same great taste, I suppose...

    • @Inspectorzinn2
      @Inspectorzinn2 Год назад +18

      The biggest issue is legality. I remember getting a hoverboard years ago and it was great! They were more practical for getting to class than biking, could easily be picked up like a skateboard, looked great, and were cheap ($150). The only problem was the college/university, city, and even private dormitories all banned them quickly. It was fun while it lasted.

    • @gc4408
      @gc4408 Год назад +3

      Yes all overly expensive things that will never be for the masses…..

    • @bobsled3000
      @bobsled3000 Год назад +9

      It really did help pave the way for Escooters and Ebikes. Both of which are FAR more popular than the Segway every was and have mainstream traction especially in large cities

    • @matthewbowen5841
      @matthewbowen5841 Год назад +13

      All of those products revolutionised RUclips compilations of idiots falling down.

  • @Curiousviewer22
    @Curiousviewer22 7 месяцев назад +1

    I rode a Segway the week after Bush fell. I rode one block and back in midtown Manhattan (illegal).. It was easy to ride and fun.

  • @Ferbals
    @Ferbals 4 месяца назад +2

    I wish you would have included an image of what it would be like if the Segway was as big as the PC! The picture in my head is hilarious!😂 Great segment, though!

  • @poizunman75
    @poizunman75 Год назад +53

    I did retail security for three years with the Paul Blart uniforms and everything. Our property did have a Segway, but nobody used it. If we needed to get around, we either did so on foot or on a golf cart. I can just about guarantee you that none of the security guards before, during, or since I was there would be caught dead on it
    Also, can you do a video on Old Spice?

  • @juliadagnall5816
    @juliadagnall5816 11 месяцев назад +230

    Segways remind me of the “people mover”, the moving walkway concept that was supposed to be the transportation of the future. It’s one of those things that is useful only in a very specific set of circumstances. You can’t carry anything in your hands, you need a clear path that’s wider than your body lest you run over someone’s toes, and the added height means you’re even more likely to hurt yourself if you fall… yeah, I think I can see why they didn’t catch on.

    • @carlrood4457
      @carlrood4457 10 месяцев назад +22

      This is the problem. Even if they could "replace walking", how would the transition ever happen? Ever seen an NYC sidewalk during rush hour? They had to be banned because there was no place for them

    • @thetechgenie7374
      @thetechgenie7374 10 месяцев назад +18

      It was trying to solve a non existent issue no one asked to be solved. In other words was a solution to a problem that never existed. E-bikes are actually useful for commuting and killed the Segways off. Then now you have E scooters

    • @allewis4008
      @allewis4008 10 месяцев назад +3

      Not having a chair, no storage

    • @arandomperson8336
      @arandomperson8336 9 месяцев назад +14

      This is kind of how I thought about it too. A bicycle is faster, half as wide, costs 1-10% as much, and is street legal. The Segway looked cool but it wasn't a better solution than what was already out there.

    • @necropolistc6357
      @necropolistc6357 8 месяцев назад +3

      but hoverboards are more popular than ever, and they're just handle barless segways...

  • @bjkarana
    @bjkarana 2 месяца назад

    I grew up in Manchester, NH, where Dean Kamen's DEKA is located, and I distinctly remember my high school physics teacher saying "it" (Segway prior to going public) was a solution in search of a problem.

  • @anametoignore2286
    @anametoignore2286 8 месяцев назад +2

    I never owned a subway but my dad did randomly buy one of those """hover boards""'" (I always hated that they were called that) but that was sinificantly cheaper while still being pretty impractical.
    The hover board was like a segway but more dangerous with less control so that was fun but riding it in the house was just asking to bump into shit and outside it was very uncomfortable going downhill, reslly felt like you didn't have control

  • @Poofesure
    @Poofesure Год назад +297

    Today I learned what that South Park episode was mocking 😂 you never know what you will learn watching your videos

    • @notawesomebread
      @notawesomebread Год назад +32

      The Segway would have been much safer with Wii Motion Plus Inside

    • @Alphine_Agnitio
      @Alphine_Agnitio Год назад +9

      out of all the places I would have found a comment of yours... this is not where I thought it would be

    • @InfectedChris
      @InfectedChris Год назад +1

      Wow. Can't believe it took you this long.

    • @frenchabortion
      @frenchabortion Год назад

      The “Joke” was it’s better to stick a rod up your ass on your own. Than letting the TSA finger your ass before getting on a plane

    • @Brixster
      @Brixster Год назад +3

      @@notawesomebread Your comment made me want to see Matt riding a segway off a cliff in Wii Sports Resort

  • @somejoe7777
    @somejoe7777 Год назад +36

    The hype on the Segway when it was about to be released was just astonishing. Kamen himself was primarily responsible with his statements about changing the world and being as advanced above the car as the car was to the horse and buggy. Most people expected some type of flying personal transporter, as that was the only thing they could think of that was this revolutionary. When the Segway was revealed as a walking-speed clunky scooter, people were so underwhelmed and disappointed that the entire thing became a joke unto itself. If Kamen hadn't raised expectations so much, it might have been more successful.

    • @MikeBarbarossa
      @MikeBarbarossa Год назад +5

      Great successful innovations usually start in a garage and work up. When you try to start from the top, the instant huge overhead and expectation weigh heavy

  • @2W3X4YZ5
    @2W3X4YZ5 5 месяцев назад +1

    Poor Ginger. It never had the opportunity to become self-aware.

  • @norgeek
    @norgeek 8 месяцев назад +8

    I tried one once for fun and it was SO impressive how well developed and easily controlled it was. I have terrible balance and never could do skates or skis or boards or anything, but the Segway too seconds to master.
    But it cost more than all the cars I've owned combined, lol.

  • @GearheadDaily
    @GearheadDaily Год назад +39

    I remember the hype around this thing and the immediate laughter as it was rolled out to the public.

  • @PoesRaven73
    @PoesRaven73 Год назад +73

    I remember before they were revealed that there was some speculation it might be some sort of hovercraft (à la “Back to the Future “. When it was revealed to be a scooter, the disappointment was palpable.

    • @WilliamBrinkley45
      @WilliamBrinkley45 Год назад

      The other big rumor was that it ran off hydrogen it would extract from H20….I actually heard that on the radio and the company did nothing to squelch the rumors

    • @mplsmark222
      @mplsmark222 Год назад

      So much science fiction is improbable for the simple reason there is just not enough energy to propel, lift, hover like people dream of doing. Futurists usually get things wrong, but then we have something like the PC, very few saw that coming or the impact it would have on our lives.
      You can make anything fly as long as you put a big enough engine on it, and have a powerful enough energy source,

  • @dudevinci
    @dudevinci 4 месяца назад +1

    You can say what you want about the segway ,but no matter what it is really fun to drive.

  • @nickclarkuk
    @nickclarkuk 7 месяцев назад

    I have ridden a Segways twice in the Uk. One at a car show over some obstacles and one at a Holiday park around a specially designed course . It has a speed limiter which when reached it would lean back which caused me to jump off the first time . Once I got the hang of it I loved it . So much so I bought a small one for my son who used it twice . It’s now dead sitting in a cupboard .

  • @TheRealBizWiz
    @TheRealBizWiz Год назад +162

    *I can attest to this 100%.*
    The overhype was real. It was waaay overhyped. When it rolled out we were all like, “That’s it? This thing?” It was weird.

    • @dmug
      @dmug Год назад +4

      Yep I remember seeing silly flash animations showing personal hoverboards as speculation. I remember it being referred to as “it”. Immediately I recall the backlash as we were already well aware of obesity and people saw it as anti exercise.
      Had this been perhaps even 5 years later it’d never gotten the hype.

    • @Blox117
      @Blox117 Год назад +1

      unlike the hype around unicycles

    • @77Badger
      @77Badger Год назад +3

      @Earthquake1964 Right? I remember laughing a lot when the thing actually came out after all the hype.

    • @davidbkelly
      @davidbkelly Год назад +1

      But if you rode one you would love it

    • @johnliberty3647
      @johnliberty3647 Год назад

      @David Kelly like a fat chick

  • @georgemousmoules2173
    @georgemousmoules2173 Год назад +30

    Dean Kamen lived about 5 minutes from where I grew up. We once saw him riding a Segway past my middle school and a small piece fell off the back. We pulled up in our car and told him that, he thanked us, and then just kept going. Wonder if he ever truly cared about the product, as that was back in the late 2000s and he had moved onto other products already

  • @NeuroNinjaX
    @NeuroNinjaX 5 месяцев назад

    I LOVE my Segway! I had one offroad X2, and now I own an I2 SE. It's so much fun!
    Oh, and I use it to commute. LOL

  • @joshpointoh
    @joshpointoh 8 месяцев назад +2

    When they showed Bush and Ellen falling on their butt back to back, I couldn't help but think, maybe the Segway can detect and eject a-holes.

  • @SamareckRage
    @SamareckRage Год назад +37

    I remember in the early 2000s at Disneyland, we saw a cast member riding one next to Innoventions; they weren’t using it to get around the park quicker, they were just using it to add to the futuristic atmosphere of the area. As far as I can remember, that was the only time I saw one in person.

  • @CommissionerLawWonder86
    @CommissionerLawWonder86 Год назад +161

    Understandably that the Segway was in fact, hilariously goofy. But, in 2015, there was an even goofier device that I called it, the Segway without a handlebar. It was called the Hoverboard. Not to be confused with THE hoverboard in 1989's Back to the Future II, I'm talking about the handlebarless Segway. Oh, and by the way, they caught fire. If you thought the Segway was bad in the accident department, try explaining to Timmy why he can't have a hoverboard for Christmas.

    • @freakytostadacartoon
      @freakytostadacartoon Год назад +26

      That was the snobbiest product ever.

    • @crouchb15
      @crouchb15 Год назад

      Almost got run over by one

    • @ueno1
      @ueno1 Год назад +5

      Don't worry about Timmy understanding, be a parent and say no!😊

    • @order3457
      @order3457 Год назад +19

      bro that was the dumbest trend ever. i always laughed when someone acted like that POS was anything of value.

    • @clawmachinez26
      @clawmachinez26 Год назад +12

      I hated working retail in a luxury outdoor shopping mall at that period of time for these things alone.

  • @jamesfetherston1190
    @jamesfetherston1190 5 месяцев назад

    Having the character Job from ride around on a Segway in an early episode helped to nail both what his character was about as well as the product.

  • @lufromcalab
    @lufromcalab 5 месяцев назад

    We got to try them out at Disney, and they were kinda neat. Within a few minutes, it was pretty easy to maneuver one without having hands on the handles, but it was pretty clear that some people had trouble balancing even with their hands on. Given the range, they weren't a terrible option for someone who has mobility issues, but is capable of standing and balancing. A guy in Calgary got his licensed as a mobility aid, and you would see him moving around downtown from time to time, with the blue wheelchair placard on it. A little more maneuverable than a powered 3 or 4 wheel scooter, and it didn't take up the entire elevator when you get on there.
    Like in the US, in Canada they're not allowed on the sidewalk, nor are they allowed on the road without special permit, so anyone that I knew who was even looking into them gave up because of the hassle of getting a permit for them to use anywhere at all.
    I've talked to a few people who have used them on tours in places like France, where having a group of people walking 7-10 km would be out of the question, but on a Segway, pretty much anyone can cover that distance without even getting their heart rate up.
    All in all, I think they have a niche market, but not to a point that it would keep a company in the black to sell and support to a small market on a global delivery format.

  • @PTS156
    @PTS156 10 месяцев назад +63

    My dad ran a huge food plant at the time Segway’s came onto the scene. I think he might be the only one in the world who saw the vision and implemented it in a way that made sense.
    The foreman used to walk across the huge facility on foot… it took them 15 minutes to get across the place. Way too much time was spent walking from place to place.
    5 minutes on Segway. Made everything significantly more efficient.
    A massive warehouse with basically zero foot traffic(for Segway’s to run over or to mock the Segway rider as they drive by), and clearly delineated paths for Segways is the only place a Segway makes sense.
    He said before they came out with Segway… he thought about using bicycles or rollerblades.

    • @rusm5710
      @rusm5710 8 месяцев назад +5

      Why not use a bicycle?

    • @vitoc8454
      @vitoc8454 6 месяцев назад +3

      @@rusm5710 Tom Scott covered a Dutch flower warehouse that was so large the staff used bikes to get around

    • @ralphiecifaretto8961
      @ralphiecifaretto8961 6 месяцев назад +9

      That's the problem. There's a miniscule amount of instances where this stupid thing would have been useful.

    • @TheLakabanzaichrg
      @TheLakabanzaichrg 6 месяцев назад +1

      Local police in my hometown actually used to patrol on these but they only used them on a few main streets and eventually phased them out with bycicles

    • @All_I_can_say_is_Wow
      @All_I_can_say_is_Wow 5 месяцев назад +2

      "I exist"
      -skateboard

  • @RinFeet
    @RinFeet Год назад +30

    I worked at Epcot in 2008 and my managers rode them around. They’d scoot into the tiny back office and the Segway took up half the room 😂

  • @i001p
    @i001p 4 месяца назад +1

    I've driven a Segway once and it was a great experience i still have a vivid memory of my feelings driving it
    I guess the only reason it failed is that cities suitable for everyone driving segway just don't exist

  • @mikevienop289
    @mikevienop289 8 месяцев назад +2

    Rode a Segway as part of a Tour of Richmond, VA. It was fun to ride as long as you didn't get too wild: lean too far to the left or right and you could turn into an unexpected spiral. It had power to get up a fairly steep muddy slope (our guide ran us that way on purpose to demonstrate that ability). Given the tight constraints in some downtown cities and with the need to be more environmentally friendly, something better than the battery-powered Segway should be attempted.

    • @thekingbdon
      @thekingbdon 4 месяца назад

      I used to work across the street from that place. They always did a ton of business so I was surprised to hear in this video that Segways were a failure.

  • @GBiv78
    @GBiv78 Год назад +219

    I rode one around Berlin on a tour and it was actually pretty fun and surprisingly manoeuvrable. We definitely covered much more of the city than we could have on foot. But yeah it felt like a laugh and super lame, but fun and convenient. I think the ridiculous price was what kept it from taking off

    • @vice.nor.virtue
      @vice.nor.virtue Год назад +16

      that is the most uncool thing i ever heard happen in berlin and i've lived here for four years

    • @justicedemocrat9357
      @justicedemocrat9357 11 месяцев назад +3

      Why not just ride an e-bike?

    • @inyrui
      @inyrui 11 месяцев назад +7

      ​@@justicedemocrat9357what difference does it make either way

    • @skirata3144
      @skirata3144 11 месяцев назад +7

      @@inyruilower chance of people loosing control and driving into traffic would be one reason.

    • @ivegas1000
      @ivegas1000 10 месяцев назад +4

      I've done E bikes and Segway multiple times in various places around the world, all during tours. The learning curve was about 15 minutes and they were both fun and allowed further travel than walking and e-bike is especially helpful going uphill. It's different experience on each. The Segway is vertical and smaller footprint than a bike. Don't know about the law in each locale so not sure how practical to ride the Segway if not in tour. Where a bike or e-bike you pretty much has no issue if ride on the road.
      For owning one it's not practical for me for the price, maintenance, distance etc. So only ride them on tours when they are still available.
      Very good video BTW, just subscribed.

  • @texivani
    @texivani 9 месяцев назад +338

    I like that they normalized the auto-balancing technology.
    When I saw it as a kid at a science center, I was blown away. Like over a decade later I got to ride an off-road version and thought it was also awesome, but I knew the price didn't make sense (and I was still pretty young)
    Cut to now and I have this kick-ass electric unicycle that uses the same tech, and it's the coolest thing I've ever used.

    • @eventhere2788
      @eventhere2788 7 месяцев назад +5

      I wanted a Segway. My husband bought me an electric bike. It's OK but I still wish I had that Segway

    • @WhiteOwlOnFire_XXX
      @WhiteOwlOnFire_XXX 7 месяцев назад +1

      Unicycle? Man yall are cringe asf.

    • @user-hh6ex9md4w
      @user-hh6ex9md4w 6 месяцев назад +1

      Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts on the Segway technology! It's amazing how advancements in auto-balancing have evolved over the years. If you're into outdoor adventures and camping, you might want to check out the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series. It offers a massive capacity, powerful output, and fast recharging options, making it a reliable backup power solution for your outdoor excursions. Happy camping!

    • @Notfiveo0
      @Notfiveo0 5 месяцев назад +1

      My neighbor had a dealership and (tried to sell) them from his garage. I think a local attorney bought the all terrain version and I would see him drive it around the neighborhood for about a year or so, until he seemed to disappear.

    • @marciabrady3323
      @marciabrady3323 5 месяцев назад +2

      My husband rides an EUC too. They are fun.

  • @eyvindjr
    @eyvindjr 4 месяца назад +1

    You did not mention el-bikes and el-scooters, which have actually become very common in many European cities. They are not as maneuverable as Segways, but cheaper and faster.

  • @anvil5gryffid
    @anvil5gryffid 3 месяца назад

    Years ago I rode one inside a Sharper Image store. I was amazed at it's versatility and I didn't run into anything. They still have Segway tours in Mexico City, I am told, but at 75 I'm reluctant to get on something that I could fall off of and break a bone.

  • @grayadonas
    @grayadonas 10 месяцев назад +164

    Your point about it not living up to the hype is SPOT ON! I remember hearing about this brand new invention that was going to change our lives forever and then when I saw it, I was like “what.. that thing “? 😅

    • @largol33t1
      @largol33t1 7 месяцев назад +9

      Well, one reason is that it was so fucking EXPENSIVE. Nothing can justify the crazy price: $5,000 when it first came out. Yes, FIVE THOUSAND BUCKS. Nope, no way. I'd rather buy an old used car with that kind of money.

    • @TranceMasterJack
      @TranceMasterJack 6 месяцев назад +2

      They literally said it could be bigger than the internet! Yeah could be.

  • @fhm5384
    @fhm5384 Год назад +147

    I actively worked alongside the DEKA R&D and Segway teams on the HT product. You hit the nail on the head and all the reasons you mentions are spot on. Many of Deans products suffered the same fate as he surrounded himself with brilliant engineers, but did not hire people that could actually get products to market cost effectively and timely.

    • @gregoryt1139
      @gregoryt1139 Год назад +8

      Actually, the University of Alabama in Huntsville developed a specialized MBA program for such engineers. Huntsville, AL being a hi-tech town, many engineers wanted to break-away to develop and sell their own pet projects, but they had no clue HOW businesses ran. In many case studies, function was greatly prioritized over form, and nerd excitement wasn't the same as regular people excitement. All of the failure points listed here were points of study throughout the program. Really, one could reasonably assume that Steve Jobs wrote the curriculum.

    • @violent_bebop9687
      @violent_bebop9687 Год назад +4

      ​@@gregoryt1139Well yeah, that's what made Jobs great. He never let the propeller heads dictate the project.

    • @neeneko
      @neeneko Год назад +3

      To build off this, something that really floored me early in my career was the skillset differences between R&D engineering and manufacturing engineering, and how huge a difference it could make to bring in the later to rework a product to make it viable. It is a whole other specialization that many clever products forgot to take advantage of.

  • @fabianmckenna8197
    @fabianmckenna8197 4 месяца назад +1

    Sounds a bit like the UK Sinclair C5 which was being touted as the next big thing in personal transport but turned out to be a pedal car which was so low to the ground that it needed a flag so that other drivers would actually see it on the road.

  • @cvglahn
    @cvglahn 4 месяца назад +2

    It was the solution to a problem no one had.

    • @OOOO-yz1lb
      @OOOO-yz1lb 4 месяца назад

      A great line 🤯