Saturday, September 15, 2007

Walking: A Thing of the Past?


Ever get tired of walking? Sometimes it can be exhausting.

Now, all your walking problems are solved. The Segway PT is the answer for everything. Segway created a personal, 2 wheeled, environmentally safe vehicle that is great for traveling around your city. Segway didn't stop with the personal Segway, they also made a Segway for businesses. This Segway has multiple compartments for storing all of your files. Segway took their designs one step further by creating a Segway for police officers, which can be detailed with police lights and spot lights. No matter which version you look at, it is pretty safe to say that there is a Segway for you, whether it is for getting to work, patrolling the streets, or even that quick round of golf on Sunday.

After looking around on the Segway website for a short period of time, I came to realize that Segway basically has 2 different models, the i2 and the x2. The i2 model is for flat surfaces, such as pavement or blacktop. The x2 model is designed for use on all terrain surfaces. Besides the basics, the Segways are extremely customizable, with features such as lights, hard cargo storage bins, police lights, and cargo platforms. Both the i2 and the x2 models are a great source of transportation, whether you are planning on going hiking on your Segway or just traveling around town, Segway has a Segway PT for you. You can get your Segway Pt for approximately four thousand to six thousand dollars. A little pricy you may say, but these Segways are environmentally safe and are on the edge of the start of a new era.

Are inventions like the Segway perhaps causing people to become more lazy? If you look underneath all of the specs on the Segway, wut is the purpose? The Segway travels approximately 24 miles per charge and has a max speed of 12.5 mph. What sets this apart from a bike, or even walking? You might be able to argue that bikes don't have as much cargo space, but if you think about it, you can carry a book bag on your back. The only purpose of the Segway is to create something, that would eliminate almost any if not all effort one has to put forth to get from one place to another. To me, it seems as if the Segway was something created to be advertised as something that looks futuristic, so upper class people would want to buy it to show off to their friends. The only truly good thing about the Segway is that it is environmentally safe. Other than that, it features the same idea of a bike, except without anyone putting forth any effort.

3 comments:

Alex Strinka said...

Our technology doesn't make us lazy. Our laziness makes our technology. Most inventions were made so some job would be easier. We made dishwashers so we wouldn't have to wash every dish by hand. We made the remote control so we wouldn't have to get up and walk three feet. Hell, even bikes were made because it's easier than walking.

And I don't think anything's wrong with that. Labor-saving devices not only let me do things more easily, but also allow me to do more because of that.

bucket of calculators said...

I can see where Haakaa Päälle! sources his opinion. We design all of these so called "lazy" devices so we can do less and get more out of it. As I look at engineers, they are always finding ways to create gadgets and devices that make everyday life easier and more efficient for everyone. But is becoming more lazy really a problem?

I believe that technology is making people more lazy. But instead of arguing such a broad topic, I will narrowly focus on the article at hand, the Segways. I don't really see a need for these luxurious expensive "bikes". They would be a cool item to own, but like Tech Man said, only to show off to your fellow peers and employers during your golf outing. Even if they were cheaper, I would never envision myself buying one. Why? Simply because its a waste. I would rather walk or ride a bike than use one of those. Yes it is easier and more comforting, but I have two legs for a reason.

I am a little hypocritical in this stance because I do like the conveniences of remote controls and dishwashers. But there is a fine line between making life easier and doing absolutely nothing. There are so many ways to get around: walking, biking, public transportation, cars, etc. I don't see the need for such a silly instrument as the Segway to get around.

Jose Alvarez said...

I don’t think the Segway is going too really to change a whole lot. I almost never see them. They are expensive too. Also the problem is cities banning them. They have been out for a while now and they are not very prevalent. They just won’t work in a lot of places. Imagine trying to go down a busy sidewalk with them. People are just going to hate you. The only time I see them is Police who are partially using it, so they can be higher than everyone else.