Segway

[headhonchoII]

Think of the chaos if everyone in Taiwan had one...

Wow. I would pay money to watch that.

I'm really surprised nobody in Taiwan has copied the Segway. Technically, it wouldn't be too difficult, and most patents can be worked around.

What use is Segway in Taiwan, seriously?
Drive on the road and get passed by cheaper, faster and more useful scooters.
Drive on the footpath, first find a footpath, then find one not is not blocked by vendors, scooters, garden furniture, narrow and uneven or jammed with people?

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There are lots of assisted mobility vehicles in Taiwan, it is actually a big business. For example the electric motor wheelchairs -several neighbors have them, and they ride their stuff on the street. There is one I find really cute, his two daughters meet him at the MRT entrance, and then they get on the chair -it has some space behind like to put stuff- and then they all ride together back home.

Then you have the mini golf cart types with roof and all. I think I saw something like a flat Segway at one of the fairs at TWTC, and they were trying to promote it, but honestly, if they can't see me on the street standing up I will not make it easier for a bus/taxi/blue truck to run me over vertically.

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Sincerely, every time I see that blue Hummer in Xindian cruising down Beixin Road I find it more shocking. Imagine if ... shudder, shudder...

He lives near me I think (unless there's more than one)

There is a black one and a yellow one I also see from time to time. They're spawning!

[finley]

What use is Segway in Taiwan, seriously?
Drive on the road and get passed by cheaper, faster and more useful scooters.
Drive on the footpath, first find a footpath, then find one not is not blocked by vendors, scooters, garden furniture, narrow and uneven or jammed with people?

Well, yes ... but any vehicle is only as useful as the infrastructure provided for it. I thought there were some comments about the C5 which seem to have been snipped out, but those comments were relevant: the C5 and the Segway both suffer(ed) from the same issue, ie., where are you going to drive it? A C5/Segway can't go on the roads cos you'll be splattered by a blue truck, and/or inconvenience everyone else. It can't go on the pavement because you'll splatter pedestrians - and in Taiwan, the assortment of loiterers, vendors, trash, scooters etc will prevent you going anywhere at all.

If the gov't provided a comprehensive network of dedicated "Segway paths" (or C5 paths), it would be a great way of getting around. But why would they do that?

[Taiwan Luthiers]

What use is Segway in Taiwan, seriously?
Drive on the road and get passed by cheaper, faster and more useful scooters.
Drive on the footpath, first find a footpath, then find one not is not blocked by vendors, scooters, garden furniture, narrow and uneven or jammed with people?

Well, yes ... but any vehicle is only as useful as the infrastructure provided for it. I thought there were some comments about the C5 which seem to have been snipped out, but those comments were relevant: the C5 and the Segway both suffer(ed) from the same issue, ie., where are you going to drive it? A C5/Segway can't go on the roads cos you'll be splattered by a blue truck, and/or inconvenience everyone else. It can't go on the pavement because you'll splatter pedestrians - and in Taiwan, the assortment of loiterers, vendors, trash, scooters etc will prevent you going anywhere at all.

If the gov't provided a comprehensive network of dedicated "Segway paths" (or C5 paths), it would be a great way of getting around. But why would they do that?

Well, it could go on the same path bicycles use... but honestly last time I seen any bike lanes in Taiwan they were full of scooters, street stalls, or whatever else. Obviously it does not work in Taiwan.

[finley]

Well, it could go on the same path bicycles use... but honestly last time I seen any bike lanes in Taiwan they were full of scooters, street stalls, or whatever else. Obviously it does not work in Taiwan.

Actually that's what I was thinking of, but the bike-path network isn't extensive enough to be truly useful, and building bike paths doesn't give enough face to the officials involved to make it worthwhile (there is, of course, no other reason for building them).

I must say the bike paths in Danshui are surprisingly non-cluttered except for the concreted section between ZhuWei and HongShuLin.

[segwaydude]

I just moved to Taiwan but I don't really know where I could use my Segway, is there anywhere I can find out what streets I can use my Segway i2 on?

[headhonchoII]

You can use your Segway, with a few modifications, as a modern and efficient mobile garlic sausage stand in night markets. With the extra speed and stability on your side you will have a 'seg' up on the competition. When the police come calling to check your license you will have already cooly and calmy 'segued' away parting the sweaty masses like Moses crossing the Red Sea. You may even get featured on TVBS.
The future looks bright my friend.

[Dr. McCoy]

They let people drive forklifts down the road, so a Segway should be no problem. I wonder how they do on hills?

[headhonchoII]

Up or Down?
Batteries not included?