Segway Owner Dies When Two-Wheeler Goes Off Cliff: Would You Rent One to Tour a City?

Tourist information staff on Segways in Rome. Sue Frause photos.

How ironic that the owner of Segway died after his two-wheeler went off a cliff and into a river in northern England.

I recently spotted a couple of middle-aged tourists tooling around Rome on Segways. Actually, my hubby and I thought they looked pretty silly, and it didn't seem to be in sync with The Eternal City.

But ever since Segways were introduced in 2002, they've been popping up in various cities around the world. In the US, City Segway Tours ("Proud to be the first guided tour using Segways in the world") has operations in Atlanta, Berlin, Budapest, Chicago, Munich, Paris, San Francisco, Vienna and Washington, DC.

And Italy Segway Tours ("The first and the original in Italy since 2005") offers trips in Florence, Pisa, Milan and Rome.

Sorry, Segway, but I'm not smitten with your human transporters. I can't think of anything more harrowing than trying to navigate Rome's narrow, cobblestone streets while aboard the so-called Ultimate Green Machine. All the while trying to take photos, check out the map or stop for a morning cappuccino along the way.

I'll stick with my own two feet.

My feet worked just fine at Rome's Colisseum.

 

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Comments

[txshldm0007]

12:04 AM on 10/04/2010

I just did go to a Segway tour, why wouldn't I ... it was just and accident!!

I love the tour it was awesome ... I wish it was a little cheaper I would buy one!!!!

[LeftLeanWing]

10:20 AM on 10/02/2010

I'll betcha they're gonna stop those Hov-a-Round commercials showing those old folks almost on the edge of the Grand Canyon going in circles.

[MAJK]

08:10 AM on 10/02/2010

Strange, why wouldn't you stop to take pictures?

Segways are great to go from site to site - especially in place like D.C, where the monuments are far apart. In Rome, I enjoyed "taking in" the sites while walking around the ancient ruins but when I visited London have the tour was spent walking to another building.

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

11:56 PM on 10/01/2010

San Bernardino police use them all of the time.

[emmybee]

11:42 PM on 10/01/2010

I see Segway tours in Chicago all the time. I think they are especially useful if you have a lot of ground to cover between sites but where a car would be too cumbersome.

[Max Shaw]

04:03 PM on 10/01/2010

I would def. get one if I didnt have to carry it up 5 flights of stairs everytime I went out or came home..Plus, the guy who fell off the cliff, FELL OFF A CLIFF! Probably the least likely thing to ever happen on a Segway. Me thinks sabatoge!!

But I think it really depends on the traffic laws in different cities. It is technically motorized so does that mean you cant use it on the sidewalks? Certainly not in NYC..Because if I was driving and was stuck behind a bunch of 'Segway-ers'...man....I couldnt be held responsible for my actions.

[HeidiRighty]

09:43 AM on 10/01/2010

What the author of the article seems to be suffering from is lack of information and a lot of internalized fear of the unknown, not to mention a definite lack of first-hand experience on a Segway. And she calls herself a travel journalist? Maybe an armchair journalist! If she'd ever been on a Segway, she'd see why tours have popped up all over the world over the past decade. They are wonderful machines! Segways are a safe form of alternative green transportation that are used by all kinds of agencies and individuals, and yes tour companies, across the globe! Your own two feet are just fine to get you from point a to point b - but so is your car, your motorcycle, your scooter, your rollerskates, and whatever else...including a Segway. One does not exclude the other. And as for the tragic death of Segway's owner, well, it is an unfortunate accident. Simple as that. He was riding much too close to the edge of a cliff, stumbled, and fell off it. That was not the Segway's fault. So get over it, and stop knocking a product that does you no harm, but offers others so much!

[KIVPossum]

03:54 AM on 10/01/2010

I would never rent one in a city environment. Have too much respect for pedestrians

[Max Shaw]

03:46 PM on 10/01/2010

really? you must be a saint then. most motorists loathe pedestrians.

[Megajim]

08:25 PM on 09/30/2010

I think the think has potential still in the right environment

[butterflute]

07:14 PM on 09/30/2010

Poetic...

The Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour is an insider's guide to the eclectic and colorful Sausalito waterfront. Our working waterfront, with historic houseboats, world war II shipyards, art studios and wooden boat center has a special ambiance cherished by the folks who live and work here.... Then comes Segway. These people came into town and got a hold of the Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour guide book and bingo, they had a tour. Now we all cringe to see these stupid accidents-in-waiting traversing our turf. The guy died riding on this dopey thing and that's poetic justice.

[liberal123]

05:18 PM on 09/30/2010

I'd rent one, but not for a tour of the Grand Canyon : )

[Kim Alexander]

05:15 PM on 09/30/2010

Oh yeah I would rent one AGAIN! Rented one in Paris a couple years ago and had an absolute blast. It really only took about 20 minutes to feel comfortable on it. There were some scary moments in the traffic, but I also had scary taxi rides while there too. Overall it was worth it, the group shot of 8 of us on Segway's in front of the Eiffel Tower is definitely worth it. Of course those were meant for city streets and apparently the owner was on an "off-road" model. But with either one you should use caution and common sense in where you are going and what you are doing,just like with cars, bike or your feet....just sayin'

[Sue Frause]

04:30 PM on 09/30/2010

My point was if Segways pose potential driver risks in an uncrowded environment as was the case of the gentleman who rolled off a cliff (I realize accidents happen anywhere, and you can also fall off a bike), wouldn't it be all the more risky navigating in a highly trafficked area that you're most likely unfamiliar with? We had just completed a week-long walking/wine trip in Piedmont and Cinque Terre, so we were obviously in a walking state of mind. Maybe that's why the couple on the Segways looked somewhat silly as they came tooling down the street. Of course I'm not so keen on scooters, either (especially Rome!), so obviously it's not a good match for me. As I stated, I'll stick with my own two feet; it's safer for me and my fellow pedestrians!

[tomcatv1]

04:10 PM on 09/30/2010

You wouldn't think twice about renting a car. You can get dead in those too.

[CMB1969]

03:42 PM on 09/30/2010

I don't think the incident would make me any more or less likely to use a segway in a city environment. It does sound like they are not really suited to off road travel in rough terrain.