[MikeDubreuil]

Originally Posted by David Kelly

You are the one who started talking about the forces. People are big babies about getting run into. 'Waaaa, I got a boo boo'

Originally Posted by Stu Bloom

You're right about one thing ... this discussion HAS certainly moved toward the absurd, but as David said, you are the one who started talking about impact forces (and using incorrect calculations/units).

I might have been the first person who wanted to quantify the impact force. However, anyone who said getting hit by a Segway wasn't that bad talked about forces ambiguosly.

I welcome anyone who would like to to fix the calculations to do so. The problem is that the calculation will never be accepted because then someone will argue that I neglected how the Segway will try to reverse itself.

Either way, the force issue is a moot point. The most important point is that the Segway will increase sidewalk collisions.

Originally Posted by David Kelly

No test or answer is better than what an actual daily Segway user says and uses them for realworld purposes. If Tom Schindler or Dez say they can stop in a couple feet, then I sure will believe them, not some crazy test person who is doing it according to some calculation.

Originally Posted by Stu Bloom

How do you know that your "somewhat scientific test" was not biased. You said yourself that "The purpose of the paper was to prove that the Segway should be legislated as a vehicle."

I find it amusing that in a forum that deals with engineering you want to disregard tests and measured numbers and trust judgement calls. I'm not saying these guys are right or wrong. They just haven't quantified their results following any type of scientific method. The test may be biased because it does prove their hypothesis. However, if you watch the video I see no problems with his stops. I think he demonstartes the stops of the average Segway user.

Originally Posted by David Kelly

That is not true. That what you have been saying the whole time and haven't had much to back it up.

Perhaps, I haven't made a good argument to a Segway loyalist. However, I have used reasonable judgement and presented facts and figures. Some people have made responses simalar to "you don't get it", "you're wrong", "your logic is faulty"; with absolutely nothing to back up their statements.

Originally Posted by Marc P.

I don't want to sound rude, but there are quite a few Segway owners in these forums. Personally, I'd trust their judgment and experience as known everyday users of the device, as opposed to a single random unknown person carrying out scientific research in the name of debunking the value and safety of the Segway.

Haha, yeah, I understand why you wouldn't want to accept their research. Unfortunately, it's the only rearch that supports my argument. It also happens to be the only scientific research presented in this thread. The evidence that I presented appears to be following the scientific method: create a hypothesis, test hypothesis, draw a conclusion. Seems like decent research

Originally Posted by mtaman02

AS I said before in some states there is a bike lane for bike riders to utilize. This is very dangerous --- yeah u keep the people on the sidewalk safe but if a tractor trailer / bus is moving quickly along side you you could get knocked off that bike espicially if the tractor trailer is moving in its lane unsafely (swirving).....

I think something you have to realize is that the safety of pedestrians who are walking are of the most utmost concern of legislators. They don't care what kind of device you create, if it's unsafe for pedestrians it ends up in the road. The bicyclists are lucky to be in a state with bike lanes because if they didn't they'd be driving in the road with normal traffic.

Think of it this way... I probably would not be allowed to ride a unicycle down the sidewalk of a city that doesn't allow bicycles on the sidewalk. I would be forced to ride my unicycle in the road. Obviously, I wouldn't ride the unicycle in the road, injury would be certain. Therefore, I can't use my unicycle for transportation. The legislators would say too bad, we're keeping the pedestrians safe.