Okay, these fun-looking Segway tours have been around Honolulu for some time. But Segways didn’t really catch my attention much until the other day.
A 
woman lost control of hers right in front of me. She and the Segway flew off the curb into oncoming traffic on busy Ala Moana Blvd in Honolulu. The amazing thing is that she was lucky and narrowly avoided being struck by a car.
If you decide to give these a go, please be super-careful. There have apparently been enough problems that a number of law firms now specialize in Segway accidents.
I wished that I had a video camera in hand to capture the accident, but did not. The following YouTube video looks virtually identical to the incident I witnessed:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_h98YLiRX0
Have you tried a Segway? Let us know your thoughts.
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I was standing near a fountain takng a photo in a huge piazza in Rome a couple of years ago when I looked up and noticed a kid about 13 years old – on a segway – heading towards me. Before I could move, he ran over my foot! He didn’t even stop to see how I was or say he was sorry. I am anti-segway. They are dangerous! They should be restricted to areas where people are not present.
I recently did a Segway tour in D.C. and it was my first time trying to “ride/drive” one. It was very fun, but there was definitely a learning curve. On a 2 hour ride, my friend admitted she didn’t feel comfortable until the last 20-30 minutes. They have a mind of their own it seems, and it is easy to panic and forget how to control it. I was run over by my own wheel after a bad attempt at getting off!
If I were going to do another tour, and someone in my group hadn’t been on a Segway, I would call around until I found a company that gave ample time for practicing. The company I used in D.C. did a wonderful job with teaching and practicing, for which I was grateful.
All in all, I would definitely recommend it to a reasonably fit and balanced person. Don’t forget you’re standing the whole time and your feet will tire. I recommend sturdy shoes…