Segway tycoon dies in cliff fall

metalman · 27-09-2010, 13:39

This presumably won't help sales much, and a Darwin award possibly beckons too.

HeadingNorth · 27-09-2010, 15:04

It's possible he had a heart attack/stroke/something while aboard, and was carried off the cliff; otherwise, yes, it's going to look pretty bad in the sales literature.

Tony · 27-09-2010, 15:30

Ironically his main business interest is (was) protective barriers.

auto98uk · 27-09-2010, 16:34

Was it actually a segway he was riding, or a scooter?

(Just never seen the segway described as a scooter before)

HeadingNorth · 27-09-2010, 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by auto98uk

Was it actually a segway he was riding, or a scooter?

(Just never seen the segway described as a scooter before)

A "Segway-type vehicle" is how I've seen it described. Given that the man owns the company making actual Segways, it's not likely to be a cheap rip-off of one.

mj.scuba · 27-09-2010, 22:06

I saw this on Look Leeds. What an amazing fella.
A redundant miner, he invested his redundancy money in starting his own firm making the mesh type barriers that can be filled with rocks and were used to prevent coastal errosion, something he came up with after seeing houses falling into the sea on the Yorkshire coast. Another one of his designs was used for blast barriers by the Army in Iraq etc. And he gave £millions to charity. God bless.

purdyamos · 27-09-2010, 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadingNorth

A "Segway-type vehicle" is how I've seen it described. Given that the man owns the company making actual Segways, it's not likely to be a cheap rip-off of one.

I saw it reported that it was a trial model of a new cross country version of the Segway. I think that's just had its Ratner moment.

I don't think I have ever seen anyone using a Segway in real life. I thought they'd gone to the great C5 scrapyard in the sky to be honest. And now so has the boss. RIP.

HeadingNorth · 28-09-2010, 00:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by purdyamos

I don't think I have ever seen anyone using a Segway in real life.

They're not legal for use on the roads in Britain, and it's also illegal to use them on the pavement. This has made it rather difficult for them to catch on!

purdyamos · 28-09-2010, 00:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadingNorth

They're not legal for use on the roads in Britain, and it's also illegal to use them on the pavement. This has made it rather difficult for them to catch on!

In that case I'm surprised it took them this long to develop a countryside version!

HeadingNorth · 28-09-2010, 09:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by purdyamos

In that case I'm surprised it took them this long to develop a countryside version!

I can only assume that it sells well in America and is legal for public use there - or somewhere, at least.

This particular chap only bought the company out last year, and that is probably when designs for an off-road version were begun. Prior to that, it was American-owned.

xdbx · 28-09-2010, 09:38

I've seen loads of them in most tourist areas of the US and did a tour on one in San Francisco, I think that some citys police and traffic wardens use them. You'll also find them in many tourist destinations world wide even Sheffield http://www.segwaysheffield.co.uk/

Boblet · 28-09-2010, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by xdbx

I've seen loads of them in most tourist areas of the US and did a tour on one in San Francisco, I think that some citys police and traffic wardens use them. You'll also find them in many tourist destinations world wide even Sheffield http://www.segwaysheffield.co.uk/

The police in Hawaii used to use them - they also used to let tourists try them out - that was a couple of years ago though

tslogf74 · 28-09-2010, 14:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadingNorth

They're not legal for use on the roads in Britain, and it's also illegal to use them on the pavement. This has made it rather difficult for them to catch on!

I've seen one being used on the road in England. Didn't know they were illegal.

HeadingNorth · 28-09-2010, 14:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by tslogf74

I've seen one being used on the road in England. Didn't know they were illegal.

I don't think anyone's actually been prosecuted for it - I recall reading about a chap in Barnsley who was setting himself up as the test case - but it's something to do with any motorised vehicle requiring a licence, and the Segway doesn't fit into any of the standard categories of a driving licence.

It's illegal on pavements for the same reason as is a bicycle. That law's not too harshly enforced in most towns either.

If anyone knows what happened, or is happening, to the test-case chap from Barnsley please post some information.

purdyamos · 28-09-2010, 14:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadingNorth

I can only assume that it sells well in America and is legal for public use there - or somewhere, at least.

This particular chap only bought the company out last year, and that is probably when designs for an off-road version were begun. Prior to that, it was American-owned.

Ah right, I only skim-read the report and missed that bit. They've not really registered on my radar since they first appeared.

HeadingNorth · 28-09-2010, 15:17

Police appeal for witnesses.

The post-mortem reveals that he died of injuries consistent with falling off the cliff - no surprise there. No mention of any health problem that would have caused him to lose control of the machine; I don't know if a post-mortem, as distinct from an autopsy, would reveal such a thing. (I don't even know if a post-mortem is any different from an autopsy.)

Rupert_Baehr · 28-09-2010, 15:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by purdyamos

...I don't think I have ever seen anyone using a Segway in real life. I thought they'd gone to the great C5 scrapyard in the sky to be honest...

The Police in Jackson, Mississippi bought a number of Segways in 2008. hey claimed it would make it easier for officers on Foot Patrol to chase (and catch) felons.

'Officers on foot patrol?'- What are they? - Nobody had ever seen one.

Some cruel person suggested that the real reason was to enable overweight officers to make it from the doughnut shop to their patrol car without breaking into a sweat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadingNorth

They're not legal for use on the roads in Britain, and it's also illegal to use them on the pavement. This has made it rather difficult for them to catch on!

What is(are) the reason(s) that they are illegal for road use in Britain? - Is it because they don't have lights or a bell? Electric-powered bicycles are legal, they don't require insurance and (AFAIK) if you don't ride a bicycle at night, you don't need lights ... or do you?

HeadingNorth · 28-09-2010, 15:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rupert_Baehr

What is(are) the reason(s) that they are illegal for road use in Britain? - Is it because they don't have lights or a bell? Electric-powered bicycles are legal, they don't require insurance and (AFAIK) if you don't ride a bicycle at night, you don't need lights ... or do you?

As above, I don't know exactly how the law stands, and apparently nobody else was quite sure either but general opinion was that they were illegal.

It was (and as far as I know still is) the big stumbling block to them being introduced to Britain on a wide scale. We've always kept half an eye on the situation because my wife would much prefer one to a scooter.

USUK · 28-09-2010, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadingNorth

I don't think anyone's actually been prosecuted for it - I recall reading about a chap in Barnsley who was setting himself up as the test case - but it's something to do with any motorised vehicle requiring a licence, and the Segway doesn't fit into any of the standard categories of a driving licence.

It's illegal on pavements for the same reason as is a bicycle. That law's not too harshly enforced in most towns either.

If anyone knows what happened, or is happening, to the test-case chap from Barnsley please post some information.

I think he fell down the Pit Shaft

HeadingNorth · 28-09-2010, 19:07

http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/r...fences/#segway

To paraphrase:

- A Segway may only be used on the road if it is properly registered as a motor vehicle.

- In order to register a Segway, it must have been issued with some European-directive safety certificate or other, which the Segway company has never applied for and does not have. Ergo, you cannot register it, and using it on the road is automatically an offence - to wit, using an unregistered vehicle and driving without insurance.

- The UK Government can pass its own legislation to define how, and when, Segway vehicles would be allowed on the road; but it never has done. Until it does, the above European bumf still applies.

- A Segway cannot be ridden on the pavement. No motorised vehicle, except for certain types of disability vehicle (scooters etc.) are allowed on the pavement.

Barnsley chap being prosecuted.

I don't know if this case has reached a conclusion or not. It may even have been abandoned for all I can find out.