Lucky Segway winners are scooting into history

By CHRISTINE FREY
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

People are staring at Phillip Torrone.

Cars slow down and the passengers inside point. Pedestrians do a double take. A few stop. One actually asks for a lift.

"People are more likely to say 'Hi' to you when you are on one of these things," said Torrone, one of the first individuals in the country to receive a Segway Human Transporter.

Though some city departments and private companies have been testing it for months, the public is still waiting to try out the high-tech vehicle.

The Segway is a two-wheeled, battery-powered scooter that uses gyroscopes and tilt sensors to balance itself. The $4,950 transporter went on sale at Amazon.com in November, but customers won't receive them until delivery begins in March.

Except for about 30 people -- including Torrone and his wife, Beth Goza -- who won a contest to receive the transporters months before anyone else.

In November, Segway flew the couple to the company's New Hampshire headquarters for a weekend training session. After riding the device ("It's just the coolest thing ever," Goza says), they decided one transporter was not enough. So they purchased a matching his-and-her set.

The night before their arrival, the couple couldn't sleep. After tracking their FedEx delivery online to find out when it was coming, they spent part of the morning of Dec. 4 waiting anxiously by the window.

Torrone details the events -- including pictures of the FedEx truck -- on his Web site, www.bookofseg.com.

"Every truck that went by, we jumped to see if it was a FedEx truck," he wrote. "So many false alarms, at one point we sat outside waiting. It was as exciting (as) when I waited for our iMac and then our Pocket PC phone edition, both life-changing technologies."

When the Segway finally arrived -- shortly after noon -- they assembled it in "about 10 seconds," then had to wait for the battery to charge. At 1 a.m., the couple took their first test drive -- and began drawing stares. As they rolled through their Wallingford neighborhood, a man passed by in his car, turned around and shouted "Segway" before driving on.

Since then, Torrone has logged more than 100 miles on his Segway commuting to his Queen Anne office. He saves $6 a day on parking, more money on gas and about an hour a week by avoiding traffic.

Goza, a Microsoft employee, drives her transporter around the vast Redmond campus, which is so large that employees often drive their cars from one building to another to attend meetings. And she is even researching ways to take the Segway on a bus across the 520 bridge. On weekends, she hops on for trips that are "too close to drive, but too far to walk," like the dry cleaners.

The couple plan on giving up one of their cars, which they say will save even more money. And they hope that more people take the technology for a spin.

"This is going to be like the first computer or like the first cars that came out," Goza said.

The Segway moves at speeds of up to 12.5 miles an hour, can travel 15 miles on a single charge and produces no emissions. The transporter is designed to follow a person's movements. When a rider leans forward, for instance, the Segway rolls forward. If a rider wishes to stop, he or she leans back, causing the vehicle to slow and stop. Some riders have said this function gives them the feeling that they have only to think of what they want to do and the Segway responds.

"It's all about the heels and toes," Goza said. "It becomes kind of an extension of you."

Before Dean Kamen introduced the Segway in 2001, a huge media buzz surrounded his secret invention code-named Ginger. Theories abounded, with some people even speculating it was a jet pack or a hover board.

Since its introduction, however, the transporter has fallen short of some expectations, becoming the target of criticism and the butt of jokes.

Segway supporters insist it will fulfill some of the promises made in the initial hype, transforming modern transportation, much as the car did during the last century. A devoted following have set up Web sites, such as www.segwaychat.com, for people to share news and tips about the transporter.

There have been some concerns, though, about how the device would mix on streets already crowded with pedestrians, bikes and cars. San Francisco, a hilly, high-tech town that would seem a prime location for Segway users, this week became the first major municipality to ban its use on city sidewalks.

Seattle does not have any laws specific to the Segway, but the Department of Transportation is looking at how it and other vehicles -- such as motorized scooters -- are being used, said Grace Crunican, director of transportation. Other departments and the public will likely be involved in determining if restrictions should be placed on its use, she said.

Despite the controversy, Torrone and Goza remain loyal proponents. The couple admit to being early adopters of technology -- they have three robotic dogs, a robotic vacuum cleaner and a slew of other gadgets. But even those who are less tech-savvy can still appreciate the machine, they said.

They have become unofficial spokespeople for Segway, chronicling their experiences on their Web site -- including posting diaries, photographs of the weekend training session (complete with pictures of Kamen's home), and even a music video of Torrone tooling around Gas Works Park.

They are, of course, the envy of those still waiting for delivery of their own transporters. Future Segway owners have contacted Torrone and asked for demonstrations, which he has given. And there are lots of questions for him to answer:

What if it rains? Wear a coat.

Where do you carry groceries? In a backpack.

How do you deter thieves? Lock it to a bike rack.

Can it climb hills? No problem.

Neither Segway nor Amazon.com has released sales numbers for the transporter. But the device has been sold to people in all 50 states, said spokesman Bill Curry.

One of those eager to try the transporter out is Ken Wood. The 76-year-old Seattle resident says he has trouble walking long distances and bought the transporter the first day it was sold online so he could run errands and travel with his wife.

"I'm so looking forward to going places . . . that we used to go to," he said.

ABOUT THE SEGWAY

Balance, steering and brakes
Operating the Segway is based on your body's movements; the handlebars are just for balance. Sensors in the platform detect any change in angle and pitch, and motors on each wheel speed up or slow down to maintain balance. To stop, the rider stands upright without leaning in any direction.

Speed
There are three settings for speed: 6, 8 and 12.5 mph.

Turning
Wheels can move in opposite directions, allowing in-place turning.

Range
Rechargeable battery-operated motors can go for up to 15 miles in optimal conditions on a single charge. Average conditions will get about 10 miles.

Weight
Passenger: up to 250 pounds
Cargo: up to 75 pounds
Segway: 80 pounds
Dimensions
Height: adjustable
Base: 25 x 19 inches
Platform: 8 inches off ground
Cost
$4,950