Author Topic: "IT" Revealed! (Read 3095 times)

38isPorked · « **Reply #15 on:** December 03, 2001, 01:36:00 PM »

"The inventor apparently holds several honorary doctorates and many extemely usefull inventions under his belt - most of them in medical equipment.
He and a few other most smart and successfull people in US think it is a remarkable device.
What do you have in way of credentials or expertise on transportation and city-planning?

I would buy it if it works as advertised."

Most successful people? $$$ ? You bet they gonna get more $$$ if it hits the market. Just like that moronic scooter fad a few months ago.

"What do you have in way of credentials or expertise on transportation and city-planning"

Lemme see.. I live in one, I walk and drive in one... and I really dont see how having people on top of motorized scooters is going to help at all. We'll have IT jams on the sidewalks, in front of every McDonalds...people wont get off the damn thing to help in circulation.

Sidewalk full of people in scooters, Main Street, anytown USA: *bonk* "Hey moron git outta the way!" *bonk* "Hey move along!" *SQUISH* "You ran over my dog you bastard!" *bonk* "my left wheel is jammed, im too lazy to get off!" *bonk* *bonk* *bonk*

And you just wait 'till they add horns to the handlebars and start stabbing people to death (texas), start dragging around promotional posters on their sides, or have someone's grocery bag turn over and fall on the street causing a huge scooter jam, or add some 18-wheeler horn (beeep!!) and make the entire town a sonic warzone.

The thing may actually help some people, especially the elderly and the disabled. But the avg person.. it will only get them fat & lazy & turn the town into another congested highway. BTW, a human being can walk 10km an hour on avg. This thing is 12 mph. Which one do you think can get to point A to point B (short distance as the article states "IT" is for short distances) faster in a congested enviroment?

As I said above, his balancing system and power system ARE incredible. The application of both was...pathetic.

miko2d · « **Reply #16 on:** December 03, 2001, 03:47:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Eagler:
[QB]I thought "IT" was gonna be a cure for cancer or something to better civilization.[QB]

Unless you mean "the cure for cancer that grows on a bush" any cure for cancer along the lines of other treatments will be a disaster for civilisation.
People would be forced to choose between expending 95% of GNP for life-support of elderly or refusing the treatment to most of the people. Much easier when it is not really available.

38: ...a human being can walk 10km an hour on avg
5 km an hour - 3.1 mph. If that thing givey you 12 mph with a heafty bag, that is 3-4 times the speed.

Because of the inept socialistic intervention of the government (I just saw episodes 6 and 7 of New York on PBS), US has much more suburban sprawl then it is natural (according to the economicl laws).
But most of the european countries actually have large areas open only for pedestrian traffic.
In Brooklyn your average speed with the car including looking for parking is way below 12mph.

If that thingie really got ubiqutous, they could close most of the Manhattan streets to car traffic and use the whole street for pedestrians, there won't be that many jams.
A car definitely does not give you 12 mph on your average Manhattan street.

Most successful people? $$$ ? You bet they gonna get more $$$ if it hits the market.
Oh, yeah - Andy Grove needs cash so badly that he would underwrite some BS just to make a few bucks.

miko

Udie · « **Reply #17 on:** December 03, 2001, 04:25:00 PM »

OK I just saw a report on CNN headline news about the skooter and I've changed my mind about the thing. I kind of want one now too. The guy who invinted it was demo'ing it and the damn thing actualy works by your thought somehow. You want to go right and it goes right etc... They showed a bunch of poeople on them and the looked really cool. I don't think this will replace the car for a while though

john9001 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 03, 2001, 04:28:00 PM »

i can see starbucks putting in a drive thru lane for them, hehe

i already have my "personal urban assault vehicle" it's a trek 1200 bicycle and it didn't cost $3000 and it will run a hour on one can of beer , two hours if it's cool out.

my towns postman use bicycles for urban delivery, special models with a small front wheel and a big basket.

Dinger · « **Reply #19 on:** December 03, 2001, 04:33:00 PM »

Hehe, we'll see.
No, it ain't gonna replace the bicycle or the car. I can see its merit, though.
First, the top speed (subject to regulation) is 18 mph. For point-to-point travel in an urban environment, that beats both cars and bicycles. It's also more maneuverable than either (and those tires look like they were designed to be big enough to hop curves. If not, we have a big problem). Add easy mount/dismount and 75 pounds of cargo, and the thing is a delivery monster. Hang's right -- you're gonna see delivery kids doing really dangerous things on those beasts.

For your suburbanite, it might not replace the car, but if it can get Joan Q. Suburbanite to the grocery store in a time comparable to a car and cost far less in energy, it might work.

But it ain't gonna replace your feet
Yeah, there are some big questions:
Reliability? 10 computers, a mess of gyros and some pretty cool motors -- how is that gonna stand up against the beating of an urban environment in all weather?

Security? The machine's designed for portability, but you can't track your muddy wheels into the restaurant. now we've got a highly portable 3000-dollar machine on a city street. hmmm...

Cost? 5 cents a day? for how much travel? under what conditions? Factor in maintenance and unit life, and it may not be that attractive.

Oh yeah, Hang, don't forget the model with the Gun Rack, available in both RedNeck and GangBanger configurations.

[ 12-03-2001: Message edited by: Dinger ]

Dnil · « **Reply #20 on:** December 03, 2001, 07:08:00 PM »

Guess this guy hasnt been to Houston in August, didnt see an air conditioner on it. Guess it will be popular in Juneau in January to.

Shire_PLH · « **Reply #21 on:** December 03, 2001, 09:00:00 PM »

"And you just wait 'till they add horns to the handlebars and start stabbing people to death (texas), start dragging around promotional posters on their sides, or have someone's grocery bag turn over and fall on the street causing a huge scooter jam, or add some 18-wheeler horn (beeep!!) and make the entire town a sonic warzone."

LOL..

Tac · « **Reply #22 on:** December 03, 2001, 09:46:00 PM »

5km/h? must be the lazy gringos. The rest of the world goes at 10km/h

Aaaah.. thats why the scooter is so great then. Hehee

easymo · « **Reply #23 on:** December 03, 2001, 09:46:00 PM »

A painfully slow motorcycle with the wheels on the sides, instead of front and back. No thanks.

Hangtime · « **Reply #24 on:** December 03, 2001, 10:51:00 PM »

Where do yah park it? how do yah secure it?
(at 60-80 lbs, that thing will get tossed into the back of a pick-up or van in a half second flat) What happens when it rains?

and... how are the insurance actuaries gonna figure risk?

Sandman · « **Reply #25 on:** December 03, 2001, 11:58:00 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Hangtime:
Where do yah park it? how do yah secure it?
(at 60-80 lbs, that thing will get tossed into the back of a pick-up or van in a half second flat) What happens when it rains?

and... how are the insurance actuaries gonna figure risk?

Visit http://www.seqway.com

Each vehicle is equipped with an "intelligent key," an electronic key with 128-bit encryption. Says the vehicle won't run without it's own key. Now... if some chop shop tore it down for parts, I wonder where the high cost component is... the batteries? the transmission? the gyros? computer? the motors?

Sikboy · « **Reply #26 on:** December 04, 2001, 07:13:00 AM »

10 KMH? Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that about 6.2 MPH? That seems pretty fast for me, even if you did have the burrito special at Umberto's... Now I need to validate these numbers lol.

-SB-

J_A_B · « **Reply #27 on:** December 04, 2001, 08:43:00 AM »

What is so good about that thing when an ordinary motorbike can go up to 25 MPH and costs much less? A motorbike has another advantage over "IT" since it gives you a place to actually sit down.

"IT" looks like an interesting little plaything for people with too much money, but it's far too impractical to ever see widespread usage (plus I have to wonder how it'd react if you drove it into a deep puddle, with all those sensitive electronic devices on board). Claims to the contrary are just so much bunk.

J_A_B

Nifty · « **Reply #28 on:** December 04, 2001, 10:05:00 AM »

Miko, think you can be more of an bellybutton next time? thanks.

Fatty · « **Reply #29 on:** December 04, 2001, 12:07:00 PM »

I can't wait to see these silly things on the road. Time for a new front grill....