Segways

   Last weekend I took my first ride on a Segway. I have been wondering for some time whether a paraplegic in braced with little or no movement in the lower part of his body could ride a Segway  and, more importantly, how he might arrange to easily get off and on. I answered one of those questions. If I can get up I can ride the device.
  I found someone in town who rents Segways and is a genuine expert. Then I invited a fairly tall and string friend to help he get on and we went out to his place. I received a long lecture on Segways and how it was necessary to turn on before stepping onto the device and if you push or pull the wrong way the device will scoot off - not really good. We ended up blocking the device  with 4 2x4s. Them two men picked me up and my feet immediately swung under the Segway.  From then it was back to the drawing board.
   The eventual solution involved a shop table which could be raised hydraulically and my pushing myself up rather than being lifted. Once on the device I was able to easily ride it - In the older models you make the unit go forward by leaning and turn by twisting a know in the left of a control bar. This makes the required control of leaning much less precise since you are only controlling a single direction. Newer models use lean for both go and turn.
  The older models also have a single rigid shaft. This is really needed since i need a place to hold on and help balance. One issue is that the bar is apparently quite fragile and made of "unobtainium" . There are commercial approaches to reinforcing the bar although I suspect I am better off looking for a solution that meets my needs and maybe even takes some weight off the bar placing it in other sturdier places.
  I am now looking for places to buy a Segway and good solutions to getting on it.


My friend posted a video here.