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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 19, 2005 Chris Johnson maneuvers his Segway along a path in Ashland�s Lithia Park, where the technologically advanced �personal transporter� drew stares from curious residents and visitors alike. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Segway into the future? Ashland resident’s two battery-powered vehicles get wows from some, ughs from others By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Chris Johnson’s two-wheeled transport device not only turns heads — it seems to defy the laws of physics. "I think they’re so far ahead of their time," said the 41-year-old Ashland resident, who owns two of the $5,000 battery-powered vehicles. The "Segway" is self-balancing, loaded with five gyroscopes and sophisticated electronics that allow Johnson to nimbly cruise up and down the steepest hills in Ashland while standing. Because of mechanisms that monitor the center of gravity 100 times a second, a rider can park it in an upright position without worrying that it will fall over. It moves forward with the slightest prompt from the rider and does the same in reverse or to stop, which it can do on a dime. Advertisement The product of Yankee ingenuity, the transporter is made by a Bedford, N.H., company, Segway LLC, founded by inventor Dean Kamen. Johnson, who owns one of the first 30 production versions, cruised around Lithia Park Monday at up to 12 mph, encountering both the skeptical and the intrigued. Reno resident David Rahn said staunchly that he would never give up his pickup for a Segway. He regarded the contraption warily at first and, like many onlookers, he was a bit mystified by the technology. But after Johnson let him take it for a little spin, he seemed surprised by its sophisticated, intuitive manners. "It’s a very strange thing," said Rahn, who is vacationing here with his family. Ashland resident Marilyn Reece-Sullivan said she was already aware of the Segway, but she and her three boys couldn’t take their eyes off it in the park. "It’s a smart little machine," she said. ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland has a Segway, donated by one of its board members, that will be on display within a month. Elib Crist-Dwyer, program coordinator at the museum, said he is thinking about offering classes in how to use it, although he added, "The learning curve is short." He rode the Segway in the Fourth of July parade, where he heard the gamut of responses, from "stupid" to "awesome." Crist-Dwyer said the museum has an exhibit of gyroscopes, so the Segway would fit in nicely. "It’s such an amazing piece of technology." The "dynamic stabilization" feature of the Segway is also used by Johnson and Johnson in a wheelchair that allows the disabled to stand upright or to climb stairs. The closest dealers who offer the Segway are in Corvallis and Bend. Although 42 states have passed laws encouraging the use of Segways, some cities have considered restricting their use because of concerns over the possibility of collisions with pedestrians. Ashland police officer Tom Cook, citing Oregon law, said Segways are considered a personal mobility device, like a wheelchair. They don’t need to be registered and they don’t need insurance, he said. They also don’t require helmets and can be ridden on a sidewalk. Johnson, a computer technician who is between jobs, said he won the rights to buy one of the first Segways in an essay contest that also entitled him to a tour of the New Bedford factory. Normally hiding himself in a room with his computer, Johnson said he has been overwhelmed by people wanting to know more about the Segway during the past two years. "All of a sudden — all this attention," he said. With such a busy social calendar now, Johnson said, "I’ve got a waiting list of six people who want to ride it." Luckily, he’s got two of them. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail Segway into the future? ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Investments & Loans Advertisement s