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more on Recall Sidetracks Segway Scooters
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2003 03:14:42 -0400
Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2003 18:37:50 -0700 From: Linda Stone <linda () lindastone net> Subject: Re: [IP] Recall Sidetracks Segway Scooters To: David Farber <dave () farber net> Cc: Stacy Ferguson <stacy.ferguson () segway com> Dave,I thought you might be interested in this. I've been associated with Dean and with his various companies for many years. I shared your IP email with these folks and they are hoping you will share the information below with your readers.
Best, Linda ----- Original Message -----From: "Stacy Ferguson" <<mailto:stacy.ferguson () segway com>stacy.ferguson () segway com>
To: "'Lindastone'" <<mailto:linda () iocaine com>linda () iocaine com> Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 5:35 PM Subject: RE: [IP] Recall Sidetracks Segway Scooters Dear Mr. Farber: I've learned that you posted the first iteration of AP's coverage of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)/Segway LLC story on your listserv. I thought you might be interested in a more complete version of the story, one that was fleshed-out further by AP within an hour of having posted the "brief" that appeared in your update. Here's the fuller story. Our engineering team has been working on the release of a new model. We chose to approach the CPSC (we are a consumer product legal on the sidewalks in 40 states plus DC) for advice andcounsel. We needed to decide if the new software package developed for our new model
could bring added value to the models we already had out in the marketplace.It's unusual for a business to retrofit product: We asked ourselves: should we invest in our bottom line and leave things as they were or should we work toward bringing the latest and best safety enhancements we could provide to all of our customers. We have a strong commitment to our early adopters and we chose to make the investment in making the upgrade available to every Segway owner. This software upgrade was not something that we were required to do. This was our choice.
As you might imagine, introducing new technology that also asks for changes in behavior (e.g, how people view distance and transportation) is something we are passionate about and we are strongly committed to the visionary individuals who have chosen to travel this path with us.
If you or your readers are interested in keeping up with Segway, please check out <http://www.segwaychat.com>www.segwaychat.com. In the meantime, if you have any further questions regarding Segway products or Segway, LLC, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Respectfully, Stacy Ferguson Director, Public Affairs Segway LLC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Farber" <<mailto:dave () farber net>dave () farber net> To: <<mailto:ip () v2 listbox com>ip () v2 listbox com> Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 1:25 PM Subject: [IP] Recall Sidetracks Segway Scooters Recall Sidetracks Segway Scooters WASHINGTON, Sept. 26, 2003 The maker of the Segway Human Transporter has agreed to recall the motorized scooters because riders have been injured falling off when its batteries are low. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall Friday, saying that three people had been injured. One suffered a head wound and needed stitches. "Under certain operating conditions, particularly when the batteries are near the end of charge, some Segway HTs may not deliver enough power, allowing the rider to fall," the CPSC warned. "This can happen if the rider speeds up abruptly, encounters an obstacle, or continues to ride after receiving a low-battery alert." The Manchester, N.H.-based company has sold about 6,000 of the scooters so far. The recall involves all Segway HT i167 ("i Series") models sold to consumers. Two models sold in test markets the e167 and p133 models are also being recalled. Customers can call 877-889-9020 for information on getting a free upgrade. "Riders are reminded that, even after the software upgrade, appropriate operating techniques as described in Segway HT user materials are essential to safety," the CPSC warned. In June, President Bush fell off a Segway he was trying to ride. The scooter was introduced amid great hype by inventor Dean Kamen, who has claimed his machine will transform the way people live and work just as surely as the automobile did when it replaced the horse and buggy. The quiet, single-person vehicles are battery-powered, with computers and gyroscopes that allow riders to negotiate curbs and ruts. Tests of a heavy-duty version are under way at factories, resorts and among government employees like postal workers and police officers. The manufacturer waged a lobbying campaign at statehouses around the country, winning over lawmakers who see the Segway as a remarkable tool to ease congestion and more. Up until recently, all but three states barred motorized vehicles from sidewalks. Now the path is clearer. Twenty-four states, including Florida, New Jersey, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin, have enacted Segway's proposals into law with surprising speed over the past six months. Legislation in four more states is awaiting governors' signatures. Even before it was unveiled, there were worries among doctors and others who fear pedestrians will get hurt by the two-wheeled, 69-pound Segways as the machines zip around at up to 12.5 mph. ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as <mailto:lindastone () msn com>lindastone () msn com To manage your subscription, go to <http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip>http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ipArchives at: <http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/>http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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