Lonnie R. West

Despite recent economic woes, guided Segway tours continue to do strong business and are still seeing a growth in business.

Segway Personal Transporters were first offered for sale to the public in 2002, so most people have only a passing knowledge of what these  two-wheeled scooters are, and are completely unaware of the significance of the technology that makes them work.

Why the aura of cool mystique around these seemingly simple machines? Why are we seeing more and more of them in public these days? How do they actually work?

Tampa residents are fortunate to have the oldest and largest Segway guided tour operator in the United States within a 45 minute drive. If anyone has the answers to these questions, it will be Tom Jacobson, owner of Florida Ever-Glides in Sarasota, FL.

“Most people assume that riding a Segway requires careful balance and is difficult to ride. It’s not. If you can stand and and walk, you will be riding a Segway in only a couple minutes.” Tom remarks.

Indeed, it is a simple as he says it is.

The first impression is that it will be like trying to ride a unicycle. But as soon as you step onto the the platform you realize this machine has the simple elegance of an iPod: it seems to think for you and there is no balancing required at all.

“Segways work on the principle of a controlled fall. They balance themselves, so moving a Segway is just a matter of leaning in the direction you want to go.” Tom explains before helping clients step onto their Segway for the first time.

When we walk, the very first thing we do before we even lift a foot is to lean forward.

That way our body is already “falling” forward and we catch ourselves by putting a foot in front of us. A Segway works the same way, to move forward you just lean like you are going to take a step, and instead of catching yourself with your foot the Segway rolls forward to bring you upright again.

Stopping is just as intuitive.

In fact, after only a couple minutes on a Segway for the very first time, it feels uncannily like the machine reads your mind and simply moves you wherever you think about going.

Like most new vehicles, the Segway has spent the last 8 years slowly being written into the laws. In 43 states now, a Segway rider is legally considered a pedestrian, and is able to ride on any sidewalks, bike paths, pedestrian crosswalks, and even on the street ~if~ the posted speed is 25mph or less.

With the the legalities of where they can ride largely settled, there are few barriers to owning a Segway in the city. As they become more visible in public, people become curious.

Guided Segway tours have found the perfect niche market. For a reasonable price, guests spend a couple hours riding a mysterious machine. Most come initially for the curiosity, but the Florida Ever-Glides puts on a wonderful tour full of history and information that you forget you are on a Segway.

Which is the point: the machine is so simple you don’t need to think about driving it!

At the end of the tour, it is hard not to be hooked. Stepping off the machine it’s a wonder why everyone is not riding them. They travel for miles, are quite fast, use minimal electricity, and do not require insurance to own.

Maybe it is time to trade in that car after all?