Segways in Burning Man

[ethaniel]

Frankly, I feel uncomfortable around people who bring segways to Burning Man. It's such a stupid display of wealth.
Poor or rich, aren't we supposed to unite in the dust for at least a week in a year leaving all social differences behind?
It feels as if we're a zoo (or a show) that they fly in to enjoy without actually preparing to or participating in.
Get on the bike or just walk, interact with other people! Don't just roam around and look at everyone from above your soulless segway.

Turnkey camps, google/facebook/other "fuckyourstartup" employees that order air deliveries of fresh oysters, I get it, we can't exclude the rich people. Let them stay in their walled-off camps in the outskirts of the K-line. But when they get out of there, they need to blend in. Otherwise it just spoils the fun for the rest of us.

Probably my envy talking right now. But whatever.

[Token]

How exactly are people on Segues interfering with your experience?

You get run over?

Your last paragraph pretty much sums up the real answer and should have been the third option in your survey:

Egalitarian envy.

In the grand scheme of things, the smelly loud stand-up gas scooters are way more annoying and cannot really stick to the speed limit. Now those are a good target for your ire.

[TT120]

I don't really care one way or the other. If I could afford one, I sure as hell wouldn't take it to Burning Man. Shit gets fucked up out there.

[AntiM]

I like seeing some of the more radically decorated Segways. They're fun. I've only seen one person being terrible, a clueless girl all in silver sparkles and feathers, who rode right through the DPW parade. I'm surprised they didn't eat her heart.

Personally, if I could afford one, and one which I wouldn't mind getting fucked up by the dust, I'd have one. I can't walk far or ride a two wheeled bike. The trike is okay, but usually I depend on MyLarry to move me around with the rhoadescar. A Segway would mean freedom to me. Meh, I can't even afford an electric trike.

I feel like there's more than one way to ride a high horse ...

[torrey.smith]

Just sayin'.

I saw I guy on one of these in 2016 and had the following thought processes:

1) Wow!
2) F*** that entitled bastard
3) But damn that's cool and silent and he's actually riding it, with all the risk that entails.
4) I'm getting one!

So I got one, took it to Juplaya and it rocked. Took it to BM17 and it rocked. It's practically replaced my car back home.

One final thing: F*** those gas scooters. They're just stupid.

[Captain Goddammit]

You probably don’t wanna know what it costs to bring a decent Mutant Vehicle.
Segways are cheap.
Burning Man on the whole isn’t cheap. It’s a damn expensive party.

[Sham]

A camp mate brought a low Segway. I borrowed it a few times and it was a blast. It took just a few minutes to master.

[BBadger]

As echoed above, I'd rather have those Segways than those noisy, motorized scooters. I'd also rather have them than those bikes that are abandoned without lights in the middle of the playa; I assume people would take care of their $3000 ride better than that $30 bike.

[Captain Goddammit]

Those things actually cost about twice that!
But compared to the huge sound camps, big art, RV rental, etc. that’s nothing

[Bless]

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[BBadger]

Ouch! I don't know where I got that figure. Maybe that was 10-15 years ago or something. Rather just stick with a bike and not ruin something that costs that much.

[Popeye]

Looks like there are new models out, from about $500.00 to $1500.00
https://www.google.com/search?q=buy+segway

Of course it is probably a lithium battery and you can't get it on a plane.

[AntiM]

Segway minis are under $1K, the beefed up off road models run closer to $7k.

[some seeing eye]

Burning Man is all about ostentatious display of identity.

Burners have a choice. Display identity by face to face participation/interaction/building/making art, a costume they made, a costume crafted by a single person business - etsy/local burner?

Or display identity by a machine they rented?

I am strongly, strongly, strongly against body guards on the playa. It is not what the event is for. If you think you need body guards, maybe you need to be totally anonymous, including all social media?

Playa transpo:
Yes: walking, bicycles, stilts, licensed MV, licensed alterabled, battery-powered tricycles as many wheels as you want.

No: as many wheels as you want standing carbon combustion powered vehicle not MV licensed - eliminate the standing powered exception. There is just too much energy density and propelled mass in a liquid carbon-powered vehicle outside the MV program. Liquid combustion engines easily exceed the speed limit and crashing into a burner and injuring them we don't need.

Segways - it's just a dumb thing that came out of an LA company renting them to LA peeps to show off on the playa. Show off another way.

[alt12]

Segways have no impact on my experience at BM. However, you might as well stick a huge sign around your neck with the word "Douchebag" on it.

[Jackass]

Segways have no impact on my experience at BM. However, you might as well stick a huge sign around your neck with the word "Douchebag" on it.

I concur, douchebag is the correct nomenclature...

[ethaniel]

Segways have no impact on my experience at BM. However, you might as well stick a huge sign around your neck with the word "Douchebag" on it.

I concur, douchebag is the correct nomenclature...

We need a DDV - Department of Douchebag Vehicles. Which gives out an astonishing 0 permits every year.

[Sham]

The one that I used was more along the lines of a hoverboard, not the large, big wheeled Segway that had handles.
The feeling of standing up and moving towards various art installations was more the sensation of walking at about the speed of a slow bicycle, but not getting tired or winded.

What I found really annoying were the bicycles that had powerful electric motors on then, that were zipping around at 25 mph and kicking up clouds of dust in their wake. In my opinion, those need to be banned or regulated.

[Captain Goddammit]

Electric bikes are regulated but there’s no enforcement.
There’s not really much enforcement of anything except drugs.

[BBadger]

Pretty much nothing, other than emergency crews, should be allowed to travel faster than 10-15mph on the playa.

[Meat Hunter]

Speaking of Segways; There are more applications for Segway technology than just for up-market and able-bodied individuals to go scooting around the Playa.

At the 2015 and 2016 Burns, I had occasion to meet a very severely disabled individual who used a lever-activated battery-powered wheelchair and he was always accompanied by someone in case he ran out of battery power.

They were always checking the battery power level to make sure that they had sufficient power to return to their camp for a recharge.

I do not know the range on a battery powered wheelchair, but it must not be all that far.

This year, I saw him tooling up the 6:00 radial in a Segway powered wheelchair and without being accompanied.

Absolutely amazing what the extended range of that Segway powered wheelchair allowed him to do -- by himself.

[lvictory23]

As someone with horrible balance I am way more comfortable stepping onto a self balancing segway mini then I am trying to ride a bike. People can hate on it all they'd like but having one it makes me way less stressed. I can also set a speed limit on it and the newest model has a small enough battery that it can come on the plane with me. It also cost less then 400$.

[Ratty]

Vic, Have your panties been in a bunch for 2 years. That's how old this thread is. I doubt if anyone is 'hating on you'. In fact they probably haven't given you a thought. Mellow out.

[Elderberry]

A Segway mini is self balancing?

[lucky420]

As someone with horrible balance I am way more comfortable stepping onto a self balancing segway mini then I am trying to ride a bike. People can hate on it all they'd like but having one it makes me way less stressed. I can also set a speed limit on it and the newest model has a small enough battery that it can come on the plane with me. It also cost less then 400$.

I’ve seen those minis out there and I have horrible balance, very near sighted and I don’t always pick up my feet when walking. Are they really that easy to use? It seems like I would face plant, intrigued.

I think segways got a bad name out there because they were kind of a staple of g and plays for awhile. People got razzed a bit on line for them. But this is the thing; BM is big, it’s hot and if a Segway helps you get across the playa then the hell with what anybody else has to say

[Sham]

I’ve seen those minis out there and I have horrible balance, very near sighted and I don’t always pick up my feet when walking. Are they really that easy to use? It seems like I would face plant, intrigued.

I will have my Segway MiniPro thingy out there again this year. I will give you a lesson and let you take it for a spin on your own. No artcar this year. 3000+ miles was a long way to travel to get there last year. The ringing in my head didn't stop for days.

[lucky420]

Really? Omgosh thanks for the offer. I’m sure you’ll miss the phone car, heck we all will but I’m sure your burn will be a little easier/less complicated.

I’m fully prepared for people to laugh if they see me attempting this

[Elderberry]

Can I take you up on that offer too? I'd also get one if I could balance on it. (Or if the board can balance with me on it.)

[lvictory23]

Vic, Have your panties been in a bunch for 2 years. That's how old this thread is. I doubt if anyone is 'hating on you'. In fact they probably haven't given you a thought. Mellow out.

Don’t worry Ratty my underwear isn’t having any issues.
I said hating on it (ie segways) not me.
And I’m commenting on an old post because there aren’t many about segways in recent years. I figured I’d let people know you don’t have to be a bougie plug and play camper or have an exorbitant amount of money to have alternatives to riding a bike to get around besides walking.

[lvictory23]

Elderberry and Lucky:
Yes they are self balancing and it’s awesome. Mastering getting on and off of them I think is the toughest part. You still have to watch out for playa puddles and be aware of how fast you are going. If you want to try mine out this year PM me and we can set up a time to meet up.