To give you some background on the Segway – it is, honestly, a tad hard to classify exactly what it is. So, here, I’ll gladly use the term from the manufacturer, who refers to these machines as ‘Personal Transports.’ In a nutshell, the Segway PT is basically a transportation device, which is powered by electric motors drawing power off an integrated battery pack built into the machine. The sensible sized battery pack enables the Segway to be ridden up to speeds of 20km/h, while the range of a fully charged Segway is about 38 kilometers, which is more than plenty for a personal mobility vehicle.

When it comes to looks, the Segway X2, particularly, is quite pleasing to look at with its chunky tyres, high stance, and that feeling of towering over everyone else when riding it around. This certainly seems to be a machine built for the outdoors – bring on the rugged terrain and broken roads! On the other hand, the i2 Segway is much sleeker, offering a simple elegance more akin to a city machine meant for smooth roads and large office or residential complexes.

The really unique factor, apart from the looks and head-turning factor of the Segway, is the way the controls of the machines are designed, and how the rider interface is executed. Apart from a pair of handle bars, there are virtually no visible traditional controls – in the form of levers, pedals, etc. So, how does one ride the machine around? Well, that’s where the genius of the inventor comes into the picture! The Segway’s controls consist of a set of Gyroscopic sensors and Fluid-based levelling sensors, based on whose inputs the in-built computer and motors allow the Segway’s movement. So the operation is really a very simple process, you hop onto the Segway and lean forward to move forward and pull back to stop or reverse. And it really is as simple as it sounds – though it does take a minute or two of getting used to. But once well versed, it’s a breeze to ride, and a truly fun experience.

Our experiences with the Segway’s were of a varied nature. Some of us took to the PT’s like ducks to water, while others took them – well, how should I put it without sounding mean – umm, like Mike Tyson trying to do the ballet! And the results were equally hilarious. For instance, our dear Art Director hopped onto one of the Segway’s, and proceeded to exhibit a series of (allegedly unintended) pelvic thrusts that would shame even Mithun da in his prime grooving to I am a Disco Dancer.

Regardless, we had a fun day riding these machines around, and also had an interesting time trying to deal with the tremendous amount of attention we attracted from people in all walks of society. People from all demographics, from your neighbourhood pan wallah to the burra sahib being driven around in his fancy car, wanted to know what the Segway was and what it was all about. Needless to say, the attention prompted me and Ashish to indulge in an impromptu drag race with the two machines. And, as expected, I was the winner. As any engineer worth his salt will tell you, superior aerodynamics rule – I suppose being bald does have some benefits after all!

So, the Segway’s look good, are easy to operate and great fun to ride. You have to ask, then, what’s the catch? Well, the price! With the prices ranging from 4.5 lakhs and going up to 5.2 lakhs, the Segway is not a machine for the average household. Given its limited usability, it certainly demands deep pockets to buy and, more importantly, justify. But then, this isn’t exactly a mass market product. It’s certainly an enjoyable toy (tool even) for the elite to use to survey their large farm houses, office compounds, and factories – lest they have to indulge in mundane activities like walking, as commoners do.

Do remember, though, (and we experienced this personally) these machines are almost as attention inducing and eye catching as any Lamborghini or Ferrari. Look at it like that, and for 5-odd lakhs, that’s as a good a bargain as you’ll ever get!