Riding a Segway is a great way of transportation in the busy city areas and has become especially trendy these days. It is quite manoeuvrable and can be very quick if the driver knows how to operate it safely. You can see a lot of people in Manhattan and New York City using Segways to move from point A to point B.
What is a Segway?
Resembling a scooter, the Segway is a two-wheeled, self-balancing device that run up to 12.5 miles per hour (20km per hour). It was originally invented by Dean Kamen back in 2001 and has become a favorite device for busy New York City workers. The name of the machine derives from the word "segue" which comes from Italian and means "follows". The person riding the Segway is controlling it by leaning onto a handlebar and directing the machine to move in different directions.
How to ride a Segway?
The Segway detects the movement of your body and if you lean towards certain direction it does take it into consideration. Leaning forward will mean that the Segway will proceed straight on. Leaning backwords is the equivalent of pushing the breaks. Leaning towards left and right gives the operator the control of making left and right turns. The handlebar is especially useful and gives the rider the stability and control over the device. You need to have both of your feet on the Segway platform and be balanced enough in order to keep it under control.
Segways are considered motored vehicles in many countries so all the road rules that apply to cars are also applicable to Segway hoverboards. Riding a Segway can be a dangerous thing if you do not know what you are doing. We have put together a few tips on safely controlling your Segway hoverboard.
10 tips on riding a Segway
- Have both feet stable on the Segway platform
- Hold the handlebar firmly and never with one hand only
- Do not carry baggage in your arms while navigating your Segway
- Do not turn the Segway too fast because you can lose control over it
- Do not start or stop the Segway too abruptly because you can lose balance and fall off the hoverboard
- Don’t ride your Segway on rough ground. They are designed for smooth surfaces
- Don’t ride backwards because Segways are not designed for this
- Don’t ride on roads- Segways are not road vehicles
- Don’t run over obstacles because you will trip off and fall down
- Don’t ride your Segway on a steep downhill because you can lose balance due to the high speeding
Can I ride a Segway in Central park?
Unfortunately, Segways are not allowed on the territory of Central park. They are forbidden due to safety reasons and you won’t be able to find a company around Central park that will rent Segways out. If you have a Segway of your own make sure you do not operate it inside the park because you will be stopped by the Central park rangers and it is very likely to receive a ticket. Central park Segway tours are not available for that same reason – operating a Segway hoverboard in Central park is not allowed by the Central park rules and NYPD authorities.
What is the alternative to Central park Segway tours?
If your plan is to discover Central park and its hidden paths and lanes you can rent a bike that can take you through most of the small pathways or rent a pedicab with a professional tour guide. You can also choose from a variety of Central park tours, the most popular of which is the guided bike tour of Central park. Whatever your choice is, if it is your first time in Central park, make sure you try the guided talking head tours because there is more history behind Central park’s highlights than you may think.
