It was just a matter of time before this contraption killed someone. It almost killed President Bush some years back.
The multi-millionaire businessman, 62, fell into the River Wharfe while inspecting the grounds of his North Yorkshire estate on a rugged country version of the Segway.
The Segway is a motorised scooter which use gyroscopes to remain upright and is controlled by the direction in which the rider leans. A passer-by found Heselden alongside his Segway in the Boston Spa area at about 11.40am on Sunday.
A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said today: “Police were called at 11.40am yesterday to reports of a man in the River Wharfe, apparently having fallen from the cliffs above. “A Segway-style vehicle was recovered. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gee, I would assume he died of a heart attack?
The short linked article says he made his millions by figuring out dirt stops bullets.
Who knew?
Another contraption, called “a car”, kills ~30K plus in this country alone. Any thoughts on that?
Tons of puns out there regarding this piece of news 🙂 Some are darn funny 😀
That’s why I’m sticking with using my legs to get around.
Clearly this is an epidemic. We need a federal law requiring altitude loss detection on all Segways, perhaps with built-in GPS.
Perfect definition of “Ironic”.
Now, for safety reasons, all Segway owners are required to have and wear a parachute. I can’t wait to see the legislation.
The Segway seems cool. Sad and unfortunate.
#4, you do realize that people using their legs to get around have fallen off cliffs and died?
#5, gps wouldn’t help. There are stories about people relying on gps driving off cliffs.
And bobbo, he actually made his money using a steel mesh to stop bullets, _instead_ of dirt that the military normally uses.
“He created a unique portable wire cage water containment system which when filled with earth and sand proved a major defence against bullets, missiles and suicide attacks.” /// Thats about as clear as JCD’s own work product.
I have driven a Seg. You let go or collapse, it stops. To go off of a cliff, it needs to be driven.
Dirt stops bullets? Wow. Who knew. I thought that when I shot at the ground with my 9mm, it went through to China.
The Segway got the wrong guy !
Insert inappropriate joke about lemmings here.
Segways don’t kill people, people do.
Honestly, don’t ride a segway by a cliff. I guess we could say this guy had too much money and not enough cents ? Some how I think he had a great life and I’m not feeling a great sense of lose. Though I am sorry for his family. Actually they probaly all just got rich. Hmmm.
I didn’t know that Dean Kamen sold the Segway in the first place… now it he had died on it then it would ironic but this guy just got the company this year.
He probably was in the process of dying of something else, like heart attack or stroke, before taking up cliff diving for sport.
Segway Suicide…………
/rant
Not that anyone will listen, but this is not irony. I adhere to the classic definition of irony: saying something that’s the opposite of what is actually meant, such as, “That dress looks wonderful on you.” when it’s obvious to everyone that it’s hideous.
This is co-incidence, or poetic justice maybe, but not irony.
/endrant
If you are Alanis Morriset then it’d be ironic …
I’d rather die flying that Harrier in the background.
#13, the bullet doesn’t go to China, but not because of the dirt. The bullet goes through the dirt, and is only stopped by rocks or magma.
I own an off-road Segway, and can easily understand how such an accident can happen . . . lesson here (again) is to be an attentive driver.
> It almost killed President Bush some years back
I see what you did there… good try, but apparently no takers, huh? lol
The gentleman was distracted as he was texting the stable boy to saddle up his polo pony for a match later that morning. He took his eye off the path, and paid a terrible price.
This is certainly a wake-up call for the rest of us to never text while riding our Segways as we survey the grounds of our estates.
“It was just a matter of time before this contraption killed someone.”
Who is the dumbass who writes this crap? More people die falling down that darn “contraption” called stairs. Lets ban ’em!
@Gary, the dangerous infidel
Nay lad, tha’s got wrong end o t’country fur saying owt like tha
Yon gaffer’s from Yorksha – sithee.
#5 You did mean that to be funny, right? I’m sure some lack wit law maker will try to do same.
His Segway was heading for the highway!
Damn! Play me off Johnny!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0Gd9OZw9nyA
Two wheels bad! Four wheels good! 😛