PhotoDude.com

Wed. Apr 24, 2002

Segueing to Segways

Segueing to Segways – Today in Atlanta, several members of the Police Department are about 8 inches taller. They’re on top of a Segway, Dean Kamen’s two wheeled wonder.

But when something new comes in, usually something old goes out. In this case, it’s Atlanta’s mounted patrol. Once, a dozen officers used to patrol on horseback, but the horse patrol has been retired, replaced by Segways.

Beyond the obvious PR value, and the fact they will attract attention even more than an officer on horseback, they provide new chase possibilities: "A Segway pursuit would give the officer a definite advantage beyond the vehicle’s superior speed. A new state law limits them to 7 mph on sidewalks, but an officer pursuing a suspect could whiz along at up to 15 mph. ’When you chase somebody on foot, they are getting tired and you’re not,’ said [Officer Jennings] Kilgore."

You might even be able to eat a doughnut while chasing a suspect. How long before we see helicopter footage of this new form of ”police chase”? And as anyone who’d like to ride one might wonder, how long before one of these Police Segways gets … Segway-jacked.

"...Kilgore can’t see anyone making off with his wheels while he’s making an arrest. ’Each Segway has its own magnetic, coded key,’ he said. ’Without that key, you’ve got an 80-pound paperweight.’ "

But what an exquisite paperweight it would be.