Segway company owner dies...

Riding a Segway accidentally off a cliff seems like the intellectual equivalent of getting stuck on an escalator. Just step off. Unless of course he was just a dare devil trying to see how close to the cliff he could ride it without toppling over?
 
Seems to me like he'd pretty much have to intentionally ride it off. Wouldn't surprise me if there are some financial issues that'll pop up as they investigate.
 
jesse said:
Seems to me like he'd pretty much have to intentionally ride it off. Wouldn't surprise me if there are some financial issues that'll pop up as they investigate.
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He could have leaned forward (without thinking) to get a better look while stopped near the edge.
 
Disclaimer: I have no idea how a Segway operates.

A few years ago, someone backed a stand-up forklift up to the loading dock door and got off to have a smoke. He got back on and put it into reverse, backing off the loading dock. The forklift landed on top of him and killed him. Seemed like a simple mistake.

I suspect something similar may have happened here.
 
The irony is only topped by the fact that he's British.

"Tip top, cheerio, I sure do fancy this motorcar! Oh bother, I've fallen down a gigantic cliff. Bloody hell!"
 
SkyHog said:
The irony is only topped by the fact that he's British.

"Tip top, cheerio, I sure do fancy this motorcar! Oh bother, I've fallen down a gigantic cliff. Bloody hell!"
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Not sure why you think his nationality is ironic.

Irony: (from the Ancient Greek εἰρωνεία eirōneía, meaning hypocrisy, deception, or feigned ignorance) is a situation, literary technique, or rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity, discordance, or unintended connection with truth.

Surely the British are as bound to the law of gravity as everyone else.

He is a former coal miner who was laid off in the 1980s and parlayed his severance package into a fortune. He was a well known philanthropist as well. He was supposedly a really regular guy.
 
The real irony is the owner of the company died using his company's product, for those somewhat oblivious to these things.
 
ScottM said:
Not sure why you think his nationality is ironic.

Irony: (from the Ancient Greek εἰρωνεία eirōneía, meaning hypocrisy, deception, or feigned ignorance) is a situation, literary technique, or rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity, discordance, or unintended connection with truth.

Surely the British are as bound to the law of gravity as everyone else.

He is a former coal miner who was laid off in the 1980s and parlayed his severance package into a fortune. He was a well known philanthropist as well. He was supposedly a really regular guy.
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I meant to say "the irony is only topped by the humor that he's British."

I hate the misuse of the word irony. I should go hang my head in shame....or ride a Segway off a cliff in shame.
 
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Actually, the Segway is only one of the things he was involved in. Many soldiers lives have been protected by the HESCO barriers that he originally developed. They are wire cages covered with heavy-duty fabric that fold up very compact on pallets. Once unfolded they can be filled with soil, gravel, sand or old phone-books using a Bobcat or any other kind of front-loader. In a very short time, a sizeable barrier protective against small-arms fire, RPGs, passenger vehicles and shrapnel can be erected that way.

If filled with clay, they also work very well to construct a temporary dyke to protect from flooding. Rather than filling thousands of sand-bags, a crew of a couple of guys with a front-loader can build 100eds of yards of protective levies in a couple of hours.

I'll forever thankful to him for those HESCOs. RIP


seabees-align-hesco-barrier.jpg


seabees-fill-hesco-barrier.jpg
 
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Maybe riding a wheeled vehicle next to a cliff is not a good idea...
 
ScottM said:
Not sure why you think his nationality is ironic.

Irony: (from the Ancient Greek εἰρωνεία eirōneía, meaning hypocrisy, deception, or feigned ignorance) is a situation, literary technique, or rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity, discordance, or unintended connection with truth.

Surely the British are as bound to the law of gravity as everyone else.

He is a former coal miner who was laid off in the 1980s and parlayed his severance package into a fortune. He was a well known philanthropist as well. He was supposedly a really regular guy.
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In reading about him, he seemed like a really great person. This is sad and a damn shame. Young to go, as well.
 
Clarification (since I was confused at first): It was NOT Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway. It was the CEO/Owner - And I'm not sure how long Dean Kamen has *not* been the CEO/Owner.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Clarification (since I was confused at first): It was NOT Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway. It was the CEO/Owner - And I'm not sure how long Dean Kamen has *not* been the CEO/Owner.
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Since Jan 2010 I think. I don't think anyone mentioned Kamen though. But I think what you are saying is that you had not heard of the sale of the cmpany and immediatly thought of Kamen and are thus offer the clarification. kewl.
 
ScottM said:
Since Jan 2010 I think. I don't think anyone mentioned Kamen though. But I think what you are saying is that you had not heard of the sale of the cmpany and immediatly thought of Kamen and are thus offer the clarification. kewl.
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Exactly.
 
ScottM said:
Since Jan 2010 I think. I don't think anyone mentioned Kamen though. But I think what you are saying is that you had not heard of the sale of the cmpany and immediatly thought of Kamen and are thus offer the clarification. kewl.
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I thought of Kamen first too because I have seen him and an associate buzzing around the ramp at KTEB on Segways then loading them in a Premier and flying off.
 
ScottM said:
Not sure why you think his nationality is ironic.

Irony: (from the Ancient Greek εἰρωνεία eirōneía, meaning hypocrisy, deception, or feigned ignorance) is a situation, literary technique, or rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity, discordance, or unintended connection with truth.

Surely the British are as bound to the law of gravity as everyone else.
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Thank you, Sheldon! :rofl:
 
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