They'll need to fix the Darwin Award logo to include a Segway.
Sad story, with inappropriate snickering.
Posted on 09/27/2010 8:21:19 AM PDT by traumer
The multi-millionaire owner of the Segway company died in a freak accident yesterday when he rode one of the high-tech two-wheel machines off a cliff and into a river.
Former miner Jimi Heselden, 62, plunged into the River Wharfe while riding around his West Yorkshire estate in Boston Spa on a rugged country version of the Segway.
He bought the firm last December and was using one of the machines - which use gyroscopes to remain upright and are controlled by the direction in which the rider leans - to inspect the grounds of his property. Big heart: Jimi Heselden donated more than £23 million to charity
Jimi Heselden, the multi-millionaire owner of the Segway company, died in a freak accident when he rode one of the high-tech two-wheel machines off a cliff and into a river
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.
'At this time we do not believe the death to be suspicious.'
Invesitgators are probing whether there was a fault with his particular machine or it was driver error.
His death comes just a week after he became one of the UK's most generous philanthropists, having given away £10million to a charity foundation he set up in 2008. He had previously given £13million to the same organisation.
Mr Heselden was worth £166million and ranked 395th on the Sunday Times Rich List - above X Factor boss Simon Cowell - thanks to his defence company Hesco Bastion.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
We had a local police officer try out a Segway a few years ago. The force is pretty small because the town is small. A Segway would be pretty useless about half the year. The Segway turned out to be less than useless when the sargeant managed to separate from the Segway and injure himself. He lost a lot of time with an ankle and wrist injury. The ankle injury kept him off patrol. The wrist injury prevent him from writing tickets. Maybe the Segway IS worth something. I think we ought to give one to every one of the worthless members of our local police force from the (I kid you not) four-star wearing chief to the lowest ranking patrol office (who I believe is tenth in line for the chief’s job.
On land to over cliff. Not a good segway...
Live by the segway, die by the segway.
They'll need to fix the Darwin Award logo to include a Segway.
Sad story, with inappropriate snickering.
is that camina del rey?
more irony than darwin like BD45 said
segway are supposed to be soft movers
They are out of their cotton-pickin' minds!!!
Those photos make me lose my breath. Whoa!!!!!
That guy can’t even bend over to tie his shoes, much less ‘protect’ anyone. Fat tub of lard needs to walk instead of being on a scooter. He looks like he drives a hoveround on his off-duty time.
“You might remember this post three years ago in which I laughed at a woman on a Segway pushing a baby stroller for being lazy. Well, I’m a giant asshole, and I want to apologize to Melissa Hofstetter. I’m sorry Melissa.”
http://gizmodo.com/5602600/i-am-very-sorry-segway-stroller-lady
Good thing they remembered their helmets, eh?
Good thing they’re wearing helmets, because otherwise, you know, someone might get hurt.
Is that “The worlds most dangerous trail” or something like that.
I saw a video of a guy walking it once.
Freaked me out just watching it.
I tend to avoid life threatning experiences myself.
Yeah...like that would....oh never mind. :-) I’m still weak from earlier when I looked at those photos!
I have no clue and can't remember where I saw those shots. Looks like fun, huh?
west coast Ireland...Cliffs of Moher...followed your photo links
Thats the video i was thinking about.
Crazy place!
Anybody wanna buy my Segway for a 100? My dear late grandmother rode it to church on Sundays for 20 years. (Price negotiable.)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.