Okay! I know Raleigh is really growing, and the downtown area is really booming. I know this. I am downtown everyday, and I love it. I think Raleigh is great. I really do. But there are some things I don't understand. One of these things is the segway tours. Segways are those dopey little two-wheeled contraptions that you stand on and scoot around. Sometimes the meter-maids and security guards have them. Also, if you watch VH1, you may have seen Terry "Hulk" Hogan zipping around on his segway on Meet The Hogans. Personally, I think segways are completely ridiculous. I think they're meant to be compact little scooters or something, but they're huge and bulky and you look like a douche-bag riding one. Why not just ride a Rascal Scooter?! I mean, at least you'd be able to sit down.
So with that said, I will tell you that there is a company that offers guided segway tours of downtown Raleigh. Yeah. They scoot around in my way all day long. I will be stopped at a stoplight, and they will whiz through the crosswalk in front of me. So like 20 people on segways will go by, and they are taking longer than the light! Sometimes when I'm walking downtown, I can't even get across the sidewalk because of all the segways!
Here is a shot of it happening to me today (this lady was, as I like to say, a straggler):
Now the question: who in the world wants to take a segway tour of downtown Raleigh? Are they tourists? And just to be clear, I still think tourists in Raleigh are a myth (like pockets). Are they just people with a day off who want to see the sights? Are they here on business with a little down time? I just don't know. I love Raleigh, but I can't imagine taking a segway tour of it. I can't help it. I think segways wack!
And YES, I know Raleigh's growth is good, but I still hate segways and their tours. Don't even get me started on the bike taxis!
Check out Triangle Segway's websiteto see all the places they go. You will also get to view some really silly photos of people on segways. Actually, please click on it. The pictures make me laugh really hard.
While I haven't taken a Segway tour and have no plans to in the immediate future, I don't understand why you insult those that do. It's a neat way to see the city in a different way. You get glimpses into the city's history, and cover far more ground than you could walking or in a car.
I, for one, would not avoid an activity because some may think I look like a "douche-bag".
Posted by: John | November 28, 2008 at 05:30 PM