New Feature: Segway Reaction of the Day!

I was originally planning on posting on occasional story about the most recent reaction I had gotten while gliding about the City. Then I realized: I get interesting reactions almost every day. And so this regular feature is born.

Eventually I plan to have the last few "SRDs" in a column on the right side of the page, with a link to the full archive. For now, though, for simplicity's sake (and because I can't figure out how to do that), I'll just post the last four right here.

Segway Reactions of the Day (SRD):

June 21: As I'm trying to lock Seggie* up to a light pole (which is proving too big to get my cable lock around), a minivan stops in the middle of the street as the driver, a middle-aged woman, rolls down her window. "Do you love it?" she shouts, smiling. I respond: "I do! It's great!" I rattle off some positives -- getting to work in the time it takes to wait for the bus; saving money -- but the woman needs no convincing. I tell her she should get one. She thanks me for my time and drives away.

UPDATE (11 pm): New SRD: As I'm unlocking it after a reception, I notice three foreigners watching it intently. A man is describing to two women how it works. They are all speaking in Spanish, and I can't understand much, but I am acutely aware that they are watching me. After I get it unlocked, I stand on the platform and look at them. Now that they know I see them, they smile back at me. I briefly explain how it works, demonstrating how it responds to my slightest movements, while the man translates my words for the ladies. After a moment, I say, "Adios." They light up, and respond in unison, "Adios!!!" I turn and zoom away.

June 20: Toward the end of my commute home down Reservoir Road, I pass a group of older foreign women sitting next to the sidewalk outside the French Embassy. They all look up as I pass, and one of them actually starts applauding. She probably thinks it's hard to balance, and is applauding my skill. Little does she know it's doing all the work for me!

June 19: I'm heading back from a comedy show at Dupont Circle around 11 pm, and as I pass the Metro, an attractive woman calls out to me. "Excuse me sir, how does that work?!" I tell her it balances for me. "You have to let me try it," she says, approaching me, "it's my birthday!" I step down and put it in Turtle Mode, ready to give my standard Beginner's Lesson. But before I have a chance to tell her what to do, she steps up on it like an old pro. Very graceful, no beginner's shake. I show her how to move, and she asks me some more questions. I like her -- she's cute and spunky and very intelligent. Perhaps I can parlay this into another encounter? "By the way, happy birthday," I say. "How old are you?" Her response: "Seventeen!" Damn.

June 18: I'm returning from work, dressed in suit and tie. Stopped at a crosswalk, some guys next to me are clearly curious. I say hello, and one of them asks me, "Does it work?" Not how does it work, but does it work. I don't really know how to answer that... I'm standing on it and it's moving me around just fine, after all. I consider my answer, and carefully respond, ".........Yes."

*I would like to come up with a more creative name for the flying scooter than Seggie. If you have any suggestions, please drop them in the comments. So far I'm considering "Bruiser," "Steve," and "Donnie Milton the Fourth."