Elva and the Infamous Segway Tour

 

I happily left my job in corporate America on Friday, September 23, 2011.

 

Being “free at last,” I decided to take a trip to the wild side of life (you must understand that the greatest risk I normally take in my life is cooking without a recipe smiley).

Anyway, I decided that a Segway Tour of the Arts District in Fort Worth would be a fun thing to do, so I invited some women friends (all over 50 years of age) to join me on such a tour. As some readers probably know, a Segway is a motorized scooter that is controlled by shifting your weight forward and aft on the foot bed of the scooter; e.g., there are no controls on the handlebars, e.g., the rider has no brake or accelerator pedals or hand controls. If a rider wants to go faster, she moves her weight forward on the footbed and to slow down, she does the opposite. Everything was going along okay, until 5 minutes before the Tour was scheduled to end when I began to feel lightheaded like I might faint.

Self talk began: “You’re not gonna faint. You just feel like you’re gonna faint, but you’re not gonna faint…that would be a silly thing to do, you've felt like you were going to faint at other times in your life and you didnt and you won't faint now, either...you can make it back to the finish line where we started two hours ago…heck, we’re almost back there now…only 5 more minutes and everything’s gonna…”

And my eyes opened just as the ambulance was pulling into Harris Hospital Emergency Room…banged up face, legs, and head concussion.

My only explanation is that I must hve been like soldiers who faint when they've had to stand at attention in the hot sun for too long...knees locked, no circulation, etc. Since my feet controlled the scooter, I couldn't "shake out" my legs for two hours, and I think the blood just drained from my head and made me faint (I've never fainted before in this lifetime).

My friends who were there said that when I fainted, I slumped forward which sped up the Segway, it crazily veered from the sidewalk into the street where it hit a high curb going full speed ahead, and I went over the handlebars. Must have been a pretty sight to see a 66-year-old woman flying over the handlebars, knocked out cold, bleeding all over her face, elbow, legs.

Note to self: “If you feel like you’re going to faint, stop what you’re doing, sit down, and figure it out.”

Fortunately, no permanent scars or injuries (that are apparent so far....). I act a little wacky sometimes, but that's just the "normal me."cheeky

Mamie G
Working, living at home and paying board
 

Comments 6

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Tom Cormier (website) on Sunday, 16 September 2012 22:42

Oh I can tell I'm going to enjoy these stories Elva. I once owned a Segway and absolutely loved it. But I cannot imagine fainting on one. I love the visual. By the way, you have a lovely writing style and I'm subscribing to your stories. Geez do I wish I write like that.

Oh I can tell I'm going to enjoy these stories Elva. I once owned a Segway and absolutely loved it. But I cannot imagine fainting on one. I love the visual. By the way, you have a lovely writing style and I'm subscribing to your stories. Geez do I wish I write like that.
Elva Roy (website) on Sunday, 16 September 2012 23:34

Thanks, Tom. Wow, you owned a Segway? How fun. I remember all the drama that Dean Kaman churned up about this earth-shattering new mode of transportation, yadda. I do have great admiration for all of the things he has invented/developed. BTW, I thought I uploaded a photo with this story the other day...of my bunged up face, but I don't see it. So I will have to review to see whether there is even an option to upload photos on the Story page. I'm still learning, obviously.

Thanks, Tom. Wow, you owned a Segway? How fun. I remember all the drama that Dean Kaman churned up about this earth-shattering new mode of transportation, yadda. I do have great admiration for all of the things he has invented/developed. BTW, I thought I uploaded a photo with this story the other day...of my bunged up face, but I don't see it. So I will have to review to see whether there is even an option to upload photos on the Story page. I'm still learning, obviously.
Janet Holt (website) on Wednesday, 19 September 2012 16:58

Wow, this was a day to remember! Love your writing style and look forward to reading more of your adventures.

Wow, this was a day to remember! Love your writing style and look forward to reading more of your adventures.
Dick Pellek (website) on Monday, 24 September 2012 11:04

Do I see a smile under those contusions? Nice story!

Do I see a smile under those contusions? Nice story!
Elva Roy (website) on Monday, 24 September 2012 13:31

Thanks, Dick. I snapped the photo about a week after the accident so it was easy to smile by then, scrambled brains and all.

Thanks, Dick. I snapped the photo about a week after the accident so it was easy to smile by then, scrambled brains and all.
Golden V. Adams Jr. (website) on Wednesday, 03 October 2012 17:19

Elva, if you ride a Segway that's a far cry from cooking without a recipe! Awesome story, and I love that you have preserved the photo because hopefully by now all of the contusions have healed... and I hope your pride, too. What did the other ladies have to say about your "exiting" speeding adventure? As has been mentioned by other, your writing style is very easy to follow. Well done!

Elva, if you ride a Segway that's a far cry from cooking without a recipe! Awesome story, and I love that you have preserved the photo because hopefully by now all of the contusions have healed... and I hope your pride, too. What did the other ladies have to say about your "exiting" speeding adventure? As has been mentioned by other, your writing style is very easy to follow. Well done!