Courtesy of Old Trail News
Crozet, VA Beights Corporation and CB Richard Ellis-Charlottesville are pleased to announce yet another business located in the new Old Trail Village Center in Crozet, Virginia. Seg-Ville, Inc., a venture of Albemarle County residents Don and Victoria Rich, will open in early January 2009 in the Old Trail Village Center. These unique, two-wheeled transportation units are powered by electric batteries. A Segway produces zero emissions and, when compared to the costs of automobile fuel versus that of electricity used to charge the battery, is eleven times more efficient than the average American car. (Source: Segway.com, July 2008.)
One negative that comes to mind is that if the Segways become popular in Old Trail, the Segways may serve to isolate Old Trail residents from the rest of Crozet.
For some reason, one of the first things I thought of was the communication methods used by humans in the movie WALL-E.
“One negative that comes to mind is that if the Segways become popular in Old Trail, the Segways may serve to isolate Old Trail residents from the rest of Crozet.”
Actually, Segways will only serve to help Old Trail residents (as well as those of us in other developments) be more connected with Crozet, and in more ways than one! Instead of riding in an enclosed airconditioned car with the radio on, the Segway rider gets to see and hear what those in cars totally miss. And by the way, we aren’t here to sell them only to Old Trail residents! My wife, son & I live in Western Ridge, and are hoping to eventually be able to ‘glide’ to work on most days, after a few more sidewalks eventually get installed.
Just like folks in Cory Farms, Western Ridge, Highlands, Greyrock, etc., Old Trail residents patronize stores in Crozet, too. Segways aren’t going to keep them stuck at home (they have a range of up to 24 miles per charge… when is the last time that anyone put 24 miles on their car and still stayed in town?!?). But imagine if instead of adding more single-person car trips to back up on Jarman’s at Crozet Ave., or at the 4 way stop, we have a few Segways gliding along the planned sidewalks or bike lanes. Every Segway in use means one less car that you’ll be stuck behind on our increasingly crowded roads. And during that hour each morning and afternoon when we have such a mess, the fewer cars on the road, the better off we all will be!
Let me throw another thought out there. People are talking about light rail service back and forth to C-ville. What if you could ride your Segway to the train, take it into C-ville with you for your ‘last mile’ transportation?!? Its been my experience that the biggest problem with light rail is how to get around once you get to the end of the tracks. DC is now allowing limited use of Segways on Metrorail, and Maryland is currently experimenting with Segways on busses and light rail. What if you could glide to the Crozet station and not take up a parking space when you got there, took the train into Charlottesville, and then were able to glide directly to your office or appointment. And all without breaking a sweat? I’d love to have that option!
Don Rich
Seg-Ville, Inc.
Just get a bike or walk.
In a long list of stupid decisions by Beights, this one takes the cake. Is the commercial rental market that bad?