Are you starting to get scared every time you visit the fuel station? If so maybe now is the time to start thinking about swapping your gas guzzler for an eco friendly and cheap to run electric vehicle.
Electric scooters have come on in leaps and bounds over the last five years and although they’re still comparatively expensive to buy they can still work out as a cost effective long term solution.
The Plug In Sprint is one of the latest electric scooters to arrive in the UK, it’s built in China and is imported by Emissions Free Solutions. It costs ￡3,800 which is quite a lot compared to the price of a similar spec Chinese built 125cc petrol scooter which could be had for less than ￡1,800. With electric you’re paying a premium for the expensive batteries, motor and electronics.
It is a lot of money but when you think about the long term running costs compared to a petrol scooter/car or public transport that extra cost can soon be clawed back. A full charge on your Plug In will cost around 57 pence and you get a range of over 40 miles on average and road tax is free, so within three years you’ll recoup the extra outlay.
The main downside with an electric vehicle is the range; Plug In claim the Sprint can cover as much as 67 miles at 25mph, or 35 miles at 63mph, more than enough for most commuters. It takes four hours to fully charge and it uses a conventional three pin plug which is attached to a three metre long lead under the seat, so depending on where you work you could charge it whilst you’re there.
Before riding the Plug In you’ll need to take a one day CBT test and have insurance, just like you would for a petrol scooter. Everything else is just like riding a convention machine. You turn the ignition key, take it off the stand, press the starter button, twist the throttle and you’re away. I was impressed at how smooth the scooter felt and at how well it accelerated. The first thing you notice is how silent the world around you seems, the only sound is the road noise from the tyres and the wind.
Are you starting to get scared every time you visit the fuel station? If so maybe now is the time to start thinking about swapping your gas guzzler for an eco friendly and cheap to run electric vehicle.
Electric scooters have come on in leaps and bounds over the last five years and although they’re still comparatively expensive to buy they can still work out as a cost effective long term solution.
The Plug In Sprint is one of the latest 72v electric scooter to arrive in the UK, it’s built in China and is imported by Emissions Free Solutions. It costs ￡3,800 which is quite a lot compared to the price of a similar spec Chinese built 125cc petrol scooter which could be had for less than ￡1,800. With electric you’re paying a premium for the expensive batteries, motor and electronics.
It is a lot of money but when you think about the long term running costs compared to a petrol scooter/car or public transport that extra cost can soon be clawed back. A full charge on your Plug In will cost around 57 pence and you get a range of over 40 miles on average and road tax is free, so within three years you’ll recoup the extra outlay.
The main downside with an electric vehicle is the range; Plug In claim the Sprint can cover as much as 67 miles at 25mph, or 35 miles at 63mph, more than enough for most commuters. It takes four hours to fully charge and it uses a conventional three pin plug which is attached to a three metre long lead under the seat, so depending on where you work you could charge it whilst you’re there.
Before riding the Plug In you’ll need to take a one day CBT test and have insurance, just like you would for a petrol scooter. Everything else is just like riding a convention machine. You turn the ignition key, take it off the stand, press the starter button, twist the throttle and you’re away. I was impressed at how smooth the scooter felt and at how well it accelerated. The first thing you notice is how silent the world around you seems, the only sound is the road noise from the tyres and the wind.
Just as consumers check to make sure a business is legitimate before they buy, you likely do the same before your business has dealings with someone new. Whether you're looking to buy from a supplier, donate to a non-profit organization, or collaborate with another business on a project, you want to make sure you aren't taking unnecessary risks.
If you're dealing with a federally incorporated business, your search should be straightforward as those businesses are listed in Corporations Canada online database. Generally, all businesses — even federally incorporated ones — have to register in the province or territory in which they do business. This includes corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships (except those operating under a person's name). You may wish to seek information from the provincial registrars, some of which are available online, particularly when dealing with smaller businesses.
There are several ways you can investigate a business:
- Look it up. Do an Internet search using whatever information you have (name, address, phone number) and visit or call to see if it is what it claims to be.
- Put the word out on social media and look for online reviews. If the business has a presence there, someone will likely be talking about it or to its representatives.
- Ask for references from suppliers or clients (this option may not work for a very new business with few or no previous clients).
- Check with industry or trade organizations in your province or territory.
- Check with the Better Business Bureau; it provides reports on businesses and charities in both China and the United States.
- Search the china credit rating database; it's a voluntary registry, but many small Canadian businesses are listed.
Once you've verified to your own satisfaction that a business exists, it is wise to proceed with caution. If you decide to do business with someone you haven't dealt with before, you may want to start with a smaller, less risky transaction (if possible) to see how things go, until you feel comfortable that this is a business you can trust. This will also allow you to see how the business operates in terms of deadlines and customer service. If you are not satisfied, or something still doesn't seem right, you may decide not to proceed.
Verifying information is important to protecting your business. Find out about other ways to keep your business secure and to minimize risk.
Ever since the Segway came out, it has been the subject of many geeky lunchtime conversations. They were always just too cool.
Now I’m actually considering buying one. I would mostly use it to get back and forth to work. I live only 1.5 miles away, but it takes too long to walk and it seems silly to drive. Today I tried biking to work. It took only a little longer to bike (10 minutes) vs driving (7 minutes) so time is not a consideration.
What I don’t like about the bike is that it’s just slightly too large of a vehicle. You need to store it somewhere at either end. You’re not supposed to ride on the sidewalk, but it’s way too scary to ride in the lanes crossing the “intersection of death” at 101, 237 & Mathlilda. I’m also not looking forward to the day when I get a flat tire. With a Segway, I’d be able to legally and justifibly ride on the sidewalk.
The new Segways just came out and they have some cool new stuff. For one, you turn by leaning, just like you accelerated and decelerated before by leaning. I found the twisting of the grip unintuitive when I rode one a few years ago. It has a new wireless key device and a security alarm.
It certainly wouldn’t save me money vs. driving. A Segway scooter price is over $5,000. If I drive 3 miles a day and pay $3.00/gallon, I’ll save approximately $100 in gas plus whatever 675 miles is in terms of maintenance over a year. It’s better for the environment I suppose, but then again, I’m not sure 3 miles is going to make a difference over people driving in each day from San Francisco.
Neither a bike nor Segway would be great in the rain. The Segway would probably be better in cold and hot weather. I’d be going slower in cold weather, so there’s be less of a wind chill, and in hot weather I wouldn’t work up a sweat.
South Bay Segway in Campbell offers 2.5 hour tours of the Los Gatos Creek trail for $75. I’m thinking about taking one of those to see if I like it. Anne thinks it might be enough time to “get it out of my system”. Perhaps.
It might just be too geeky, even in Silicon Valley. I’m not sure I want to be known as “the Segway Guy” at work or deal with people who want rides all the time. Still, I think the technology is damn cool, and I lust for cool technology. That coolness always wears off after a while though and you’re left with the practicalities of if and how it improves your life.
Would a Segway improve my life by $5,000 worth? Would something else that costs $5,000 make me happier? I don’t know. Do you?
