He just got the form factor wrong. Go to China and everyone rides electric scooterbikes for short trips (with payloads too).
America is so car-dominated that it's hard for this to catch on. If our cities had 10x the population and fewer parking spots (because space is at a premium), we would be doing the same.
In fact, we probably will get there within 20 years. I can't wait for a Tesla ultralight EV or motorcycle. But you'll see this first in Chungking or Mumbai.
Very true - it is in fact a blind spot in our culture - I live in a new build town (15 years old) and whilst most amenities are in walking distance there are no dedicated cycle paths, no pedestrian areas.
Why the hell did I move here? Bbecause there are no better towns in the south east - it's wrong, everywhere
You know, you're essentially standing when walking...
Most of these trips are relatively short, somewhere around 5 to 20 minutes. Nobody is touring on a scooter.
The Segway form factor is remarkably maneuverable and space efficient for one person. But it's not $3k better than a bicycle or cheapo electric scooter. People are also familiar with riding bicycles, so there's no learning curve for scooters.
Dean Kamen might have said, if you live in the future, you won't drive short distances. He built Segway.