Owner of Segway dies in a freak accident

It has been reported that the CEO and owner of the Segway brand, Jimi Heselden, died on Sunday. This was after he drove his Segway off a cliff and into a river. Police apparently received reports that a man had fallen into a wharf near his home in West Yorkshire.

His Segway X2 was found next to him and the millionaire was pronounced dead at the scene. Heselden started off as a miner in the Yorkshire region. After the mines were shut down, he used his redundancy money to start the company HESCO Bastion. He made his millions selling wire cages that could be filled with earth.

This was first marketed to water companies to line up the sides of canals, but the wire cages were found to be quite useful at stopping bullets, missiles and suicide bombers. They have since become standard equipment for NATO, American and British forces.

He was worth £166 million and is one of the top 400 richest people in the UK, according to a Forbes list. A spokesperson for his company said that he will be remembered both for his generosity and his pride in the Leeds area.

Source

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Jacob Alexander

Jacob Mathew Alexander has been a motoring nut for as far as he can remember and has recently turned his passion into writing. After spending some time in the same industry in the UK, Jacob's work is from a slightly different perspective.

 

Comments

  • jisus on Sep 29, 2010 at 9:56 am

    Was reported that his segway understeer and the ABS and parachute also malfunction….a loss to mankind indeed…with segway we never go sideway..

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  • theanswer on Sep 29, 2010 at 10:10 am

    lost control while drifting? or oversteer?

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  • got recall?

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  • i’ve tried the segway …it was a lot of fun…great invention…thanks jimi..god bless..

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  • first i thought dean kamen, the inventor of segway die. oooo jimi heselden is the current owner of segway……

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  • campro on Sep 29, 2010 at 2:04 pm

    he is dead by his own creation machine???

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  • texas on Sep 29, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    this thing very usefull in orchard road, i think.

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  • why did he drove the segway off the cliff?

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  • squawk on Sep 29, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    I wonder if he tried to balance the Segway on the edge and it ran out of battery.

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  • Lim Kopi on Sep 29, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    Died using his own product ? real bummer ….

    Anyways where can we get this in KL ?

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  • Big Foot on Sep 29, 2010 at 3:01 pm

    RIP, Jimi.

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  • Jimmy on Sep 29, 2010 at 3:41 pm

    Why want to try something more dangerous? With his money, he can travel in bullet-proof RR (safer than Ninja King).
    Sometimes I just wonder why youngsters want to try climbing cliffs/mountain or descent into caves. You earn one million pound for that?
    Having fun within the limit of safety.

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    • that i suppose is something you will never understand then.

      people do such stuff to break free from monotony, to feel the adrenaline rush, to feel alive.

      same reason why people will bike over driving.

      no point in living life monotonously with no fun. life is short, enjoy every moment.

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      • Yup enjoy every moment, just like what happen to Mr. Segway. Haha.

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    • Ridz1 on Sep 30, 2010 at 6:01 pm

      Adrenaline Addict is better then a Drug Addict….

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  • WahPiang on Sep 29, 2010 at 3:49 pm

    Time for Proton to buy – now got Lotus and Segway. Global multi-transport corporation. phwaarrr

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    • rexis on Sep 29, 2010 at 11:17 pm

      Not enough two wheelers lesson?

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      • Ayam Tambatan on Sep 30, 2010 at 9:09 am

        I think it will sell like hotcakes in M’sia.

        Can ride into Tesco, tak payah parking. Tak payah signal some more. And will be far slower than a kancil in the right lane … perfect to infuriate other road users.

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  • Saw this in Orchard. Nice…

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  • bobdbilder on Sep 29, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    He’s the owner of the current company that bought the rights to the product. Not the American inventor of the Segway.

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  • osh_kosh on Sep 29, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    he was trying a new submersible Segway but failed???

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  • texas on Sep 29, 2010 at 8:46 pm

    this thing must have ABS, airbag, ect.. for safety mah..

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    • Majority “local cars” in Malaysia doesn’t have that luxury Mr. Texas. Try to buy one of our local “tin milo cars” delicacies, the ones with that “thundercat” logo. Haha.

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  • mycar on Sep 30, 2010 at 9:06 pm

    safety first, always buckle up your helmet no matter what you ride on…

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