Unusual questions asked by random strangers

[njcustom]

@thegreck alot of people ask if I made it.. It's the most asked question for me..

[BadWolf]

@njcustom said:

@thegreck alot of people ask if I made it.. It's the most asked question for me..

Same here. We must look like Tony Stark.

[njcustom]

@BadWolf hahahahahahaaa

[J-Glide]

@BadWolf said:

@njcustom said:

@thegreck alot of people ask if I made it.. It's the most asked question for me..

Same here. We must look like Tony Stark.

I'm going to start telling people that's my name when they ask that. LOL

[thegreck]

@BadWolf said:

@njcustom said:

@thegreck alot of people ask if I made it.. It's the most asked question for me..

Same here. We must look like Tony Stark.

Haha! What's weird is I've actually been told that I look like Robert Downey Jr. so many times that whenever someone says "You know who you look like?" I always know what they're going to say next. I don't really see it, but I've even had a stranger who thought I WAS him, and refused to believe me when I said I wasn't!

[Electric Slide]

@BadWolf said:

All we need now is a hoddie with a text on the back "Im riding a Onewheel"

Add to the beginning of that... "Don't bother me"

[erikbsteele]

@thegreck Dude can you post a pic of your face? I love dopplegangers lol

[Dude]

@Electric-Slide ha ha I think

"Don't Bother me....It's called a onewheel"

sounds perfect!

[NsinR8]

This post is deleted!

[NsinR8]

@Code-ster said:

@andyb The most common weird question I get is "Did you make that?" I guess I must look like an ultra talented individual :sunglasses:

^ This

[thegreck]

@erikbsteele said:

@thegreck Dude can you post a pic of your face? I love dopplegangers lol

My wife and I at a Christmas party:

[callenj357]

@thegreck whoa. i can definitely see the resemblance. Walk around wearing a Bruce Lee shirt on turntables and you will get asked for autographs!
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b2/8a/fb/b28afba954d68ccc1d0e1a3bca92f230.jpg

[Franky]

It's been a slow couple of months for me and my board in WI, but just got to Marco Island tiger tail beach for vacation. Took it for one ride down the beach and have to say riding in sand was more amazing than I expected. It probably helps a lot that the shoreline of compacted sand is pretty wide but riding across soft sand was simple too. Right now the beach is really busy and I was cruising while carving the shoreline and around people. As I was riding about every second or two I'd hear people say to one another "look at that" or "what is that". I'm used to first time reactions and answering question but I'm pretty sure I just exposed many thousands of people to onewheel because of how many were on the beach. Stopped a few times to answer more in depth question but eventually just had to smile and keep riding.

[thegreck]

I was riding around a park today and passed a couple of guys who were heading for their car. One of them said "What the heck??" And the other one said "That's SICK!"

[braswell]

@thegreck holy crap! I know you! haha I knew your name sounded familiar, I had to look through my old emails to make sure. Turns out I freelanced edited with you at Systemmax like 2-3 years ago haha

• Brandon Braswell

So funny to find you on here of all places! I wish I had my board back then! Haha that office and parking lots would be too fun :+1:

[rainynite]

What surprised me the most riding thru public parks is not what comments bit which comments by whom:

Kids / teenagers: just stare

Old adults: "that's so cool" / "does that have a motor?"

Seniors / Elderly: "that looks like so much fun, how does it work?"

Frankly I expected the latter to not really like my riding thru a public park but they of all age categories stopped me the most time to have a full conversation about the OW, how it works. No complaints from them whatsoever.

[njcustom]

Some lady asked me if my OW was a ghetto version of a hoverboard.. Kinda pissed me off but I nicely said no its the other way around

[thegreck]

@rainynite Same here! I'm expecting them to tell me to slow down or something, but they usually just light up and tell me how fun it looks. Generally with a bit of sadness that they might be too old to ride one. :disappointed:

[icekream]

There's this hilarious Sri Lankan shop owner on Brick Lane (London) who's been trying to catch me for the last 10 days, i can tell he wanted to ask all sorts of questions... but unfortunately for him, he missed me every time I passed (as I'm always gunning it waaaay too hard loool) So yesterday evening time...it was pretty quiet....and he heard me coming ( OW sounds a bit like the new R2D2 in SW: Force Awakens) so he sprinted out from the shop & yelled "HEEEEEYYYYY!! How did you make this one!?!?" I looked back at him & casually said: "Genius ;-)"

Then he's like "HEEEEEEYYYY!!!?"

Hahaha too jokes....

[thegreck]

I was riding around a tiny local park yesterday and a 10-year-old kid asked me "Can I ride it?"

Can you ride it?? No, you can't ride it... I'M riding it! Haha. Get your own, kid.

[jeff8v7]

My mother in law asked me how high it could fly - really :-)

[thegreck]

Had 2 people within 10 minutes of each other ask how much it costs. That's the most annoying question to me. "It's called a OneWheel... if you want to know how much it costs, Google it!"

One of them was a stranger in a sketchy part of town who yelled it out to me. That's all he wanted to know! Not what is it, not how it works, just how much it costs. Makes me worried why he wants to know. And like that's something I want to announce!

[atl1wheelin]

I get asked so much now and people want to ride it I just say "battery is almost dead" ha!

[hekkubus]

I've been riding around the campus of auburn university here in Alabama. I've let three college students ride mine. I feel like it'll make more ppl pull the trigger and get one, but probably it won't. I've also allowed a few of my high school students to ride, starting with their hands on my shoulders for safety.

I've thought about what I'd do if they took off and didn't come back, but I'm hoping the good natured move of letting them ride will make them not screw me over. I'd never let a kid ride bc they could get hurt.

[thegreck]

(Bringing this one back from the dead) While riding on the boardwalk in Venice Beach for our weekly LA meetup yesterday, we had at least two people yell out "What the fuck is that thing??" when we passed them. I had the idea that we should get shirts made that said "It's a Fuckin' OneWheel" printed on the front, with an arrow pointing down.

Also, I recently covered my entire board in matte black vinyl wrap (https://archive.owforum.co.uk/uploads/files/1457671058083-image.jpeg) and was thinking that by covering the wooden footpads that people would stop asking me "Did you make that?" I was wrong. They still think I made it. I guess I look a lot smarter than I am.

[sonny123]

I usually hear, "What the fu**...!!!"

[thegreck]

@sonny123 Yep, got that too. "What the f@ck is that??" And "What the f@ck??"

[thegreck]

@shadowfx said:

"Can I try it? Don't worry, I won't fall" - Cocky individual who inevitably falls despite warnings.

Easy solution: Say no. Because like you said, they ALWAYS fall.

[Aswellie]

I am actually against letting anyone else ride it...especially strangers. It's one thing if I fall and bust my ass but I don't know what kind of legal liability I have if someone else gets on with my permission and seriously injures themselves.

[medhead]

"What's that called?"
"That thing looks like a trip to the ER"
"Can I ride it?" (NO!)
...and my favorite:
"Did you make that yourself?"

[Franky]

There are very few adults that have asked to ride so when they do I will cautiously let them ride. Kids on the other hand "NO!"

[thegreck]

I was late for the train tonight (missed it by SECONDS!!) and flew by some kid on a corner on a skateboard who yelled out "How do you ride that thing?" I didn't have time to answer him, but I was thinking to myself "Just like this."

[skylarmb]

@Code-ster 3/3 questions I have been asked so far are that. "Did you make that?"

[thegreck]

@skylarmb Someone pulled up beside me as I was riding tonight and asked me "Did you make that yourself?" Seems that question is by far the most asked one, and it seems so f@cking weird to me.

My wife asked me why it bugs me so much that people ask me that, and I said "Because I paid $1,500 for this thing!"

[fabuz]

@thegreck soon,plus 1500 for "madame" looool

[atl1wheelin]

I get asked the "Did you make that thing"? Moving forward I'm going to create some huge convuluted story of how I did it and I'm a nuclear physiscist and I partnered with Elon Musk of Tesla and if you buy a tesla you'll get a free onewheel. I told one of my buddies wives how the special forces were using onewheels to go after ISIS in stealth mode and it almost stuck. Gullible! haha

[Dude]

@atl1wheelin ha ha ha .....That is Awesome. I love it.

[medhead]

@thegreck I hear you. I end up trying to explain in way too much detail how sophisticated the engineering really is. I guess I'm flattered that people think I could make it myself.

[LA Dreads]

#1 question I get... "Did u make that?" 🙄

[Aswellie]

Pre-teens kids: "oh shit! You have one of those?!"
Adults: "wow...did you MAKE that!?"

Answer to both emphasized by the Doppler affect as I fly past: "Yeeeeeeeeeeep!!!!"

[Dude]

I got "Nice onewheel" today, it made me smile and some kid later on said "see that thing dad" ha ha I think they saw me earlier.

[thegreck]

@Dude said:

I got "Nice onewheel" today, it made me smile

Yeah it's crazy how rare it is to have someone actually know what it is! I think that's happened maybe 3 times since I started riding it.

[Franky]

I'm guessing the reason people think we made it is that they cannot imagine that this amazing product exists and have heard something about it. It is pretty strange how out of the mainstream ow is especially now that there are thousands out being ridden.

[poopmonkey]

I'm not a rocket scientist here, but if 99.99999999999% of users claim the most asked question they get is 'did you make that?' It's because it looks 10000000000000% homemade.

Note to manufacturer: IT DOESNT SOUND LIKE USERS ARE THRILLED WITH THE FACT THAT EVERYONE THINKS THE BOARD THEY JUST DROPPED $1500 ON IS A HOMEMADE GARAGE PROJECT. I KNOW ID FEEL THE SAME (Just an on topic observation about the design appearance and peoples reaction. Clearly everyone loves riding it)

[thegreck]

@poopmonkey I partially agree with this, but I think another part of it is that it's very simple in concept (to the naked eye, it's a Go-Kart wheel in the middle of an industrial-looking deck) and also because they've never seen one before, so they assume we made it.

Even though I do take issue with spending so much money on something that people keep asking me if I made, I also hate to think of how cheesy it would have to look for people NOT to ask me that. I really like the super-simple industrial look (although I would prefer an all matte-black version, which I've already modded mine to be) over something corny and "futuristic" looking.

[thegreck]

@poopmonkey (I forgot to make part of my point) I think the main problem is that so few people have heard of the OneWheel, so once Future Motion starts advertising better and as more and more people own them and they become more commonplace, people will likely stop asking that question.

[poopmonkey]

This post is deleted!

[thegreck]

@poopmonkey Yes, I agree with that. I'm interested to see what version 2 ends up looking like. I have faith that Kyle will keep it cool and stay far away from cheesy, but that there will be stylistic and aesthetic changes from the current version that will cut down on the "did you make that thing?" comments.

[poopmonkey]

@thegreck

Sounds logical. I can't imagine the manufacture would wan't that to be the public perception either. A fascinating and interesting topic of discussion however to have been able to discover this common denominator among users. I like the look of it really, after looking at it more I think the big exposed wheel contributes largely to the homemade question. When the fender is on I feel it looks less like a homemade board and more like something you bought. This forum is like a goldmine for the manufacturer.

[poopmonkey]

@thegreck I'd probably mod mine to flat black too. Do you know if the lights are able to be turned off? I have an aversion to using lights (unless for function at night) because otherwise I personally feel it's unnecessary flash that cheapens the appearance of what stands on it's own merit simply because it's awesome. Plus I like to attract as little attention as possible and I know riding a onewheel in los angeles is already going to attract plenty of attention with the lights off.

[thegreck]

@poopmonkey Yes, you can turn them on and off from the app. I always have mine turned off, unless night riding.

[sonny123]

Stopping by for ice cream. Not much questions but many 'what the hell is this' looks...

[amyt2205]

A few comments from my cruising around the neighborhood this weekend:

1. Guy riding a bike (raising his fist in the air): "We're living in the future!"

2. Man slowing down his black SUV to figure out what the hell I'm riding: "Is that thing as hard as it looks?"

3. Little girl being pushed by her father in a stroller: "Daddy, can I get one of those someday?"

Also I startled about half a dozen squirrels. I love the pause when they're trying to decide whether I'm something they have to get out of the way of or not. They always make the right decision, but after a moment of incredulity.

[thegreck]

This isn't really a question, but an engineer at my wife's office was looking at the Onewheel logo and pointed out that the O with the line through it is the symbol for zero, which, digitally speaking, is the opposite of one. Seemed a bit nerdy, but also a valid point.

[knight32]

I got "What the f*ck is that homie?" from a teenage stoner on a skateboard as I rode past him on the street yesterday.

[wheeler]

"Dude,do an ollie!"
"Wheres the motor in that thing?"
"Where'd you buy that?"

[Aaron Broward FL]

I get, "where did you hear about that?"

Which is just baffling to me cause, I'm like.... The Internet.... Cause I like cool things... And I pay attention to them... :)

[sonny123]

"I thought I was seeing stuff..."

A guy driving by on a Saturday night...

[D-Wave]

Riding past a pub with my son - a guy sitting at an outside table jumps up and points and yells, "Whoa!!! They're wizards!!!"

[hekkubus]

@wheeler said in Unusual questions asked by random strangers:

"Dude,do an ollie!"
"Wheres the motor in that thing?"
"Where'd you buy that?"

One of my co-workers annoys me. He's like, "Go as fast as you can!" and "Jump some curbs."

[thegreck]

@hekkubus Or "Do a handstand!" What do people think we are, circus performers? Nobody asks people riding longboards to do tricks.

[sonny123]

I think I have slight air leak and been holding off sending it in.
Yesterday I took a portable bicycle pump with me and half way back, I had to pump the tire a bit.
Couple people passed by me with the look,
"what the fu** is that guy doing..???"

[thegreck]

@sonny123 Don't send it back just yet, buy a can of slime and squeeze 4oz into the wheel. That usually fixes most leaks.

[sonny123]

I tried it and I think it helped.
But having bought it used, the threads are slightly showing.
Gonna try to get by on it as long as I can.
Dunno what I'll do without it for 2 weeks. lol

[thegreck]

@sonny123 Wow, you have to put quite a few miles on it for the threads to show... I hope it's still under warranty!

[sonny123]

I think the previous owner did quite a bit of ripping on it.
Ironically, range is unaffected and never had a single issue with it.
Runs like a charm.
Not to mention I did plenty of slow speed carving trying to get the hang of it.
The white threads are in few spot on the edge, not in center.

[sonny123]

[donny h]

I've heard all of the usual questions and remarks to kickflip!, but the other day a little boy with his family yelled " now that's just lazy!" That's the funniest one I've heard

[thegreck]

@donny-h Lazy?? I wonder if he yells that at people in cars or on motorcycles, too.

[DrN3RD]

@poopmonkey I kinda like it.

We ride a robust monster, not a fragile ipad with a wheel in the middle

[hekkubus]

Yesterday, I was riding around the park across from my house, and I stupidly rode by the playground. Middle-school aged kid comes up as I ride by and yells, "Let me ride it!"
Me: Nope as I start by.
Him (more forcefully): Let me ride it!
Me: Nope
Another kid tries to cut me off: Let me ride!
Me: Nope
Other Kid (starts to chase me): I'll catch you when you come back around.

Kids have no manners these days.

[juts]

I get the same comments and questions as you guys;

Sick board
Whered you get it
How much
Did you make it yourself

Its mostly pre teens and other kids that when they see me riding it and if they are with their parents they tell them they need that board. I overheard a little girl say it to her mom yesterday and so i turned around and asked the mother if her daughter would like to try it (she had a helmet and gear on from riding a scooter). Her mom said yea so i let the girl try it out by holding her hands so she could balance and try it out. Im pretty sure it made her day.

[Seekwence]

@forzabucks Dude I just tell them straight up about the price, and the response is "REALLY? OMG. ID NEVER PAY THAT"

Then I provide an equal response to make them feel dumb:

"What do you mean? This is nothing but pure f*****g genius and magic. You obviously can't stop your impulsive and ignorant mouth from spouting out some unjustified opinion, you dont deserve one either." rides away "Made in the USA!"

[juts]

Not gonna lie but that wouldnt make me feel dumb. Itd make you look like an ass. Ive told people how much it is and yea they are shocked by the price. Then i say its worth it because of how fun this is as well as built with very good quality and only takes 20 min to charge up.

Just my 2 cents

[dcosmos]

@juts i don't understand how everyone says this thing charges in 20 minutes. I have two OWs and they both take over 30 minutes to charge from dead.

[juts]

@dcosmos ive timed mine everytime and mine charges within 10-20 min. 20 min from it being with 1-3% battery left

[dcosmos]

@juts I've timed mine as well. Always just over 30 minutes. It's not such a concern that I would want to send them back. I just thought it was hype like a car's mpg given by the manufacturer. However, I've heard multiple people claim the 20 minute recharge time is real. I also figured that they don't ride until low-battery-pushback like I do.

[juts]

@dcosmos yea sounds like you ride until nothing. I ride until it looks like its within 1-3% left.

[Nicky Skinz]

I had 5 people just today ask me if i made it lol

[1woman1wheel]

Some kids pulled up alongside me and shouted out the window of their car, "I could catch so many Pokemon on that thing! What is it???"

That's EXACTLY what I was using it for at the time, too 😂

[thegreck]

@1woman1wheel Eyes on the road! ;)

[Dude]

@1woman1wheel said in Unusual questions asked by random strangers:

Some kids pulled up alongside me and shouted out the window of their car, "I could catch so many Pokemon on that thing! What is it???"

That's EXACTLY what I was using it for at the time, too 😂

ha ha... Perfect!

[1woman1wheel]

@thegreck they were! I had it in battery saver mode and was trying to hatch eggs on my way to catch Poliwags at the harbor. scout's honor

[1woman1wheel]

Teenager out the window of a car, very loudly: "What the f**k?! Hey, wait, come back, I have to take a video of you!"

He almost caused an accident.

[itwire]

@1woman1wheel i made a little kid crash his bike the other day :(

[itwire]

A lady asked me if I built it my self lol.

[westcoastr]

Yesterday a car stopped in the middle of the road and the passenger nearly jumped out the window to yell "I need one of those! What is it??"

[LidPhones]

The most asked question is: "What is that?" followed by "Did you build it?". LOL

[frotozoa]

The one we all know is going to get the same reply from now on. I did a trade, or I won it in a raffle..😏

[thehoff]

@andyb living in Nothern Ireland I get all the usual questions..
Lots of "wow that's so cool" and "did you built that yourself"

Today I had 3 30-40 year old men shout. "Go for it Marty" lol

[thegreck]

Not a question, but I was riding uphill in the dark tonight with the headlights on, and an old woman standing outside a library yelled out, "That's rule!"

[ElectricHippy]

Nothing unusual here other than what people have already said. I try and be nice but then you get the "how much does it cost" question and that is starting to bug me. I have had countless idiots complain about the cost to me and get all indignant about it like I made a bad choice or have something to do with the cost. People actually think the OW is around 200 to 300 dollars. SMH...

[thegreck]

@ElectricHippy Yeah I hate that question too, especially when it's the first and only question by some sketchy looking stranger. I've had some tweaker tell me he could make one for a lot less. Well then you should do that and sell them, then you could stop stealing money from your parents to buy meth.

[ryan1Auburn]

@Code-ster I get that all the time too. I think that's a strange one.

[ryan1Auburn]

I was riding some walking trails around a frisbee GC and this guy shouts inquisitively "how do you do that?"

I always love to see people turn as I ride by and say
"What is that?"
"Whoa did you see that"
"Oh that's cool"

i was riding in a park and this guy says
"Man that's really cool, it's fun watching you ride"

[thegreck]

@ryan1Auburn Yeah, "How do you ride that?" is always a confusing one, especially when people yell it out as you're riding by. I've said "Like this!" in response a few times.

[hustle]

@ElectricHippy "It's cool, but not $1500 cool."
I get that one from a lot of people. Those comments are subjective and I try to let them go. (If I didn't get the great deal I did from my dad, I wouldn't have shelled out the money in one lump sum with student loans still on the table.)
I do get a little annoyed though when people knock on MY purchase. I ride it to work, I don't have to drive my car, buy gas, pay for maintenance. If you want to get all hippie, we have a much smaller footprint on the world. Plus, we're boundlessly more bad ass than every one else. Haters gon' hate.

[PeterG]

I'm feeling part of the club now... I got the 'did you make that?' question yesterday! I'm wondering too, are we attention junkies? Are these comments our drug? As I'm still getting comfortable riding I actually find I enjoy the quieter times when there are less onlookers but will admit that getting a comment from a passer by is a bit of a rush. Then there's the ones that don't even seem to notice me and I almost want to stop and say 'hey, are you seeing this?? cool eh?' (yes, I'm Canadian)

[groovyruvy]

@PeterG whenever I'm taking a short breather I'm always glad to wrap with anyone who's geeked about the board, but I like to keep the convos short and sweet so I can get on with my ride. Some folks really like to keep on talking about it so I nip that in the bud with something like 'here I'll show you' (and then I just ride away and flash a thumbs-up).

[thegreck]

@PeterG I actually have a huge fear of being the center of attention, and it was one of the biggest hurdles when ordering my Onewheel (aside from the money). But I had to have one, so I ordered it. But while I was waiting for it to arrive (which back then was a 1.5 months), I'd try to imagine riding through the crowded sidewalks in the city where I work (Pasadena) on something that I knew would draw pretty much EVERYONE'S attention to me, and I'd have these minor freak outs. I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to do it, and I'd end up having to sell it.

Then it arrived, and I rode it. After that, I didn't give a rat's ass how many people watched me, because this thing is the most amazing vehicle I've ever been on, and if everyone's eyes are on me while I'm riding, I'm fine with it. I've actually come to thrive on it, and it just makes me ride faster and take on every sidewalk like it's the world's biggest obstacle course, and the jealousy of all the suckers on foot just gives me more strength, like spinach to Popeye.

[jordo]

I enjoy all the comments, including the idiots that think $1500 is too much to pay. What they really mean is 'I need to get me a new job'. I usually jump off and tell them to try it out if they think it's over priced, those that do eat their words. They're the same jokers that think we're riding a lazy-man's skateboard, or want to see an ollie...

Sometimes the looks you get are better than any words. My favorites are the side head tilt as you go by, as if to say, 'am I really seeing this?'. Or even better, the onlooker that doesn't want to look directly at the board, but tries to peak out of the corner of their eye as you zip by. Then you turn back to see them stopped in the middle of the sidewalk with their jaw dropped.

[hustle]

@groovyruvy Hahah!!! I do the "Let me show you" and flash a thumbs up too!

@thegreck I actually started doing small runs in low population areas/trails because of the same thing. I don't like going out to eat alone. In fact, I don't like doing much alone. The OneWheel was a fear at first but the more comfortable I got on it and with it, the less I started caring about what other people were thinking and instead let my mind free with the wind.

I had one guy stare out the window of his gf's car, look me straight in the eyes, and go, "Tits man. That is tits." No smile, just plain faced. It was one of the most awkward social interactions I ever had.

Had two other little boys stop me and ask about it, fi they could ride, so and so. Then the 'How much is it' question.
I told them, 1500
One hundred fifty?
No no, one thousand five hundred
WITHOUT SKIPPING A BEAT this little boy goes, "We're doing a fundraiser do you have any cash?" With his hands out. I couldn't help but laugh as I rode away.

[jordo]

Tits is the ultimate compliment from a bro...think about it. Doesn't get much better than tits...

[thegreck]

@jordo said in Unusual questions asked by random strangers:

Or even better, the onlooker that doesn't want to look directly at the board, but tries to peak out of the corner of their eye as you zip by. Then you turn back to see them stopped in the middle of the sidewalk with their jaw dropped.

Yeah, I work at a big company with a lot of engineers and programmers, so there are a lot of shy, awkward people roaming the streets around the building when I leave or come to work. I see a lot of people who you can tell are trying very, very hard to just keep looking forward and not look at the Onewheel; so much that it's funny. I want to yell, "Whatever you do, don't look at the Onewheel!" when I pass them.

[hustle]

@thegreck You should put eyes on the back of your helmet (or shirt) with the phrase, "I see you lookin'" or something like that haha

[augie09]

most common so far is 'what the heck?'. I did have a security guard yell at me, "you're not allowed to do that here". I replied "do what?". He started to say 'skateboard', but then looked down and was completely confused. I felt 20 years younger, being chased by renta-cops.

[hekkubus]

Got a "That's just a lazy man's skateboard."
I should have stopped and asked him to ride to show him how it works. Or just let him fall on his butt.

[LidPhones]

@hekkubus so true. The balance skill alone would put most people on the ground.

[Roy]

Let him try it with the power off...

[hekkubus]

@Roy said in Unusual questions asked by random strangers:

Let him try it with the power off...

Pure devil's work, right there. Hahahaha

[RLY]

After 105 miles, I've never been asked about price. I was riding down 2nd Avenue the other day and a teenager with her friends asked, "Can I take a video?" She said I looked like I was "floating" down the sidewalk and she wanted to capture it on her phone. Maybe there's footage of me on my OW on Facebook somewhere.

[hustle]

@thegreck I agree 100%. It gets me to grocery store, gets me to friends houses, gets me to work. I don't have to pay for parking with it. I don't have to pay for gas. I am much more maneuverable AND it's sooo damn fun. Commuting is a blast. How many people can say that?

[RLY]

@RLY said in Unusual questions asked by random strangers:

After 105 miles, I've never been asked about price.

Shortly after I posted that, I was asked twice about price. The first time was by a police officer that stopped me on Park Avenue. The second time was a different day by a guy on Fifth Avenue as I was exiting the park. Both times, I was waiting for the light to change; in fact, the officer chatted with me for so long I missed it.

I answered their question both times -- "fifteen hundred" -- why does this question bother people?

[ahxe45]

@RLY It bothers me sometimes depending on who is asking the question. At least where I live some people are not asking because they are interested in buying one if you know what I mean. Other reason is half the people that I actually have told the price to automatically make a comment about how ridiculous that is and why would you pay that much "I could make one myself for $200"

[thegreck]

@RLY said in Unusual questions asked by random strangers:

@RLY said in Unusual questions asked by random strangers:

After 105 miles, I've never been asked about price.

I answered their question both times -- "fifteen hundred" -- why does this question bother people?

Because it puts us on the spot to sound like a privileged snob to those less fortunate. I mean, I had to save for a few months just to have enough money so that when I put it on my credit card, I didn't feel like I was going to totally screw up our finances... but other people don't know that. I'm sure a lot of people just see some rich jerk who can spend $1,500 on a toy.

Also, when I'm at a train stop in LA at night by myself, and some sketchy looking dude asks me how much it costs, and no other questions, it makes me a little uncomfortable to say the least.

[thegreck]

@ahxe45 Nice! Yeah, it bugs me seeing that stupid comment on every Onewheel FB post, "Why don't they just learn to skate!" And they're saying it about people who can SHRED on a skateboard, but a skateboard can't go 16mph uphill through a hiking trail!

[ahxe45]

@thegreck exactly

[hustle]

@thegreck The sketchy people are why I worry. There are only about 3 different paths I take to each of my destinations, so if someone finds out how much it is and decides they want to rob me one day my route is fairly recognizable. I do have my ccw and I do carry sometimes though :)

I also feel almost guilty for saying how much it costs because I don't want people to judge me for spending that much, but at the same time they don't know the circumstances for how I did get it. Oh well

[groovyruvy]

@hustle said I do have my ccw and I do carry sometimes though :)

Bro you're like a OW vigilante out there, riding the sketchy streets, making it safe for all the rest of us :) Where do you conceal it? I'd be afraid of wiping and setting it off, costing me an arm or a leg or perhaps a much more important part. Wait . . . . just came up with a nifty idea- a gun-mounted OW holster ;) When we finally meet up for a ride, please keep it on safety :)

[hustle]

@groovyruvy
A. I don't fall ( anymore ;) )
B. I carry a glock, there is no safety.

In all seriousness, I just have an IWB holster. Carry it at 5 o'clock position and I carry a Glock 27 so they are pretty small. I don't even notice the thing anymore. I don't think anyone can tell I'm carrying though when I ride.

Love the idea of a OW mounted holster! LOL

[RLY]

@ahxe45 @thegreck @hustle

Ah, you don't like the question of price because you don't want to get robbed. Understood. I'm in a heavily policed area with plenty of easier targets potentially carrying smaller, more valuable items -- so I just worry about the crazies when I'm riding through dark areas of the park at night.

[dalisdair]

If people yell "How does that work?" or "How do you ride that thing?", as I'm going by them fast, I yell back "MAGNETS!"

[dalisdair]

If they ask how much it costs, I will tell them either $1500 or $300, depending.

[dalisdair]

An old woman with a cane yelled, "Those things are illegal!"

A skateboarder looks at me with a sour face and says "Really, dude?"

A different time a skateboarder yelled at me "Why?"

The best was a kid who looks at me and says "Damn Cuz, you is crazy!" and started laughing, I laughed myself and nearly fell off.

[dalisdair]

@hustle I must say, sleek double side mounted turrets with the option of extra ammo packs would be nice. I wouldn't carry a weapon, but you might convince me to ride one.

[regulat0r]

@hustle I also ride carrying a Glock 43 in a pocket holster, sometimes with my IWB depending on my setup. I barely notice it's even there and gives me peace of mind in sketchy areas. I mainly worry about shady cars that drive by slowly. Never know if someone is going to try to jacking you.

[Wrex]

@regulat0r said in Unusual questions asked by random strangers:

@hustle I also ride carrying a Glock 43 in a pocket holster, sometimes with my IWB depending on my setup. I barely notice it's even there and gives me peace of mind in sketchy areas. I mainly worry about shady cars that drive by slowly. Never know if someone is going to try to jacking you.

Usually carry my Sig P938 or my LC9s, here. I've been carrying my M&P Shield .45 lately now that the weather is cooler and I am wearing jeans, again.

[regulat0r]

@Wrex That's awesome, you have some great options! I was actually looking into a few of those before going with my G43. I have a G23 as well and figured I'd stay in the family ;)

I forgot to note that I do also sometimes carry in a belly band holster which may also be a nice option for some. It's super comfortable and easily accessible.

[hustle]

@regulat0r the 23 was my first! Then I got the 27. Looked at a 43 but decided my student loans need to disappear before I buy more guns.

[regulat0r]

@hustle lol, tell me about it man! Once you get that 'fever' in you, costs start adding up quickly haha..

I wanted to share an experience I had yesterday with everyone. I returned from my longest (18 mile) ride with my gf who was biking, taking several breaks to charge. I live near a large network of parks and enjoy riding on scenic paved biking / walking trails when I can. Most of these trails post no motorized vehicle signs. I make it a point to be super friendly to others, smile as I ride by, always give pedestrians/bikers the right of way, and also wear helmet/pads. In other words, I try to be respectful of others and my surroundings...safety first always.

On two separate occasions yesterday, two older guys on their bikes (who I intentionally slowed down for so they could pass me) became very confrontational about my OW, constantly inferring that it has to be a motor vehicle (which is true), but with a very rude tone. I knew what they were getting at. I calmly told the first guy who confronted me that it's actually not motorized, but a spring loaded device haha. I can tell that this response threw him off, but I didn't give him anymore time to try refuting as I chose to pass him at that point. I told the second guy that the OW uses a system of tension coils/magnets and requires me to manually wind it up every so often lol. I'm clearly not an engineer haha. He said that doesn't seem right and asked me what the OW was called. I told him that it's a prototype I developed and that I can't provide any more details as they are highly confidential. I figured who is he to think otherwise to question me?

I'm not sure if anyone else has encountered this same scenario, but I'd be interested to see how you may have responded?

[hustle]

@regulat0r I think you take the right approach. I am always as respectful as possible.
As for the one offs, I would do what you did and try to get them to just go away. Chances are they won't call the cops and if they do you'll be far away by the time they come. Cops and city employees have seen me on the no motorized vehicle paths a couple of times and I've never been bothered. I think the no motorized vehicle signs weren't intended for something that only goes 20. They were posted for mopeds and dirt bikes and shit. I highly doubt anyone with authority would stop you.

[sonny123]

@regulat0r

Nice approach.

Tell him it's called Springy Board and to look it up on Youtube.

[regulat0r]

@hustle Thanks for your feedback! You're absolutely spot on with everything. I've been passed by police officers and employees as well without issues, for the most part. First weekend I took my OW out, I ended up falling off trying to go up a grass hill. There was an officer in his car who pulled up close by. He was very friendly and asked if I was okay, then told me to be safe. Two weeks later at that same park, an employee who I coincidentally saw riding a golf cart on the trail when I arrived ended up stopping me later from her cart noting that I’m on a motorized vehicle. I haven’t been back there in a few weeks. Just waiting for the staff to start decreasing soon as it gets colder. I know everyone’s mileage may vary, but it’s always best to just keep it calm and cool if approached.

@sonny123 good call on that! Seems like it could be a nice deflection ;)

[LidPhones]

@regulat0r

Great info here. I may recycle some of these responses if needed on a trail..

[hekkubus]

@thegreck Yeah, I took out a loan and bought my OW and a new mattress at the same time. That's how I talked the wife into letting me get one.

I teach, and my kids will ask (more because they want to buy than to be rude) how much I paid. I just tell them "A pretty good bit," and they start guessing. I'll give them clues. Strangers ask, and I usually tell them. I do, however, feel exactly like you are describing...

[matto]

Last night I was riding in a park, and a guy that was walking his dog approached and said something like « Tell me that's a prototype of something you made and you are testing it! »
For a minute I was tempted to say yes, but then I ended up telling the truth: I'M FROM THE FUTURE.

[SaturnOne]

@matto That's not a lie!! I'm totally with you 😎

[1woman1wheel]

@tr6 Oh man, I've had the opposite experience - dogs HATE me on the OneWheel!

[SaturnOne]

@1woman1wheel For the first time, here too today. That dog came straight at me. Luckily it disappeared as quickly as it had come..

[1woman1wheel]

@SaturnOne hopefully you were able to ride faster than it could run! I dunno though. Some scary dogs are also scary fast. Someone a couple streets away from me owns two REALLY scary dogs; thank God they're fenced in because they would have eaten me for dinner twice by now. Still, I avoid riding that way now.

@hustle said in Unusual questions asked by random strangers:

@regulat0r I think you take the right approach. I am always as respectful as possible.
As for the one offs, I would do what you did and try to get them to just go away. Chances are they won't call the cops and if they do you'll be far away by the time they come. Cops and city employees have seen me on the no motorized vehicle paths a couple of times and I've never been bothered. I think the no motorized vehicle signs weren't intended for something that only goes 20. They were posted for mopeds and dirt bikes and shit. I highly doubt anyone with authority would stop you.

I was nervous about that at first and missed a great opportunity to ride on Cape Cod. But yeah, rode one up in Newburyport, MA and it was no problem - I think the sign is definitely meant for mopeds and such.

[craiger123]

I live neer CU in Boulder Colorado and went by a local stoner who said "That's cool! Do I have anything I could trade you for that!" I just said no, but I should have asked him what he had in mind.

[l4rzzz]

I was carving in a park and a kid screamed "hashtag style".

Another time carving in the streets, I saw a cop car and got nervous so I slowed down and started rolling in a straight line and missed a stop sign. Cop yelled out the window "looking good except for the stop".