A Segway skeptic's first scooter spin

When I was in college at Cal Berkeley (go Bears!), there was this kooky professor-looking guy on his Segway hanging out on Sproul Plaza. I don't really think he was a professor, just a weird guy proud to be on his scooter. He was point No. 1 on my "Segways are weird" list.

The second had to do with my favorite-but-cancelled television show, "Arrested Development." For those of you unfamiliar with the program, oldest son George Oscar Bluth usually rode around on a Segway, complete with a fanny pack emblazoned with his initials. He's even immortalized as the animated Mr. Bananagrabber character, a banana-shaped GOB-esque guy on a Segway. That character was cheesy, and the Segway added to that. Point three was the "worst of tech" story here at CNET, in which Segway polo took the crown for No. 1 worst tech innovation of the year. That pretty much was the kiss of death for me ever respecting anything having to do with a Segway.

Video: Segway novice takes the test
Neha Tiwari hops on a Segway I-180 for the first time. Watch her document the trials, tribulations and victories of learning how to work one of these bad boys.

Then I went to Semicon West here in San Francisco, and I saw the Segway racetrack (it was kind of hard to miss with the bright orange bumpers taking up a section of the third floor). I poked around casually for a bit, and saw a girl named Emily explaining how to use those quirky tech transpos. People seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves. Some bumped into stuff or nearly fell, with the bleacher-bound audience watching and waiting for their turn.

I decided that it might be fun to try my hand, thinking if anything, it would be comic. So I took a lesson, and surprisingly, really enjoyed it. The hardest part was getting on and off. It sounds pretty simple, but there was a lean involved that I really didn't get. I literally used force to get on and dismount the vehicle. But going forward, stopping and turning were pieces of cake. I found the Segway to be really fun to ride and pretty intuitive to my actions. Plus, you can go pretty fast, depending on the angle of your lean. I even went back for a second spin before I took off from Semicon.

Apparently, South Bay Segway runs three-hour tours on the beautiful trails of Los Gatos, Calif. I might even go check that out. OK, fine. Call me Mr. Bananagrabber. I'll gladly ride off into the sunset on a Segway with GOB to my left and weird Sproul guy to my right.