Segway for Ontario (an antithesis): July 2004

Monday, July 19, 2004

Riding on the sidewalk is dangerous for Segway operators:

A city worker in Atlanta injured himself riding on a Segway scooter.
Riding a bicycle on the sidewalk is twice as dangerous as riding on the adjacent roadway, and riding on the sidewalk opposite the flow of traffic is more than 4 times as dangerous as riding on the road with the flow of traffic
Even the Segway website shows users wearing helmets. Safe pedestrian environments should not require helmets!

# posted by Segway for Ontario @ 9:16 AM

Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada

student, Communications Integrator for Innovative Mobility. Special thanks to Prof. Emeritus Alexander Kgemc for his support to our student group Innovative Mobility, a student research group dedicated to studying new yet responsible solutions to todays transit problems. We are in philosophical harmony with Transportation Alternatives a 5500 member NYC area non-profit citizens group working for better cycling, walking, public transit and fewer cars. On a personal note: The subject of Segways is fraught with controversy because everybody has an opinion. The opinion of myself and the group that I represent is "that Segways do not belong on any publicly funded pedestrian infrastructure". A Google search for the term "segway" brought up 1.8 million results and Yahoo had 4.7 million, the last time I looked. Our blog sites are an assemblage of these internet site opinions for the term "segway" and were created for the specific purpose of disseminating a coalescence of those opinions. For anyone considering the purchase of a Segway for use on "strictly private" property, we believe that it would be a marvellous "fun" vehicle. Bill Brunton

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For a full spectrum evaluation and analysis of all Innovative Mobility's Segway concerns please visit all our sites at:
1.) http://www.segwayforontario.blogspot.com/ "Segway for Ontario (an antithesis)"
2.) http://www.segwaycaveats.blogspot.com/ "Segway Caveats for Municipal Council Consideration"
3.) http://www.segwaydisabled.blogspot.com/ "Segways are not Disability Devices"
4.) http://www.segwaypilotproject.blogspot.com/ "Pilot Project For Segway In Ontario Is A Mistake"
5.) http://www.segwayillegalinontario.blogspot.com/ "Segway Riders Face Stiff Fines In Ontario"

Disclaimer:
The word “segway” has come to mean a whole myriad of “fun” sidewalk toys in todays lexicon. Whether it is a two, three or four wheel --- electrically or gas powered ---“personal assistance vehicle”, “personal mobility device” or whatever --- under the trade name Segway, Embrio, Nolet Electric Cruiser, Rad2Go Electric Chariot --- or colloquially as “ginger”, “ruth” or “fred”, --- they do not belong on the sidewalk. Innovative Mobility does not see these vehicles, regardles of what they may be called, as evil but rather innovative and amazing technology that belong on the roadways and not on public pedestrian pathways where they present a clear and present risk to pedestrians and other City stakeholders. Our mantra is pure and simple to all municipalities and regulating bodies “Please keep the sidewalks safe and do not provide preferential sidewalk access to the wealthy” by allowing them to use the sidewalks as their playground”; “there is simply too many open ended and unanswered questions to allow even limited trials of these sidewalk SUV’s or to approve only for use by persons with disability.”

“without prejudice”
The aforesaid is the opinion of Innovative Mobility based on the best available information available today. As we have said before “Segways are not evil, we believe that they are innovative and phenomenal technology – but they do not belong on the sidewalk or any public trails or pathways used by seniors or children. Redefining the accepted definition of “pedestrian” for the benefit of a single company is outrageously inappropriate.”

Segway for Ontario (an antithesis)

Monday, July 19, 2004

Riding on the sidewalk is dangerous for Segway operators:

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