There's a story in today's paper here in London, UK that tells of a disabled
person aged 66 driving a motorised disabled person's mobility buggy on the
pavement at a speed of 8 mph (13kph).

The scooter was painted like a Formula 1 Ferrari and the disabled rider was
wearing a Michael Schumacher hat.

 

He hit an 88 year old, retired postman with a zimmer frame - and killed him!

 

The buggy rider told police that he assumed the elderly gentleman would move
out of the way.

 

The Coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death but it sounds like
dangerous driving to me.

 

Do we really need Segways, driven by the hale and hearty, on our pavements?

 

Dave
Dave Wetzel; Vice-Chair; Transport for London. 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Bruun [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 3:27 AM
To: Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport; 'Asia and the Pacific
sustainable transport'; [log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask]
Subject: [NewMobilityCafe] Re: [sustran] Segway is environmental or
sustainable?

 

Carlos

 

The Segway people have done an incredible lobbying and publicity gathering
job. They managed to get state laws changed to permit Segways on sidewalks
(pavements) in 30+ states in the US, mostly without public input. In
Philadelphia it is now illegal to ride a bicycle on a sidewalk if you are
over 12 years old, but riding a Segway is fine. A Segway rep also showed up
with one at one of our Transportation Research Board committtee meetings a
couple of years back. I think Segway is also lobbying the military to buy
them. The president of the company is a lifelong conservative Republican if
I recall, so it seems pretty insincere if he is trying to pitch an
environmental argument. 

 

This 1/4th mile "rule" is really just an approximation that doesn't pertain
for longer trips, or for accessing high-quality transit, or for communities
where walking is pleasant and it is part of the culture to walk. 

I think that Segways might have some use in an industrial setting to replace
golf carts and other larger electrical vehicles, but I agree with you about
their use for the general public. 


Eric Bruun

 


-----Original Message----- 
From: "Carlos F. Pardo" 
Sent: Jun 7, 2005 5:29 PM 
To: 'Asia and the Pacific sustainable transport' ,
[log in to unmask], [log in to unmask] 
Subject: [sustran] Segway is environmental or sustainable? 

I just found this article in an environmental magazine and I was shocked. It
says that Segways are one of the most environmentally friendly modes of
transportation, and it even states the following:

 "There are a lot of statistics that show that if people are forced to walk
more than a fourth of a mile to connect to transit, then they will just get
in their cars," says Carla Vallone, communications manager for Segway LLC.
"The Segway HT is another option for people who may not want to ride their
bikes." 

I think segways are one of the worst ideas that have ever been developed in
the past few years. They encourage lazy people to become lazier by giving
them an expensive apparatus that will only make them occupy more space on
sidewalks and stop using their bodies as a main source of mobility. It's
just sad to see these opinions walk through into the "environmental
discourse without being noticed. Maybe in a few more years many people will
be promoting the use of segways instead of bicycles or walking!

The entire article is available in the following address:
http://www.emagazine.com/view/?2488 <http://www.emagazine.com/view/?2488>  

 

 

Carlos F. Pardo

Project Coordinator

GTZ Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP)

Room 0942, Transport Division, UN-ESCAP

ESCAP UN Building

Rajadamnern Nok Rd.

Bangkok 10200, Thailand

Tel: +66 (0) 2 - 288 2576

Fax: +66 (0) 2 - 280 6042

Mobile: +66 (0) 1 - 772 4727

e-mail:  <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]

Website:  <http://www.sutp.org/> www.sutp.org

 

*          



***********************************************************************************
The contents of the e-mail and any transmitted files are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Transport for London hereby exclude any warranty and any liability as to the quality or accuracy of the contents of this email and any attached transmitted files. If you are not the intended recipient be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing or copying of this email is strictly prohibited.

If you have received this email in error please notify [log in to unmask]

This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept for the presence of computer viruses.
***********************************************************************************