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magidI still find this name a bit of an irritation, since as far as I know, it doesn't stand for anything in particular, so I always think it's misspelled (segue).
I thought it clear, though, that it's a vehicle: wheels, handlebars, motor, speeds comparable to a bike, all that stuff that says "vehicle" to me. Which would mean that it would need to be ridden on streets, or in bike lanes. But apparently I'm wrong: many states have already allowed them on sidewalks, because they're "Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Devices". Which is a category of one, the Segway.
There's information about this in the Globe this morning, describing all sorts of interesting dodgy sorts of things being done by the Segway people (in this article), in their attempts to get it approved for sidewalk use. I was particularly impressed with the spokesman who pointed out that in a collision between a pedestrian and a Segway-rider, the pedestrian wasn't going to be injured by the impact with the Segway, but the (subsequent) impact with the ground. I am amazed someone could say this with a straight face. And they want to have their pie and eat it too for a bunch of other things as well (helmets suggested, not required; insurance and training, similarly).
And on the more bizarre side, the Segway's creator is an interesting individual as well, having bought an island in Long Island Sound, North Dumpling. He then decided to call himself Lord Dumpling, and print his own currency, all with denomination pi. And he later seceded from the U.S., too.
I thought it clear, though, that it's a vehicle: wheels, handlebars, motor, speeds comparable to a bike, all that stuff that says "vehicle" to me. Which would mean that it would need to be ridden on streets, or in bike lanes. But apparently I'm wrong: many states have already allowed them on sidewalks, because they're "Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Devices". Which is a category of one, the Segway.
There's information about this in the Globe this morning, describing all sorts of interesting dodgy sorts of things being done by the Segway people (in this article), in their attempts to get it approved for sidewalk use. I was particularly impressed with the spokesman who pointed out that in a collision between a pedestrian and a Segway-rider, the pedestrian wasn't going to be injured by the impact with the Segway, but the (subsequent) impact with the ground. I am amazed someone could say this with a straight face. And they want to have their pie and eat it too for a bunch of other things as well (helmets suggested, not required; insurance and training, similarly).
And on the more bizarre side, the Segway's creator is an interesting individual as well, having bought an island in Long Island Sound, North Dumpling. He then decided to call himself Lord Dumpling, and print his own currency, all with denomination pi. And he later seceded from the U.S., too.