Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05/21/segway_ruling_rethink/
The Segway personal transporter should be allowed to be ridden on UK roads, a Conservative transport spokesman has said.
Should Segways be allowed onto UK roads?
According to a report (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7360662.stm) by the BBC, Robert Goodwill, MP for Scarborough and Whitby, has urged ministers to rethink the vehicle’s classification. Currently, the Segway is only permitted to be used on private land.
Not all members of the public appear to know this. Only yesterday, one of Register Hardware’s roving reporters spotted one of the two-wheeled machines being ‘driven’ up London's Regent Street.
Goodwill said that a limited Segway trial should be run to “see what lessons can be learned”. How not to get in the way of pedestrians, perhaps...
Initially, he is pushing for permission to use the two-wheelers in cycle lanes. But what do you do if a road’s cycle lane suddenly ends? Get off and walk?
A Segway would definitely be a great way to zip through the rush-hour traffic, while eco-worriers would surely welcome its negligible carbon emissions. But, is the Segway just an indoor travel tool gone too far? Are they safe enough to use on UK roads?
It’s worth remembering that, in 2006, Segway suffered an embarrassing set-back when the manufacturer had to ask customers to return their “personal transporters” for an essential software update. The reason? Well, it was discovered that the two wheeler could unexpectedly reverse the direction of the wheels and cause the rider to fall off.
Segway shock army to invade Department of Transport (8 September 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/08/segway_campaign/
Toyota unveils Segway rivals (1 August 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/08/01/toshiba_winglet/
Segway CTO scoots to Apple's design team (7 July 2008)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/07/segway_cto_joins_apple/
Chinese cops opt for Segways (2 July 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/07/02/chinese_police_using_segways/
Vendor pitches handheld phone-data extractor (19 May 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/05/19/csi_stick/
Brits vote for useless gadgets (30 April 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/30/most_useless_gadgets_survey/
MP3 player looks like a cassette, is a cassette (25 April 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/25/cassette_mp3_player/
Honda harness to take the strain out of strolling (23 April 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/04/23/honda_walking_assistant/
Segway sounds sudden wheel reversal warning (14 September 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/14/segway_product_recall/