Segways now banned on British sidewalks

Ah, Segways -- some love 'em, some play polo with 'em, and still others prefer to ban 'em, courtesy of a 171-year-old highway law. That's right, last month, the British Department of Transportation said "no, sir" to the good 'ol go-go gyroscope. In fact, the DoT went so far as to issue "Regulations for Self-balancing Scooters", citing non-compliance with European safety laws and with the Highway Act of 1835. Apparently riding your Segway on private property is cool, but on public sidewalks -- or to use the British spelling, footpaths -- is a big no-no. Upset about it? Go write your MP! Or better yet, hand-carry your letters direct to Parliament. Surely, as we write, Dean Kamen himself must be rallying the infuriated legions of British Segway riders to storm the Palace of Westminster -- that is, assuming they're not waiting to be armed with the intimidating power of the Centaur.

[Alex @ Aug 23rd 2006 11:18PM]

Wasn't San Francisco the first place to ban these things on the sidewalk? I wonder how many other cities/countries have done the same?

[Rik @ Aug 24th 2006 12:25AM]

Actually we spell sidewalk 'pavement'. A footpath doesn't have a road attached to it.

[Kaegan Donnelly @ Aug 24th 2006 12:33AM]

GOB is going to be mighty upset about this.

[Tom @ Aug 24th 2006 12:33AM]

Another thing you failed to note is that no one actually uses one in the UK anyway.

[Cyrus Farivar @ Aug 24th 2006 12:38AM]

Well then the DoT is citing their laws wrong then:

"Under the Highway Act 1835 no-one may ride or drive on the footway."

-- http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/documents/page/dft_roads_612198.hcsp

[Eric @ Aug 24th 2006 12:40AM]

"Wasn't San Francisco the first place to ban these things on the sidewalk? I wonder how many other cities/countries have done the same?"

I very highly doubt that as I took a tour of San Fran on one.
http://www.sfelectrictour.com/

[christomapher @ Aug 24th 2006 1:24AM]

@Eric

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/01/07/san_francisco_bans_segways/

"Fat, rosy cheeks. Ample alabaster bellies. Arms that flap, legs that waddle, bodies by the million shaking like bowls of jelly." That's his description of average Americans.

The last thing fat Americans need is a device that allows them to walk even less than they already do, said Smith. Legislators of San Francisco should be congratulated, he said.

Thank goodness.

[Zach Marshall @ Aug 24th 2006 1:31AM]

we have one where I work (i work at a childrens day camp?) but I really don't see the fun in them.

As much as I love my country... damn there are a lot people who are fat asses! And while people will claim "Oh well, why should my appearance have any affect on you"

Well it bothers me as I have to dodge out of the way in Wal-Mart as your lard ass on the fat-mobile plows down the isle. It pisses me off even more fat people that have handicap tags. Being fat is not a handicap. Having no legs, loosing an arm, and being blind are all handicaps. Being fat, there are things you can do about it.

So for this law... I commend you San Fran. and the UK. Wanna get around? Ride a bike.

[Jeff @ Aug 24th 2006 2:04AM]

Good riddance. Anything that potentially will take some (hot) air out of Dean friggin' Kamen's balloon is good news for me.

I did FIRST Robotics in high school...Every time Dean Kamen opened his mouth all I heard was how much team sports sucked and how great "coopertitions" were. What a pompous jerk.

/ot rant

[steve @ Aug 24th 2006 2:04AM]

To all those people who are complaining about obese people, get a grip. There are many serious problems these people could have. Just because someone is fat does not mean they over eat.

Yeah, a lot of people in America do over eat, but it is never polite to assume. Just take one example, Cushing's Syndrome
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cushings_syndrome

[Kamar Zaman @ Aug 24th 2006 2:13AM]

I think that the Clever (Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport) car has more potential to change the world. That is if they ever decide to manufacture it.
The vehicle combines the safety of a micro-car and the manoeuvrability of a motorbike, while being more fuel-efficient and less polluting than other vehicles. Not to mention it does'nt make you look like a dork riding one.
Here is one of the various link available in the net: http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/a-clever-green-machine/2006/04/25/1145861350353.html

[Chris Parker @ Aug 24th 2006 3:36AM]

As the other guy said, we dont call 'sidewalks' 'footpaths'. We call them 'pavements'

[Tom Dowler @ Aug 24th 2006 3:42AM]

now i'm annoyed that 2 people have already weighed in with the fact that what you would call a sidewalk, we call the pavement, and a footpath is a walkway through fields, etc.

curse you Chris Parker and Rik - you've stolen my self-righteous-limey thunder.

[Rob Woods @ Aug 24th 2006 4:07AM]

There is at least one twat in the UK using one as he tried to run me over with it in Battersea about 3 weeks ago.

I wouldn't have minded so much if he didn't look like a reject from the early 90's (including Sweat bands & Luminous sports glasses, seriously your not going that fast mate!), it was even Ferrari red.

Now if only it had had spokes in the wheels so I could have shoved a stick through it. That would soon stop them riding on the 'pavement'.

[Ric @ Aug 24th 2006 4:36AM]

LOL! Footpath! I don't think you could ride a segway on a footpath - what are they like at riding over cowpats and turnstyles?!

[ChrisRX @ Aug 24th 2006 5:14AM]

I don't personally see what's wrong with this law. I mean the law already says that people shouldn't be riding bikes on the pavement so why should a big wide heavy segway get special treatment?

[antiorario @ Aug 24th 2006 5:28AM]

Interesting how two countries can be different (namely Italy vs. the UK), as I'm sure I wasn't dreaming when I saw two policemen *using* Segways at the Bologna train station.

[prodigal_son @ Aug 24th 2006 5:34AM]

Thats a shame, i was looking forward to clothes lineing lards off these things. I wanna see them get stuck on their backs the big fatso's..

But seriously, Bikes aint allowed on the pavement, why should these things be allowed?

[The Sarcasticynic @ Aug 24th 2006 6:37AM]

Do you mean to tell me they couldn't have predicted the advent of a self-balancing scooter in 1835 when the "Highway" Act was drafted???

[shapey @ Aug 24th 2006 6:48AM]

good.

[smitty werbenmanjensen @ Aug 24th 2006 6:53AM]

It makes sense. If bicycles are a no-no, why should Segways be treated differently?

[Alex @ Aug 24th 2006 8:03AM]

OWNED

When I lived in the UK I never got yelled at for riding my bike on the 'footpaths', so I don't see what the commotion is about.

[zoara @ Aug 24th 2006 8:15AM]

I call them "paths".

[steve @ Aug 24th 2006 8:17AM]

K MAN,
I never said these people probably have a condition, I was saying it is *never* polite or correct to assume. Yes, most of America and the rest of this world is over-enjoying McDonald's, but its not right to just group everyone together as overeating fatties.

And it is never, ever right to degrade people because of physical features. In a sense, it's like black and white. It's very bigoted.

[Troy @ Aug 24th 2006 8:18AM]

footpaths and pavements, OMG.. next you are going to start telling you park in your driveways and drive on your parkways .

[marc @ Aug 24th 2006 8:22AM]

I think that I was the TWAT that nearly knocked down Rob Woods in Battersea. It was either me, or my mate who bought my old Segway off me when I upgraded.

Having just taken a trip to Rob's website, I wish I knocked the muppet over. "Converting a CD to a digital audio file can be fairly complicated and time consuming. But with Shrink Digital your complete CD collection can be converted quickly"

Seriously though, the arguements made above are way off the mark. I use my segway because i get around town faster than car/taxi/bus/tube without burning loads of carbon-fuel. It isn't preventing me from taking exercise. I am sure I have more control that the rollerbladers that I pass on my daily commute.

[Arboc @ Aug 24th 2006 8:30AM]

Alex,

Doesn't mean you weren't breaking the law.

[jonas @ Aug 24th 2006 9:08AM]

I know personally that London is very strict about sidewalk useage... Bikes are not allowed either... so I don't think they are picking on Segway specifically.

[Evan @ Aug 24th 2006 9:15AM]

I've always thought Segway scooters were just Granny Scooters for people too embarrassed to ride a Granny Scooter.

I rode a Segway scooter once out of curiosity, and it works fine, but I still would never buy one. If you really need one for transportation, there are electric scooters that are much cheaper, lighter-weight, and do the same job.

[Ian Jardine @ Aug 24th 2006 9:15AM]

More "NIH" I guess.

Had it been a Brit invention do you really think the side walk ban would have come?

[acb @ Aug 24th 2006 9:20AM]

The epidemic of obesity in parts of America is due largely to bad urban design. If you live in suburbs where the nearest shops are zoned out of walking distance and there are no footpaths, there aren't many opportunities to exercise, other than by regularly driving to a gym, and spending both money and free time on working out (keeping in mind that Americans work longer hours than Europeans). One cannot reasonably expect most people to do this, people having less than perfect willpower.

[Martin Ross @ Aug 24th 2006 9:36AM]

America's obesity problems relate to their higher standard of living which dates back to the '40s. Food rationing in UK meant that our diets were restricted until the mid to late fifties. UK will have the same problems - you can see it happening now with so many children being over-weight at an early age. The solution lies in public education.

[Dylan @ Aug 24th 2006 10:19AM]

steve - "And it is never, ever right to degrade people because of physical features. In a sense, it's like black and white. It's very bigoted."

Its absolbty nothing like black and white. I excersize every day, and as such i can enjoy junk food and eat what i like, my missis was just moaning at me for drinking a fatty milkshake, which i just laughed at, because i know i take care of my body enough not for it to matter. If i got atall fat i would step up my excersize and step down my junk food eating. Its very controllable.

Frankly people saying "you are a bigot" is getting old, yes i am a bigot, when i see a teenage girl dressed in a pink nike tracksuit pushing a pram i think "what a slut" i essentially know that the peer pressure of todays society in britain leads to this but i look at my sister, who never ever came close to being a trampy slut, what did she do right?

Im guarded when i meet a new black person more than i am a white because the attitudes are different, black culture is seperate from white where i live, and its harder to befriend someone black, thats how it is, if that makes me bigoted then sobeit.

Fat people are fat because they eat too much, yea sure a small amlunt may have a disorder but its a tiny tiny amount, a franlky irrelavant amount. I have every right to think that somone is ugly because they are fat, or that they have little self control, if they dont like me thinking it they could try going on a diet, and for all those fat people who say "dieting doesnt work" get real, if it didnt work you didnt stick to it.


Interesting observation - It seems there are few fat people on here judging by the comments, doesnt say much for the fat geeky gadget geek sat infront of his pc.

Try visiting www.gamufi.com/forums discussion like this are always heated there, great forum [/shameless self pimping]

[Cart3l @ Aug 24th 2006 12:25PM]

I agree with Jeff. I did F.I.R.S.T in High School, it was cool, but I can't stand Kamen. HE talks for hours on end and mostly about himself. Anything that birngs him down a few notches I support wholly. Who rides those over-priced things anyway?

[Bigot @ Aug 24th 2006 3:35PM]

Fat people - hahahahahaha. That is all.

[Rob @ Aug 25th 2006 5:39PM]

And yeah, of course they were never going to be allowed on the pavement? Why would they be? Who invented them really has nothing to do with it.

And Americans really are incapable of walking anywhere - the number of times I've seen people get in a car just to cross the road. But be fair, Segways are practically 'invalid carriages' in the US.