Boblet Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I've seen loads of them in most tourist areas of the US and did a tour on one in San Francisco, I think that some citys police and traffic wardens use them. You'll also find them in many tourist destinations world wide even Sheffield http://www.segwaysheffield.co.uk/ The police in Hawaii used to use them - they also used to let tourists try them out - that was a couple of years ago though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tslogf74 Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 They're not legal for use on the roads in Britain, and it's also illegal to use them on the pavement. This has made it rather difficult for them to catch on! I've seen one being used on the road in England. Didn't know they were illegal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I've seen one being used on the road in England. Didn't know they were illegal. I don't think anyone's actually been prosecuted for it - I recall reading about a chap in Barnsley who was setting himself up as the test case - but it's something to do with any motorised vehicle requiring a licence, and the Segway doesn't fit into any of the standard categories of a driving licence. It's illegal on pavements for the same reason as is a bicycle. That law's not too harshly enforced in most towns either. If anyone knows what happened, or is happening, to the test-case chap from Barnsley please post some information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purdyamos Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I can only assume that it sells well in America and is legal for public use there - or somewhere, at least. This particular chap only bought the company out last year, and that is probably when designs for an off-road version were begun. Prior to that, it was American-owned. Ah right, I only skim-read the report and missed that bit. They've not really registered on my radar since they first appeared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Police appeal for witnesses. The post-mortem reveals that he died of injuries consistent with falling off the cliff - no surprise there. No mention of any health problem that would have caused him to lose control of the machine; I don't know if a post-mortem, as distinct from an autopsy, would reveal such a thing. (I don't even know if a post-mortem is any different from an autopsy.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert_Baehr Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 ...I don't think I have ever seen anyone using a Segway in real life. I thought they'd gone to the great C5 scrapyard in the sky to be honest... The Police in Jackson, Mississippi bought a number of Segways in 2008. hey claimed it would make it easier for officers on Foot Patrol to chase (and catch) felons. 'Officers on foot patrol?'- What are they? - Nobody had ever seen one. Some cruel person suggested that the real reason was to enable overweight officers to make it from the doughnut shop to their patrol car without breaking into a sweat.:hihi: They're not legal for use on the roads in Britain, and it's also illegal to use them on the pavement. This has made it rather difficult for them to catch on! What is(are) the reason(s) that they are illegal for road use in Britain? - Is it because they don't have lights or a bell? Electric-powered bicycles are legal, they don't require insurance and (AFAIK) if you don't ride a bicycle at night, you don't need lights ... or do you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 What is(are) the reason(s) that they are illegal for road use in Britain? - Is it because they don't have lights or a bell? Electric-powered bicycles are legal, they don't require insurance and (AFAIK) if you don't ride a bicycle at night, you don't need lights ... or do you? As above, I don't know exactly how the law stands, and apparently nobody else was quite sure either but general opinion was that they were illegal. It was (and as far as I know still is) the big stumbling block to them being introduced to Britain on a wide scale. We've always kept half an eye on the situation because my wife would much prefer one to a scooter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USUK Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 I don't think anyone's actually been prosecuted for it - I recall reading about a chap in Barnsley who was setting himself up as the test case - but it's something to do with any motorised vehicle requiring a licence, and the Segway doesn't fit into any of the standard categories of a driving licence. It's illegal on pavements for the same reason as is a bicycle. That law's not too harshly enforced in most towns either. If anyone knows what happened, or is happening, to the test-case chap from Barnsley please post some information. I think he fell down the Pit Shaft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/road_traffic_offences/#segway To paraphrase: - A Segway may only be used on the road if it is properly registered as a motor vehicle. - In order to register a Segway, it must have been issued with some European-directive safety certificate or other, which the Segway company has never applied for and does not have. Ergo, you cannot register it, and using it on the road is automatically an offence - to wit, using an unregistered vehicle and driving without insurance. - The UK Government can pass its own legislation to define how, and when, Segway vehicles would be allowed on the road; but it never has done. Until it does, the above European bumf still applies. - A Segway cannot be ridden on the pavement. No motorised vehicle, except for certain types of disability vehicle (scooters etc.) are allowed on the pavement. Barnsley chap being prosecuted. I don't know if this case has reached a conclusion or not. It may even have been abandoned for all I can find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riche Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Don't like the tone of some of the comments on this thread. The guy was one of only a few who put his own good fortune to the use to help others. Now you know who you are so show some respect. If the guy had been from a minority then your comments might have been deleted. He was in a minority group called Philanthropists. Don't know what that means then look it up if you can read that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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