SEGWAY HUMAN TRANSPORTER

Segway: Friend or Foe?
Commentary on and reactions to the Segway Human Transporter

Segway: Background Information
More information on the Segway, including how it works, current uses, and related legislation

Segway: Friend or Foe?

The Segway is being described as one of the most significant inventions of the decade. In early January, for example, the Segway was included within a list of technological innovations that would change our way of life in 2003 (USA Weekend, Jan. 3-5, 2003). From the Strategic Alliance perspective, and for those of us concerned about physical activity and health, the question remains: Will it change our way of life for better or worse?

For those who are unfamiliar with the device, the Segway is a new type of human (and goods) transport device, designed so a person can "look, act and feel like a pedestrian," according to its inventor, Dean Kamen. Most models' maximum speed is 12.5 mph (though some models can travel up to 30 mph), and the device has remarkable stopping ability. It has been approved in many states, including California, for use on sidewalks (unless cities specifically modify that approval). In some cities, like San Francisco, where seniors' groups have organized against the Segway, it has already been banned from sidewalks.

Caltrans is experimenting with the Segway in Pleasant Hill, Calif., to see if the Segway might encourage people to choose public transportation over driving by making it easier to get to BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit, a commuter rail service in the San Francisco Bay Area). The post office is also experimenting with the Segway to see if it can improve efficiency in mail delivery. The Segway's manufacturers hope it will reduce pollution by decreasing the number of short car trips and increasing the use of public transportation. It is unclear whether this is accurate or whether the Segway may in fact decrease walking and biking, which would be detrimental given the importance of regular physical activity.

James Sallis, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Program Director of Active Living Policy and Environmental Studies at San Diego State University, recently attended a meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington, D.C. Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway, was present and provided information regarding the device. Among questions asked of Kamen were those concerning safety and the impact of the device on physical activity and obesity. As Sallis comments, "As is obvious, to sell this thing he (Kamen) has to convince people that walking is 'drudgery' and Segways are like having 'magic shoes.'"

Another big concern is the Segway's use on sidewalks. Will the potential for a vehicle that can travel more than 10 mph discourage others from walking, cause crashes and injuries, and be detrimental to the disabled? Or will it be a new option and an improvement? Will cities that want to regulate Segway -- for example, by limiting its speed on sidewalks -- be able to? Or will it put a new enforcement demand on overburdened communities? Will the use of Segways be moved from the sidewalks to roadways? With the great number expected to be sold when orders are filled starting later this year, will there be a new push for expanded bicycle/Segway paths - a possible win-win?

Although these key questions as yet are unanswered, policy is moving very quickly. The producers of the Segway have had a major political and media campaign in operation since their launch. They have systematically approached state lawmakers to secure passage of legislation to make the use of the Segway on sidewalks legal. Legislation was passed in 31 states, without a great deal of time for knowledge, thought, or opposition.

A recent article in Business Week indicates the tide may be turning against the Segway. Various reasons are given for not supporting the Segway -- as one postal worker in Concord, N.H. puts it, "You can't keep warm if you're not walking... you end up like a frozen popsicle on a stick." (View full text of article.) The California Council of the Blind is organizing against the Segway, viewing the device as a potential danger for the blind community. In Pasadena, a sub-committee of the City Council recently called for the drafting of an ordinance to ban Segways from the city's sidewalk, citing pedestrian safety concerns.

Maybe this is a new very beneficial technological breakthrough. However, it is incumbent upon community groups concerned about health safety and smart growth to move quickly as well, so the decisions that are made benefit all of us. Until the answers to some important questions about safety and health are answered, we must encourage policy makers to not so quickly support changes that may be more detrimental than beneficial. What's the rush?

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Segway: Background Information*

What It Is

The Segway Human Transporter was unveiled in 2002. Its inventor, Dean Kamen, created it largely to offer a transportation alternative to cars for short-distance trips. (Kamen is also the inventor of drug and insulin pumps, heart stents, and a stair-climbing wheelchair.) In addition to replacing short-distance car trips, Kamen's objectives for the Segway's use include moving people and goods more efficiently and encouraging public and alternative transportation use. Designed to "look, act and feel like a pedestrian," according to Kamen, the Segway weighs 83 pounds and has a "footprint" of 19 x 25 inches. It has a maximum speed of about 30 miles per hour (mph) for some models, but most models' maximum speed is about 10-15 mph. It can travel 11-17 miles per charge. The cost of the device is currently at just under $5,000 but the manufacturers are hoping to bring this down to $2,000-3,000.

Figure 1: Segway HT e-Model

Figure 2: Segway HT i-Model

To operate the Segway, the rider stands on its platform, which is eight inches from the ground and in between two parallel wheels (see figures above). The rider shifts her weight forward to move forward and backward to slow or stop. The turning mechanism is within the handlebar that extends from the platform to about the rider's hip-height. It is powered via battery and reportedly runs quietly.

Current Uses

Since late 2001, the Segway has been used in pilot projects with the purpose of demonstrating its commercial uses. These pilots include use in warehouses to move heavy materials, use by the United States Postal Service for mail delivery, use by the National Park Service for park patrol, and use by police departments for traffic control and other purposes. There are currently two models available, the "e" series, which is used to carry cargo, and the "i" series, which is used for distance and more rugged terrain such as grass and sidewalks. Most pilot projects currently employ the "e" series. A new Bay Area project will soon employ the "i" series to encourage public transportation use within metropolitan areas.

This project, referred to as the Bay Area Segway-BART District pilot demonstration project, is being sponsored by Caltrans and researched by the University of California's Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH). The main goal of the project is to increase transit ridership. Other goals relate to evaluating the Segway itself, namely, how consumers react to it, safety issues, its best commercial uses, legal barriers, its effectiveness at replacing car use, and its effectiveness as a transit feeder/connection device.

The proposed Bay Area project has two one-year phases. The first phase is planned for the Pleasant Hill BART station, a suburban location. The second phase is planned for the downtown Berkeley BART station, an urban location. For each phase, 15 Segways would be available to a local employer at least one mile away from the BART hub. The employer would make the Segway available to its employees as a benefit. Participating employees would be trained on the use of the Segway and would use the device to commute between the BART station and their place of employment and then possibly for local trips during the workday. For the Pleasant Hill phase of the project, a BART station concession vendor, Star Retail, would display, store, and recharge the Segways. For the Berkeley phase, a vendor has not been identified. The Segway would not be used for transportation from a place of residence to a BART station, but the researchers want to explore this.

Legislation

Because motorized vehicles are not allowed on sidewalks by law, Segway LLC set out to define the Segway as a new vehicle class -- an "electric personal assistive mobility device" -- to prevent it from being classified as motorized. This was done before the Segway device itself was made commercially available. National legislation was passed in 2002 allowing the Segway to be used on sidewalks and public paths on federally-funded roadways. As of July 16, 2002, 31 states had legalized its use on sidewalks with local government approval. Even with state approval, local municipalities (i.e., cities and counties) regulate the use of the Segway. Theoretically, two neighboring cities or counties could have different policies related to the time, place, and manner of operation allowed. There are no helmet, licensing, training, or insurance requirements.

Legislation aside, there is a great deal of controversy around where on the roadway the Segway should be allowed for use. Many advocates for seniors, pedestrians, and the disabled oppose legalizing it, arguing that 10-15 mph is much too fast for a sidewalk and could result in injuries both to the rider and to pedestrians. Segway LLC maintains the Segway is too small for road use, cannot go faster than sidewalk traffic because of its forward leaning method of propulsion, and is very safe.

Implications for Physical Activity

Whether or not the Segway will increase or decrease opportunities for physical activity remains to be seen. The major question is whether the Segway would replace car use or replace walking and bicycling. On the one hand, users who may not be able to walk far distances (such as seniors or the disabled) or who are in remote areas may use the Segway to supplement walking trips that would otherwise be made by car. On the other hand, people who would otherwise walk or bike (for instance, postal workers) may use the Segway instead of engaging in incidental physical activity. In addition to considerations related to the rider, another consideration is how the presence of the Segway on the sidewalk or road affects other people's choice to walk or bike. If the Segway was seen as an unpleasant or unsafe addition to heavily trafficked pedestrian and bike paths, there is the possibility that it could generally discourage walking and biking, especially among more vulnerable populations like the elderly, disabled, and children.

For more information about the Segway, please visit:

The Center for Injury, Research and Policy at Columbus Children's Hospital, which provides information and legislative updates on the Segway.

Segway's official website: segway.com

* Much of the information for this report came from: Shaheen, Susan A. and Finson, Rachel. Bridging the Last Mile: A Study of the Behavioral, Institutional, and Economic Potential of the Segway Human Transporter. University of California Partners for Advanced Transit & Highways (PATH)/Center for Commercialization of ITS Technology (CCIT). August 2002.

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