Segways on the streets of Toronto? Oh please! DON’T DO IT!
What is the Segway HT? To the website, it is “a self-balancing, personal transportation device that’s designed to operate in any pedestrian environment.” To me, it’s a lazy man’s newest excuse to not walk to the corner store.
Under Social Benefits, “Most North Americans won’t walk for more than _ mile to and from transit. The Segway can serve as a transit-connector, potentially increasing use of public transportation” Does this mean the company and this organization will be demanding that these Segway devices are to be brought onto public transportation? Will this be another piece of equipment that will take up room, not allowing the person behind them to fit onto an overcrowded transit system? Bicycles and similar devices are already ruled to not be allowed onto the TTC during rush hour. Unicycles are often lumped into this ruling even though they are smaller than the average person and take literally no more room than a person’s backpack and definitely less room then this Segway device. What will be the use of the Segway when it is banned from public transportation during rush hour, when the company is pushing for it to be used to transport users to the nearest bus stop?
Also under Social Benefits, “Approximately 15% of Segway customers have a physical disability or a mobility challenge…” meaning that approximately 85% of Segway customers are perfectly fine and capable of walking on their own but choose not to, in order to utilize this over-hyped and overpriced portable escalator.
I am not exactly technologically minded, but I do enjoy fun gadgets now and again. But this Segway made its debut a few years ago to a very suspecting audience that was not impressed with the results. I’m sure there is a time and place for everything. I, myself, have sometimes complained about my feet hurting after hours of walking for no particular reason, such as at amusement parks or other wide-area spaces that are home to only pedestrian traffic with loads of space and room to work within.
But personally it is of my opinion that this is nothing more than a moped. It’s got two wheels and a motor. While many people are insulted at comparing this Segway to a bicycle, it’s nothing like a bicycle. Bikes are moved through human-power, while this is plugged into a wall at night. If bicycles and unicycles should be banned from city streets because they are either a danger or a nuisance, I see no reason to not ban Segway users to the same bike-paths that those with vehicles fueled by the rider’s lunch are banished to.
They’re shown to be no bigger than a human, can only move as fast as a human, and pose no safety or security threat. If they’re no bigger and no better than using your own two feet, why don’t you just promote the use of two feet with some comfortable shoes? All these different devices and gadgets are meant for making the life of humans easier, but I’m noticing a trend that it does nothing but make the life of humans shorter, through less and few methods of physical activity (walking) while promoting an ever increasing sedentary lifestyle (sitting/standing and being taken to exactly where you want to go.)
I like walking, especially in Toronto. I’m not the only one to walk for over an hour from one end of the city to another, (I would know, because I followed a person almost all the way home, and I turned while they continued so I don’t even know how far THEY were going) and I’m for sure against the idea of such devices “clogging” up the already packed sidewalks. I’m just hoping the government feels the same way I do.
