Saying
No to Segways
When it comes to cruising
up and down the Las Vegas Strip, public safety
officials are hoping the Clark County Commission
will say "no way" to the Segway.
The county's Public Works Department
has submitted a proposed ordinance, scheduled
for a vote today, that would prohibit use of
the two-wheeled Segway Human Transporter on
the Strip's heavily congested sidewalks.
The battery-powered scooters may be fine for
beachside boardwalks where there is room to
share with pedestrians, bicyclists and in-line
skaters, Public Works spokesman Bobby Shelton
said, but they don't belong on the crowded curbs
of Las Vegas Boulevard.
"If you don't have the ordinance, then
you can't stop people from using them,"
he said.
In 2003 the Legislature granted Segway users
the same rights as pedestrians, hoping more
residents would use them as an alternative to
gasoline-fueled vehicles. Those rights include
being able to legally ride the scooters on sidewalks.
This year the Legislature took up the issue
again in a bill requested by Clark County to
address concerns about use of the devices along
the Strip.
Gov. Kenny Guinn signed the bill into law May
19, authorizing county commissions and city
councils to impose restrictions, opening the
door for today's expected vote.
Sen. Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, had opposed
the bill, saying she was a Segway owner and
didn't want the county to regulate those who
own the devices. Still, it passed 19-1 in the
Senate and 40-0 in the Assembly.
There haven't been any reported incidents involving
Segways, but Shelton said they move too fast
and require practice to avoid hitting pedestrians
in tight spaces.
According to the manufacturer, Segways can
go between 8 and 12 1/2 mph, depending on the
rider's skill and the terrain. The company says
8 mph is the maximum speed for riding on a sidewalk.
Segway scooters would still be allowed on sidewalks
everywhere else in the state, unless another
local government body imposes its own restrictions.
Entrepreneur Larry Lambeth, who opened a business
in 2004 renting Segways at Fashion Show mall,
had said he hoped to one day provide the same
service to people on the Strip.
But Lambeth's business, Fun Transport, has
since shut down, Shelton said.
|
