Segway
Proposal Rolls to a Stop
The Clark County Commission
on Tuesday pulled from its agenda a proposed
ordinance that would ban the use of Segways
on the Las Vegas Strip.
The decision to remove the item came
after a local dealer, Segway of Las Vegas, complained
that the ordinance would hurt the Strip business,
which sells, rents and conducts tours with the
electric devices that carry a standing driver.
Segway of Las Vegas is at 3049 Las Vegas Blvd.
South, across from the Stardust.
John Toth, traffic management division director
for Clark County Public Works, said his office
notified Segway store manager Bryan Schaup of
the proposed ban two weeks ago because state
law requires affected businesses to be informed.
Based on Schaup's objections, Toth said his
office will conduct additional research to determine
if the devices are safe for use on the Strip's
crowded sidewalks. He also will look at how
other major cities have dealt with them.
Schaup said he invited county officials to
his dealership last week to show them that Segways
are safe and easy to use. Although the devices
are capable of speeds greater than 10 mph, the
ones Schaup rents are modified so they can't
exceed 4 mph, he said.
"It's almost impossible to hurt a pedestrian
with one," he said.
Schaup also said he won't rent to customers
unless they have prior Segway experience or
agree to take a one-hour class.
The dealership charges $100 per day to rent
a Segway. Schaup said he rents an average of
five each week.
Toth said his concerns include the weight of
Segways -- 85 pounds plus the driver's weight
-- and the potential number of them on sidewalks
if their popularity increases.
"What happens if somebody has a fleet
of 100 of these things?" he said.
Still, Toth said, he will gather more information
before going back to the commission, which could
take several weeks.
"It's possible that what we proposed and
what actually gets introduced could be two different
things," Toth said.
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