Netherlands Eases Segway Ban

Netherlands Eases Segway Ban

Sagittarius on 19 April 2008 - 00:56 · 14 comments & 10563 views

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The Netherlands is to relax its ban on the Segway motorized scooter, a two-wheeled, gyroscopically-balanced machine. "The general use of the Segway will be allowed on bicycle paths and roads under the condition that a maximum speed of 25 km per hour will be kept to," the Dutch government said in a statement. The electric scooter is currently banned on public streets in the Netherlands and many other European countries have placed restrictions on the use of the machine because of safety fears.

The Dutch authorities said all Segway users must be 16 or older and must be insured when the ban eases from this summer. The government said it had not yet decided on whether the machine, which moves when the rider leans forward or backwards, will need to have license plates or some other form of identification. Disabled persons will be able to use the Segway on pavements up to a maximum speed of 6 kph.

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(1 reply) #1 Swordnyx on 19 Apr 2008 - 02:21

Why the hell would I care? What does this have to do with technology? Where is Neowin going? Why am I asking you all these questions?

#1.1 +Dakkaroth on 19 Apr 2008 - 04:23

Someone buy Swordnyx a new scroll wheel. Apparently, he lacks the ability to keep scrolling.

(2 replies) #2 X'tyfe on 19 Apr 2008 - 02:34

what
the
****?

since when were segways dnagerous

#2.1 +Dakkaroth on 19 Apr 2008 - 04:24

Only real danger I see is looking stupid. Seriously, it's called a bike.

#2.2 +Smigit on 19 Apr 2008 - 17:56

Anything like this is potentially dangerous to people using or around people using them even if the risk isn't huge. I've heard of two people in my state that have died on the bike paths over about a decade that I know of, one was a kid on a bike (who had a helmet on I believe although maybe not, too long for me to recall) and another was a pedestrian. Anything that moves at a decent speed has the capability to hurt someone and sometimes the distance from your head to the ground is enough.

Do I think these are worse than skate boards or whatever? No not really, but just saying there likely is a health risk even if it's not huge or any worse than any other form of transport.

(2 replies) #3 GEIST on 19 Apr 2008 - 05:08

Is this on the frontpage because lazy fat CEOs of technology companies use these? Or do Segways have microchips?

#3.1 Beastage on 19 Apr 2008 - 10:34

(GEIST said @ #3)

Is this on the frontpage because lazy fat CEOs of technology companies use these? Or do Segways have microchips?

Obviously Segway use chips and computer tech to control their thingies...

The ban was because the segway can be dangerous in the hands of stupid people, it can easily accelerate into a child.

#3.2 WICKO on 20 Apr 2008 - 02:52

(Beastage said @ #3.1)

it can easily accelerate into a child.

This is probably the best sentence ever.

(1 reply) #4 Julius Caro on 19 Apr 2008 - 12:29

I thought segways were an "epic fail"? Remember all the hype there was with the whole "IT" thing?

#4.1 Galley on 19 Apr 2008 - 14:25

If you had ever ridden one, you would know that they are amazing technology. The whole problem is that cities need to be designed around them if we want to replace the auto for short trips. The last time I checked, new cites costs hundred of billions of dollars.

(1 reply) #5 neufuse on 19 Apr 2008 - 15:07

Sorry, but the people so far that said "what’s this have to do with technology" obviously have never used one of them... they are highly complex machines that run on computers to stabilize the thing... this is no different than a story about a country placing a ban on the internet

#5.1 JamesWeb on 20 Apr 2008 - 03:46

Well, yeah except that we all use the internet, and only a tiny niche of people with more money than sense have/want a Segway.

#6 Tha Bloo Monkee on 19 Apr 2008 - 19:25

I've never used one but I came across this before and thought it was pretty funny:

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c...._it_needs_to_be

Anyways, insurance to ride a Segway? How ridiculous!

#7 kraven on 20 Apr 2008 - 20:02

The strange thing is that the Police at Schipol Airport in the Netherlands use them !

All painted in blue, i'm guessing they have sirens too !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss9K7hlhNPA

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Netherlands Eases Segway Ban

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