Segway Use Pilot Project...Ontario, Canada

[Eman]

Hi Everyone,

I am a Brand New member of the Seg family, and I couldn't be happier!! I have a quick story for you, if you are interested: When the gen 1 segway was released, I immediately contacted Head Office and inquired about being a dealer. This was way before the new dealership model. Anyway, I was turned away...just as well, because I don't know the first thing about running a retail store! In any case, my passion for Segs was not diminished. My first glide was on a tour in Austin, TX. I was totally hooked!!

I was not in a position, however, to buy one. Kids, mortgage, etc., you know the drill. Besides, even if I owned one, I could not ride where I live (Toronto)

Then, just recently, two wonderful things thing happened...our provincial government made a bold decision to allow a Pilot Project to study Segway use!!! :) :) :) :) See full text here: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Source/Regs/English/2006/R06488_e.htm

I have a really bad back, and so was happy to see this project be approved...

Here is when it gets good: The second 'wonderful event' was that we had a 'gas crisis' around here...there was a local refinery fire, and as a result, there are still gas shortages everywhere. THIS WAS THE FINAL STRAW FOR ME! I WAS NO LONGER WILLING TO BE HELD HOSTAGE BY THE OIL INDUSTRY! One little refinery fire, and the whole system shuts down? This is baloney, nonsense and silly, pure and simple.

So, I sold my van, and bought an i2

How am I going to move my kids around, and run by business, one might ask? Solution: I am now a full member of Autoshare.com, which is a super-convenient car sharing company, similar to ZipCar in the US. My plan is to do a one year test to see if I can run my business (Real Estate Agent) and my family using a combination of my i2 and Autoshare. When I need a car, I will glide to Autoshare, roll my i2 into the trunk, and away I go!!!

I also power my home using 100% Green energy from wind and low-impact hydro, so I am hoping to use my i2 to do a bunch of things: 1. get me around, 2. reduce my carbon footprint by at least 50%, 3. help me to market my business through the natural exposure from gliding, and 4. Have FUN!!!

I will keep everyone informed as to how it all goes....It took some fancy footwork, and math, to sell the idea to my better half...the 'illusion of convenience' from owning a second car is a hard one to shake. But, I think I can do it. We will see....wish me luck!!!

Eman

[Sal]

Eman,

Welcome to SegwayChat... I am sure that I speak for all of us here and around the world that we support what you're doing!

Please do keep us posted on your activities.

-Sal

[SEGsby]

Wow, that's impressive commitment.

Best of success to you.

SEGsby

[Hwy1Glider]

Eman, you are my hero!
Thank you for making the commitment. You're an example for all of us. Yes, we can live our lives using less oil - my partner and I share one car, a Prius. With that, a couple of i2s, and a fast airplane, what more could one want? ;)

[Eman]

Hi,

Thanks so much for the support!! What a great bunch of folks gliders seem to be! This is all very recent for me...I am even still waiting on delivery of my i2. I pick it up on Tuesday...probably. BUT as i read all of these posts drinking my Sunday morning coffee, I am starting to worry about the reliability of the i2, and it is freaking me out a bit.:eek:

There is no turning back now...my van is sold, i2 is paid for.

I really hope I don't get a buggy machine.

I am going to be using mine EXACTLY as Segway hopes people will: as an everyday commuter vehicle, interacting in an urban environment....and I don't plan on 'baby'-ing my machine either. I am going to take it out in all conditions (within stated parameters, and the limits of good sense, naturally).

The first day I get it, I am going to glide over to the local cop shop with my copy of the new legislation in hand (just in case our local constabulary is not aware of Ontario Regulation 488/07), explain to them that I have a condition that limits my mobility, as defined in the Act and isn't it fabulous that our province is so forward thinking. Then, I will further explain that I will be using the i2 to market my business too, so they can expect to see me around the streets...lots.

Further, I will tell them that I plan on being the Segway safety king, so they don't need to worry about that. After the obligatory rides for those officers who want them, I shall glide out the door and into a brave new world.

Well, that's my plan anyhow.

But...these mechanical problems and shutdowns and error messages are not making me happy. Nor is the seeming lack of Customer Support from Segway.

I really think this is serious. There are going to be a lot of eyes on me, both professionally, and in my local community. I am going to make a marketing push for my business based around the increased profile from i2 ownership. I am getting rid of my car to do so. Come to think of it..I am the freakin' Segway posterboy. And I wonder if Segway is ready for me....and I mean really ready. As far as I can gather, Ontario is one of the only places where this sort of Segway use is being permitted, and it would be a shame if the machine itself were the cause of negative press, because I am going to spend a lot of time and energy generating positive press and awareness.

I think one of the problems facing wide adaption of the Segway idea/lifestyle is that no one wants to look stupid. Let's face it, you look like a dork pushing a Segway down the street...it is the ultimate technical walk of shame.

If Segway really wants to change the world, then they better take a lesson from Apple, not Microsoft. Don't release buggy software, or machines. It makes it too easy for the naysayers to say 'I told you so'.

I am totally committed to my plan...the car is gone, and the i2 is on the truck for delivery. However I expect the same level of commitment from Segway. I trust that the machine I get will work fine. The Segway brand promise says it will, so it will.

I will assume, for now, that Segway has paid enough attention delivering on this promise.

Let's cross our fingers that it is really raining on the day I pick up my i2...if it is going to fail, I want it to happen at the dealers!;)

Bye for now....

[pam]

Eman, I've had mine since the first rollout (literally, I bought a demo within 2 days of the announcement) and have had NO problems - as my mom would say, don't borrow trouble <G>. Enjoy your glide!

Pam

[SegwayDan]

Very well done, Eman! You definitely have an exemplary attitude and commitment toward practical Segway use!

Perhaps, with success, you can add a second i2 so your wife can benefit and so you two can glide together at times.

[Eman]

I love that phrase 'don't borrow trouble'...! I shall glide on with confidence....well, once I take delivery that is...

Eman

[Eman]

Pam, I am glad to hear you have had no trouble. Have you ridden much in the rain?

[Dragan]

Enman,
I admire your committment, and share your enthusiasm. I would like to offer a couple of gentle suggestions, based on experience as both an enthusiastic mobility impaired glider and a dealer ( actually, the busiest dealer in Canada)

I can tell you that riding into your local Police station and explaining the law to them, and how you intend to use that law in your favor is NOT the way to win friends. Quite the contrary.

I work with Policemen and Police departments regularly, and they will not be very accepting of that approach. You will find far less opposition to your use under the trial legislation (it is a 5 year program, BTW, not indeterminate in length) if you take a "respond rationally and intelligently IF challenged".

There have been instances in Ontario already where gliders have run afoul with the law for no other reason than flaunting it without fully understanding the limitations of the legislation.

In those circumstances, rather than lending credibility to the process, they damage it.

You're an example that everyone should be following, and you should be proud of that. Few gliders have taken the same leap in committing to a different lifestyle as you have. You have a huge role to play as an Ambassador, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how things go for you
Much Luck!
Wayne

[SegwayDan]

As a fellow Floridian, I can answer as well about riding in the rain.

I have a gen 1 i167 and have often ridden even in a downpour. Rain itself seems to be no problem for the machine. You can splash through puddles with relative impunity.

However, there are the matters of reduced visibility and reduced traction. I rarely bring rain gear with me, so it's a matter of getting wet or waiting out the downpour under something. I wear glasses, and they get covered in droplets and get fogged up, so be very careful to watch where you're going. Of course, drivers have that much less visibility, too, added to many of them not knowing that they should yield the right of way to you at crosswalks, assuming THEY see you at all.

Wet clean concrete and tarmac are usually not a problem, but wet leaves can be. Just don't make any sudden moves while gliding over a surface of questionable traction. And be wary of at least the deeper puddles if you can't see the pavement underneath. You wouldn't want to sink into a hidden pot hole, or be thrown off balance by scuffing a hidden curbing.

You also don't want to swamp the base of the machine. If you're going fast enough, spray kicked up from your tires can come back over the base. I try not to tempt fate by traversing puddles slowly enough so as not to kick up too much of a wake.

[pam]

Yes, frequently - my only limitation (and it may be a self-limiting) is that I won't glide in a thunderstorm. I usually use a poncho, and remember that there may be traction issues, just being alert. I've never had a problem.

Pam

Pam, I am glad to hear you have had no trouble. Have you ridden much in the rain?

[terryp]

Great posts - well written, thoughtful and enthusiastic. We all share your hopes for no problems with your new i2. Living in Seattle, I can pretty much guarantee that rain won't cause any. We'll look forward to hearing how it works out for you.

[SEGsby]

Pam is wise.

Riding a Segway makes you taller than normal, so you become more likely to be hit by a strike. Our high salt-water content bodies make "helpful" conductors of electricity when voltage is seeking ground.

Since there is no metal wrapped around to protect you, the electrons would use your body as a pathway, instead of being diverted around the surface of a metal shell (as in a car).

Insulation from the tires and handle grips on the Segway won't help protect you with the amount of energy present in a typical Lightning strike.

I would also assume that any external influx of power to the electrical system of the Segway would render it instantly unstable, and more than likely burn out the system within milliseconds.

And as Mr. Sagal says, you can't coast on a Segway...

SEGsby


Yes, frequently - my only limitation (and it may be a self-limiting) is that I won't glide in a thunderstorm. I usually use a poncho, and remember that there may be traction issues, just being alert. I've never had a problem.

Pam

[Eman]

Enman,
I admire your committment, and share your enthusiasm. I would like to offer a couple of gentle suggestions, based on experience as both an enthusiastic mobility impaired glider and a dealer ( actually, the busiest dealer in Canada)

I can tell you that riding into your local Police station and explaining the law to them, and how you intend to use that law in your favor is NOT the way to win friends. Quite the contrary.

I work with Policemen and Police departments regularly, and they will not be very accepting of that approach. You will find far less opposition to your use under the trial legislation (it is a 5 year program, BTW, not indeterminate in length) if you take a "respond rationally and intelligently IF challenged".

There have been instances in Ontario already where gliders have run afoul with the law for no other reason than flaunting it without fully understanding the limitations of the legislation.

In those circumstances, rather than lending credibility to the process, they damage it.

You're an example that everyone should be following, and you should be proud of that. Few gliders have taken the same leap in committing to a different lifestyle as you have. You have a huge role to play as an Ambassador, and I'm really looking forward to seeing how things go for you
Much Luck!
Wayne
Thanks for the tip....I had not considered this at all. I thought that being upfront would serve me well...hmmm. Frankly, it suits me better to be a bit more stealth about the whole thing. OK, Wayne. I shall take your advice. I will travel with all of the necessary documentation handy to ward off trouble.

I just thought I might 'win friends' so to speak, by being upfront about my intentions. Fair enough advice, though. I will follow it. Thanks.

Evan

[Eman]

Ok, a few glitches along the way and I am on my way. I have been forced by the pirates at my car dealership to forgo my i2, and get a gently used i167 instead. If my experiment is to work, I need to get a Segway on the cheap...for now. If it really works as I am hoping, I will get an i2 later.

As I mentioned...part of the reason for me to get a Segway is the price of gas. AGAIN this week there was a 6 cent spike at the pump for some unexplained 'overseas' event...hello??!! Isn't Canada a net EXPORTER of gas? So, like, what gives?

Anyway, as of today, I officially declare myself free of the whole mess

E :D

[SEGsby]

Awesome and congratulations!

Let us know how things go...

SEGsby

Ok, a few glitches along the way and I am on my way. I have been forced by the pirates at my car dealership to forgo my i2, and get a gently used i167 instead. If my experiment is to work, I need to get a Segway on the cheap...for now. If it really works as I am hoping, I will get an i2 later.

As I mentioned...part of the reason for me to get a Segway is the price of gas. AGAIN this week there was a 6 cent spike at the pump for some unexplained 'overseas' event...hello??!! Isn't Canada a net EXPORTER of gas? So, like, what gives?

Anyway, as of today, I officially declare myself free of the whole mess

E :D

[Eman]

Well, for anyone who is interested, my experiment is a success so far. (Recall, Reader, that I recently dumped my mini-van for a gently used i167).

For starters, my transportation costs this month dropped by at least $250. No tickets, gas, insurance, lease payments, parking permits, etc. for me...

It is very liberating. I am getting positive feedback on the streets too. There are typically three reactions: 1. The Look Straight Ahead Ignore, 2. The Look Slightly Irritated And Give WAY To Much Leeway On The Sidewalk To Make A Point, and, 3. The "Hey, Cool, A Segway!"

Naturally, I aln't interested in talking to the first two guys anyway...they have disqualified themselves from ever having the good fortune to have me represent them in their home search. Anyone who does not have the time of day to say 'howdy'...forget 'em.

So, the 3rd guy is usually really into it.

People who get it, really appreciate what I am trying to do. When I explain that I took a van off the road, and have replaced it with car sharing, and my Seg, they have the typical FAQ's, but once I piece it all together for them, I usually get The Positive Nod.

Hope all is well out there in SegwayNation!

Warmest Regards,

Eman :)

[SEGsby]

Very commendable! Keep up the great work. :)

SEGsby

[Hobbes]

There is a new link for the Pilot Project - Segways regulation.
http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/regs/english/elaws_regs_060488_e.htm

One dissapointment is the defintion section 1.3:

(2) A Segway is deemed not to be a motor vehicle under the Act. O. Reg. 488/06, s. 1 (2).
(3) Despite subsection (2), a Segway is a motor vehicle for the purpose of a municipal by-law that governs or prohibits the operation of motor vehicles on or along any sidewalk, trail, path or walkway or in any public park or exhibition ground, unless the by-law provides otherwise. O. Reg. 488/06, s. 1 (3).

Some of the snowmobile trails in southwestern Ontario are hiking and biking trails in the summertime and are posted "no motor vehicles" for obvious reasons (motorcycles and ATVs).

This pilot project inappropriately lumps Segways into the same prohibited class.

[Cube128]

Well, they did have some pretty voracious opposition to allowing Segways at all, check out segwaycaveats.blogspot.com and check out the page after page of ranting, all of which was sent to the committee responsible for the decision and doubtlessly influenced them.