Send an Email to Sacramento

[Peter iNova]

One of thankfulness. I did, and used the automated system at the Senior Action Network to do it:

http://www.senioractionnetwork.org/
Click the box in the upper right that says ACTION ALERT "Fix SB 1918 in 2003"

They have a page here that will send an Email or postal delivery to various folk in Sacramento. They planned to have it denegrate and ban the Segway, but you can put your own message in the spot their pre-composed message appears. I put this one in:

- - - - -

The Segway HTs are now out on our streets and have shown themselves to be completely safe. It's time that cities like San Francisco woke up to the fact that their premature ban of these non-polluting urban transports represent a new opportunity and are not the menace people have imagined.

Since March 1 of this year, the first models have been delivered and all are being used on sidewalks, among pedestrians, near people in wheel chairs, near children playing and the predicted carnage their presence was claimed to be has turned out to be zero.

Thanks to SB 1918, the path has been opened for California to realize its destiny as a place that embraces good technologies. I hope you are personally able to acquire and enjoy the great satisfaction and enhancement these devices add to your life as I do.

Sincerely,

Peter iNova

- - - - -

Addenda
At the end of the process, the page tells you that your message went out, pronto.
Two of the names on their list were somehow not deliverable, and the message goes out as an Email as if from you personally with your Email reply, etc., attached. If you check the box for you to get a copy, you will have a reply within seconds including the Email addresses of the successfully delivered ones.

Yay!

-iNova

http://www.glidewalk.com

[pt]

i made this sticky...everyone -please- send a note.

cheers,
pt

======================

segway ht journal:
http://www.bookofseg.com

other stuff:
http://www.flashenabled.com

[BruceWright]

Here's how the Senior Action Network describes the Segway:



Segway calls their scooter a low-emission vehicle - but they would replace pedestrians not cars! They can go up to 12.5 miles/hour, as fast as a jogger, but
they are heavy and quiet. They have the capability of silently mowing us down on the sidewalks! Segway Scooters have been approved as a pedestrian
vehicle in 31 states and they are trying to approve the scooters for California sidewalks next! Our San Francisco sidewalks don?t have room for these
people mowers! SB 1918 is a special interest bill for a greedy corporation that hopes to make a killing next year when they market they expensive,
high-tech toy. SAN is calling on all Seniors to ask the Governor to Veto SB 1918.

-Bruce Wright

Segway: Vehicle of Dream

[Peter iNova]

The Senior Action Network's original Email (the one you will creatively replace) says this:

------

I am asking you to fix S.B. 1918, which would allow the electric Segway scooters on the sidewalks. Sidewalks must remain a place for people -- especially seniors, children and persons with disabilities -- to walk without the risk of being run over.

There is a lot you can do:
1. Allow the scooters only where municipalities, districts, agencies and counties PROACTIVELY regulate them.
2. Require licensing, training, insurance, helmets and kneepads for drivers of the scooter on sidewalks or streets.
3. Ban the scooter from ALL TRAILS and ALL OFF-ROAD uses.
4. Protect pedestrians through the best warning and signal devices.
5. Require insurance and bonding of the Segway corporation, which is going to be facing tremendous lawsuits within the next few years.

-----

Hey, I'm a Senior, but I'm not that senile, yet!

-iNova

http://www.glidewalk.com

[BruceWright]

Here's what I wrote:




I am a Segway owner and clean-air commuter in Los Angeles. I use my Segway to travel 14 miles a day to work and back. It has allowed me to give up more than half of my weekly car trips, saving gasoline, reducing pollution and reducing congestion on our roads.

I am writing to you because certain political groups want you to consider taking away the law that allows me to ride my Segway to work. I am using their automated online email system to send you this message. You probably will get a number of automated emails from this address, with the exact same language. I'll quote their email, and respond to each point they make.



>>"I am asking you to fix S.B. 1918, which would allow the electric
>>Segway scooters on the sidewalks. Sidewalks must remain a place for
>>people -- especially seniors, children and persons with disabilities
>>-- to walk without the risk of being run over."

Segway riders are concerned about pedestrian safety. Very concerned. We know that any unsafe use of the Segway is very likely to get it disallowed in an area, and the rider of the Segway prosecuted and sued. But moreover, Segway riders are members of the community, and certainly don't want to see anyone injured. I would love to demonstrate to you how the Segway works, and let you ride it. Everyone who I have shown the Segway agrees that it is not like they pictured at all. In fact, it is remarkably docile and pedestrian-benign.

Currently bicycles, kick-scooters, roller-skates, rollerblades, skateboards, jogging strollers, restorative scooters and other motorized and non-motorized devices are allowed on the sidewalks in my city. The relevant question is, does the Segway interact with pedestrians in a way that is in line with these other objects on the sidewalks? My experience is that the Segway, because of its low-speed and great manuverability, interacts much better with pedestrians than any other object I just listed.



>>"There is a lot you can do:
>>1. Allow the scooters only where municipalities, districts, agencies
>> and counties PROACTIVELY regulate them."

This action alone will cause me to break the law on my way to work. It also flies in the face of Principles of Universal Access that transportation advocates fight so hard to protect.

Allow me to quote from Project Universal Access: "All destinations served by the public road system shall be accessible by pedestrians and by drivers of all vehicles (including bicycles), except that vehicle operation may be restricted for reasons of excessive weight, noise or size, or extraordinary potential for damage to the property or person of others."


>>2. Require licensing, training, insurance, helmets and kneepads for
>> drivers of the scooter on sidewalks or streets.

This is an extreme action, designed not for the safety of the Segway rider, nor the safety of pedestrians. It is a tactic to get the devices seen as unsafe, and to create a burden for Segway riders. As a conscientious Segway rider, I have completed safety training. I also carry insurance and wear a helmet. But those are my choices. A Segway runs a half to a third of the speed of a bicycle, and yet helmets, kneepads, training, insurance and licensing are not required of adult cyclists.

>>"3. Ban the scooter from ALL TRAILS and ALL OFF-ROAD uses."

Frankly I don't know why Senior Action Network wants this point. They obviously don't know how a Segway works or why people would use one. It's not a device I would take off-road. The Segway is not a hot-rod mountain bike. It just doesn't work that way. This is like asking government to ban Snowmobiles from the beach!

I do know some elderly people who have Segways and use them to ride in places they used to hike, but no longer can do to physical limitations. For their sake, I would ask that you do not ban them from paved trails.



>>"4. Protect pedestrians through the best warning and signal
>> devices."

I'm not sure what this means. Does it mean that they want the Segway to make a loud beeping noise when it travels? Again, another motion to create a burden for Segway riders, with no safety benefit. Is pedestrian annoyance their goal?

As required by California Law, all Segway riders must already have a way of alerting pedestrians, a horn or bell. I find that my using my voice to say "excuse me," or "Good morning", makes me more friends than any horn or electronic noisemaker would garner.



>>"5. Require insurance and bonding of the Segway corporation, which
>>is going to be facing tremendous lawsuits within the next few years.

This seems a dubious and angry point. I think they are feathering their bed for lawsuits of their own creation.

Segway riders have proven themselves to be safe, courteous, active members of the community. We have been using the Segway for thousands and thousands of miles for almost two years now, around hundreds of millions of pedestrians. And to this date, there has not been ONE pedestrian injured by a person on a Segway.

In the time since the Segway was unveiled to the public, over 8000 pedestrians have been struck and killed by automobiles, and zero pedestrians have been even bruised by a Segway.

Every day, ten more are killed by cars. We need a way to reduce auto trips now.

Please don't force me to drive a car to work.


Sincerely,

Bruce Wright

-Bruce Wright

Segway: Vehicle of Dream

[pam]

I sent one, too. The Assemblyman addresses bounced, but it looks like everything else went.
__________

Dear Senator ,
I am asking you to allow S.B. 1918, which would allow the electric
Segway on the sidewalks, to remain as is.

I am a 57 year old woman who is not severely disabled, but do have some of
the infirmities of my age group. I have shortness of breath on exertion due
to a heart condition and am no longer as strong as I would like to be. I
own a Segway. It has allowed me access to the out-of-doors and interactions
with neighbors and the community in far greater amounts than I would
normally have. I currently use it to go to and from work.

I’ve used it to go through crowds and down empty sidewalks. On empty
sidewalks, I go maybe 8 mph (the top speed of an electric wheelchair),
because imperfections in the sidewalk make me cautious. In crowds, I go
only walking speed. I’ve never had a problem with bumping or running into
anyone. The wheels make a distinctive sound, and can be heard by those of
normal hearing. I also slow down to a person’s walking speed before I pass
and state that I’m going to pass.

I’ve been through training (required by the company) and have insurance
(required by my common sense!) although I’m sure that bicycle owners don’t
have the same training or insurance - nor scooters nor even roller skates.

Many of the issues that organizations such as the Senior Action Network of
San Francisco or WalkSanFrancisco have propounded are not based in fact,
but rather in fear and lack of knowledge - which they’ve communicated to
their members. And I don’t understand why they would want to ban Segways
from off-road use (not that I use mine off-road) - it’s almost as if
they’ve got a grievance against the company itself and would like to "bring
it down." It doesn’t make sense for them to say "keep our sidewalks safe by
banning this new technology from non-sidewalks."

Although my day-to-day dollars are not spent in California, my vacation
dollars are, and to be honest, I prefer to vacation in a State that allows
me to use my Segway HT to get around. As more and more Segways are sold
(and with the current price, they will be sold to those with disposable
income, a traditionally more mature audience) others will want to have
access to their Segways as they travel, also.

Please do consider us, those who visit your beautiful State, and those of
limited mobility, in whatever your decision is about SB 1918. I am *so*
glad that in Florida the local communities can legislate them off the roads
and bikepaths (where I personally feel they’re in more danger) but not off the
sidewalks.

Thank you for reading my letter.
Ms. Pamela Gotcher

[ftropea]

Just FYI..

I sent a note as well. I always send notes out, although don't always chime in saying so..

Here is a copy of what I sent:

"My name is Frank Tropea and I'm a Segway HT owner in New York City. I'm taking the time to send you a note because Segway HTs are relatively new and the real-world experience of an actual owner might help you establish a more informed perspective.

I use my Segway HT to replace all the taxi/car service trips I used to take around the city and near where I live in Brooklyn. A bicycle isn't an option for me because I dress in business attire and there is seldom a place to shower and change at my destinations.

So for me, and for many other Segway HT owners like me, the Segway HT has become an incredibly useful productivity tool. What's more, I've stopped contributing to the problem of air and noise pollution (our taxis really spit out some serious smog!) and keep at least 1 car in this world sitting idle - because I'm not using (or paying for them) anymore. Also, I never use my Segway HT when I can walk - but for me, walking 5 miles doesn't make sense here in the city because of the time it would take.

About the issues of safety, there is something else you might be interested to know, and that's the Segway HT operates much in the same way as pedestrians do. It's controlled by leaning much in the same way you walk. For example, imagine as you would stand up and begin to walk forward. You'll notice that as you take your steps you're leaning your body forward slightly and then "catch" yourself by placing your foot on the ground in front of you. To stop moving forward, you lean back. That's exactly how the Segway HT works. It senses your intentions to move and rolls the wheels either forward or back, "catching" you and keeping you stable the whole time.

Also, since the Segway HT operates using the same mechanics that people use, it manages to integrate wonderfully with pedestrians in general. Accordingly, pedestrians riding Segway HTs behave just as pedestrians do on foot. The same rules that govern pedestrian movement work for Segway HT riders.

Finally, I've owned my Segway HT since December and have been overwhelmed by the positive reaction from my fellow New Yorkers. However, when I have heard or read negative press about the Segway HT, I'm not surprised to learn that the people criticizing or making generalizations have never actually ridden on a Segway HT. The time for speculation is over because Segway HTs are here now. If anyone wants to learn what they're all about, all they need to do is just try it. It's amazing how many questions some first hand experience can help answer :)"

Regards,

Frank A. Tropea

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