DRAFT

[fredkap]

Jerry Kerr has created with Leonard Timm a new organization which we will be applying for IRS approval as a non-profit charitable organization. Derek Hugger has continued to show his creative genius by making a new logo for our disabled community. Mike McWilliams has created the web site and shown his creative genius. I have agreed to be the treasurer.

The organization will work towards assuring that the ADA is properly applied towards new technologies such as the Segway HT and the iBot.
Thus the name is Disabled Rights Advocates for Technology or DRAFT for short. The web site is http://draft.cc/

None of us are abandoning SegwayChat. My personal opinion is that as the disabled community opens doors required to be opened by the ADA those same doors will be opened to the rest of our community.
Ben Bethel has essentially confirmed that. American West Airlines is allowing segs used by the abled bodied to be gate checked in the same fashion as the disabled community is permitted. Jerry Kerr's (QuadSquad) work opened the airlines to the disabled.

This thread is to announce our efforts to the members of the community that don't normally check the "special needs, mobility and disabled use" section of our chat site. Please read Jerry's announcement, check out our site but continue to be avid segchat readers and posters.

-Fred

[smoother]

Sounds very inspirational. I like the photo. I've never seen actual diability use of an HT. Very cool to see the physically challenged leading the technology pack.

BTW What is the PC term for handicapped these days? I'm a bit out of date.

DRAFT? Lets see. 1st there was Ipcress, then S.P.E.C.T.A., then Z.O.W.I.E., then U.N.C.L.E., then H.A.R.M., then MIB, now DRAFT. You guys sound like special agents. You certainly are on an important mission.

John Out.
"Live to glide, glide to live"

[driley]

quote:Originally posted by fredkap



My personal opinion is that as the disabled community opens doors required to be opened by the ADA those same doors will be opened to the rest of our community.

-Fred

I tend to agree. There is information on the DRAFT site about San Francisco officially saying it is ok for disabled Segway users to glide on sidewalks there. It sure can't hurt to have a few Segs legaly gilding around the city by the bay.

Allowing disabled users to Seg in the City is not all that far off from saying that Segways may not be inherently evil contraptions after all.

Devin

[sitseg]

Jerry Kerr and Mike McWilliams have done an excellent job with our new website. It has been created in a very short period of time and will only get better. I also want to thank Derek Hugger for the great logo he created for our organization.
Visit our site (draft.cc) even if you don't have a disability to see some great segway pictures. You can press the "What's inside" tab at the top to have some access without a login.

Leonard

[pam]

I'm going to leave this thread temporarily in the HT forum, at the request of Fred Kaplan, so that those who don't normally check out the other forums will see it. Discussion belongs in the Mobility forum. There's another thread on this topic in that forum.

I strongly advise all our listmembers to do more than just hit the HT Forum button when they come into the forums. Use the Active Topics link at the top to get all the news.

Pam

[wwhopper]

Fred
Great Team - Great Program - Great Idea - I have posted your e-mail on the local DC-Segways site.

Accessibility and Universal Design are so important for everyday life and for everyone. I was at a conference recently that spoke of Universal Design - as Good Design that helps EVERYONE, not just the disabled. Freedom of movement is so important in that process!

Will W Hopper,IFDA
Washington, DC, USA

[Itsi Atkins]

Pam and others, please be carefull about moving sites off the general forum. Much of what DRAFT is doing is proactive legal foundation which we need all to see. Where do you think news on legal fights for NYC should be placed. We want it where the most will see it and DRAFT will be a big part. It seems to me that users of segway who are disabled and details of the use are surely under the specific forum. But until the other forums get the hits of the general forum please keep the needed information where the most users can see it. thanks.

[BenBethel]

This is awesome - I'm going to forward it to some officials here in Phoenix...

Thanks!
Ben

www.benbethel.com

[Homer]

Gosh, we've come a long way in a year. Last February I wrote about Segways for patients with disabilities and was asked not to discuss this lest it invite FDA scrutiny and enmity.

[pam]

Interesting, Homer, I went back and reviewed your posts from February 2003, and I can't find that thread. I've been on the forums since I got my 'i' in December of 2002, and don't really remember ever seeing someone asked NOT to discuss it lest it invite FDA scrutiny.

I do remember a lot of forum members comments saying that Segway wouldn't request the FDA approve it as a mobility/medical device.

I know some would say we've occasionally erred on the side of caution in terms of support for the unit/technology but I don't think SC has ever actually asked people not to discuss this. About the only thing we really seem to come down hard on is incivility <G>.

And yes, we've come a long way since February 2002 - because at that time, the general release of the HTs was just about to start. Prior to that it was basically about "what if's" - As they have come out, and as we've actually seen the useage patterns, and seen the populations who have found the unit useful, I think we've seen shifts here on SC, too.

Welcome back!
Pam