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Old 10-23-2014, 05:05 PM   #19
KSagal
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Pelham, NH, USA.
Posts: 10,356
5 yr Member HT/PT Owner SegwayFest Attendee
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralfus View Post
What is the reason Segway Corp denies the "Mobility Aid" aspect of their product? Without it I would be in a wheel chair and/or deceased.



Smiling in the Wind
Ralfus,

There is another reason, beyond the legal issue with J&J in my opinion.

A segway, while a great item, and a true life quality changer for many, is a device that is designed for universal design, not for the impaired.

Universal design is something that is designed to have the widest possible application. That is very different than something designed as a handicap aide. (Even if used as a handicap aide, very nicely...)

I have substantially rebuilt my home over the years to fit my family's needs. I understand universal design or at least some of the concepts, and have employed some of them, but that does not mean I have purposefully made my house more handicapped friendly, but I have.

I have a sister-in-law in a wheel chair. She lives in Cali, and has been to my house twice in 17 years. (I have been to her house a few more times than that, but still only a few)

I have a friend in a wheel chair that I have not seen for 12 or 15 years. He has been to my house once.

I had a relative in a wheel chair, who came to my house one time, and has been gone for 10 years.

I have another relative in a wheel chair who has been to my house once.

That is all I can remember in the last 20 years. Not a mandate to make my house handicapped accessible.

Still, every door that I work on has had handles installed instead of door knobs. The few left with knobs are doors guests are unlikely to use, like cellar to back yard, or cellar to garage. Handles are not handicapped rated, but much easier for everyone to use, especially if you have grasping or hand mobility issues.

Also, every door that I have rebuilt or installed, (about 8 of the 30 or so in the house) have been replaced with 6 or 8 panel pine (because I like it) at 36 inches (because it is universal in design). The master bathroom I built has no reasonable need for a 36 inch door, but I like it. The bedroom door you must go thru to get to it is the original 30 inches. ( I will eventually replace it when needed.)

The Bathroom downstairs I did rebuild for my Mother in Law, who had Alzheimers, but no mobility issues. Still, I installed the 36 inch door on the chance that someone might need be in the bath to assist her. Also the reason for the comfort height commode, and the over sized shower.

None of these things are handicapped rated, but all are items that a mobility impaired person might appreciate.

I could go on and on about the universal design concepts I have added to my home, but I hope the point is made. Many universal designed items are indeed a helpful or useful addition to a handicapped or mobility impaired persons environment, but that still does not make them 'Mobility Aides' that aught be regulated by the government.

I have said that my segway is a mobility device. Most days, most people would not consider me mobility impaired by pretty much any reasonable standard. Legal definitions aside (because surgeries and technology used in my rebuilt legs has kept me ahead of the curve) I do not need a mobility device. Yet I own one.

I maintain that everyone on a segway is more mobile than everyone not on a segway. A mobility impaired veteran with a bad knee has improved mobility when he gets on his segway. (me) A very fit marathon runner who can easily run 25 or more miles has improved mobility when he gets on a segway. (Definitely not me!)

I believe that while declaring a segway to be a mobility device will have some advantages to some people protected by the ADA, it is only an advantage because of a poorly worded law, or a poorly understood portion of society, and it is falling horribly short of an adequate definition of a segway...

(And a side note, my son is type 1 diabetic, and the pump he uses has substantially improved the quality of his life.)
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