Incidents prompt BART to consider Segway rules

[abowker]

Incidents prompt BART to consider Segway rules
Michael Cabanatuan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, August 13, 2008


Fears of out-of-control Segways careening about BART trains and stations are prompting the transit agency to consider limiting use of the devices to people with disabilities.

BART planners are recommending the restrictions after three incidents in May and June, including one in which a person at the 24th Street Mission Station lost control of his Segway and jumped off. The rogue device kept running, rolled off the platform and onto the tracks, where it was hit by a train. No injuries resulted, and the train was not damaged, but the accident caused extensive delays and forced the train to be taken out of service.

"It's all about safety," BART spokesman Linton Johnson said. "Not just for people with a device, but for those without one. Those self-balancing devices aren't perfected yet, especially since they can move on their own."

The BART policy, which the Board of Directors will consider Thursday, would prohibit Segways and similar self-balancing, self-propelled transport vehicles from being brought into stations by people who do not have disabilities. People with disabilities would be able to obtain a permit upon proving a need for the device. It would allow them to ride the device into the station and onto the concourse, but they would have to turn it off and push it on platforms and aboard trains.

After the mid-June accident at 24th Street, BART officials began studying the devices, legally named electric personal assistive mobility devices. Three safety concerns emerged: the ability of the devices to keep balancing and moving for several seconds if someone suddenly dismounts, the inability to lock the wheels of most devices aboard trains, and the potential for the large, heavy devices to block entrances in the event of an emergency.

Only about 20 people a day use the devices on BART, Johnson said, but the agency feared that use could increase with high gas prices, the growing interest in public transit and the introduction of Segway-like devices that cost less.

"You can image the problem if use of these things really took off," he said.

BART's accessibility task force, which deals with disability access issues, backs the restriction on use by people with disabilities, but felt that persons without disabilities should be allowed the same access with Segways as with bicycles. BART restricts bicycle access during peak hours and prohibits them from the first car of trains.

Bob Planthold, a disability rights activist and head of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's advisory committee, said he believes the policy protects the safety of BART riders while still allowing the use of the devices by people with disabilities.

While the devices are used by some people with disabilities, unlike wheelchairs, they are not specifically designed for that use, he said.

"I would not want people to think this is primarily a mobility assisting device for people with disabilities," he said. "It's not."

Article from San Francisco Chronicle

[nora k]

meh. i know neelix is going down to bart headquarters (or whatever it's actually called) to fight for his segway rights. i wonder if bart would consider changing their wheelchair rules if one of those fell on the track.

Originally Posted by abowker

Incidents prompt BART to consider Segway rules
Michael Cabanatuan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, August 13, 2008


Fears of out-of-control Segways careening about BART trains and stations are prompting the transit agency to consider limiting use of the devices to people with disabilities.

BART planners are recommending the restrictions after three incidents in May and June, including one in which a person at the 24th Street Mission Station lost control of his Segway and jumped off. The rogue device kept running, rolled off the platform and onto the tracks, where it was hit by a train. No injuries resulted, and the train was not damaged, but the accident caused extensive delays and forced the train to be taken out of service.

"It's all about safety," BART spokesman Linton Johnson said. "Not just for people with a device, but for those without one. Those self-balancing devices aren't perfected yet, especially since they can move on their own."

The BART policy, which the Board of Directors will consider Thursday, would prohibit Segways and similar self-balancing, self-propelled transport vehicles from being brought into stations by people who do not have disabilities. People with disabilities would be able to obtain a permit upon proving a need for the device. It would allow them to ride the device into the station and onto the concourse, but they would have to turn it off and push it on platforms and aboard trains.

After the mid-June accident at 24th Street, BART officials began studying the devices, legally named electric personal assistive mobility devices. Three safety concerns emerged: the ability of the devices to keep balancing and moving for several seconds if someone suddenly dismounts, the inability to lock the wheels of most devices aboard trains, and the potential for the large, heavy devices to block entrances in the event of an emergency.

Only about 20 people a day use the devices on BART, Johnson said, but the agency feared that use could increase with high gas prices, the growing interest in public transit and the introduction of Segway-like devices that cost less.

"You can image the problem if use of these things really took off," he said.

BART's accessibility task force, which deals with disability access issues, backs the restriction on use by people with disabilities, but felt that persons without disabilities should be allowed the same access with Segways as with bicycles. BART restricts bicycle access during peak hours and prohibits them from the first car of trains.

Bob Planthold, a disability rights activist and head of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's advisory committee, said he believes the policy protects the safety of BART riders while still allowing the use of the devices by people with disabilities.

While the devices are used by some people with disabilities, unlike wheelchairs, they are not specifically designed for that use, he said.

"I would not want people to think this is primarily a mobility assisting device for people with disabilities," he said. "It's not."

Article from San Francisco Chronicle

[budsiskos]

i dont think they should ban them but i would like to see a way that lets you lock the wheels and doesn't let it keep moving once off

[scotty1024]

Originally Posted by abowker

including one in which a person at the 24th Street Mission Station lost control of his Segway and jumped off. The rogue device kept running, rolled off the platform and onto the tracks, where it was hit by a train. No injuries resulted, and the train was not damaged, but the accident caused extensive delays and forced the train to be taken out of service.

"It's all about safety," BART spokesman Linton Johnson said. "Not just for people with a device, but for those without one. Those self-balancing devices aren't perfected yet, especially since they can move on their own."

I read that and had visions of the two times I've seen of some mother getting their baby stroller caught up in the closing doors on a train in Japan.

I haven't noticed that they got around to banning baby strollers.

Maybe BART should think about the inherent danger in moving around so much mass at speed and set the BART trains to only operate as fast as they can brake to a halt in 1 foot. I mean after all, if the train hadn't been going so fast it would have been able to stop and avoid damaging the Segway.

And what about the poor people whom get pushed, intentionally or otherwise, off the platform in front of a moving train? Slowing the trains down would protect those poor souls.

I'd laugh harder but I'll be rolling through the transit tunnel in the morning listening to the PA droning on "For your safety stand behind the yellow mats until the bus comes to a complete stop."

[scotty1024]

Originally Posted by budsiskos

i dont think they should ban them but i would like to see a way that lets you lock the wheels and doesn't let it keep moving once off

Last thing I need is for my Segway to decide that I'm off it and lock its wheels when I'm still on it doing 12.5 mph over a broken piece of sidewalk.

To me the real issue in the story is Segway owners and Fighter pilots come in two basic models.

When over a populous civilian city and your F-22 Raptor flames out at 500 feet do you... punch out and save your butt or do you attempt to glide it down and avoid hitting a local school/hospital/old age home?

When you lose control of the Segway do you jump off or do you back plant?

My personal favorite though is the story of Runner Fen, the chinese school teacher so up front about his lack of personal courage that he proclaimed that even if his Mom was in the class room he'd be the first one out during an earth quake.