The Segway HT & the ADA

[ZoliHonig]

Thanks for spelling this out Jerry!

-Zoli

[mister_bigtime]

SegwayUtah,

I take exception to your criteria for who should and should not operate a Segway. I think that unless you face a physical disability yourself you don’t get it. As physical challenged individual I use many aids to get through a normal day. I take & use non-sanctioned treatments. I weight the benefit against the risk. If I did not get out bed I reduce my risk to almost zero but at what benefit. I have difficulty mounting/dismounting, I need the Segway proped against a stationary object like a wall or bench to mount/ dismount and do not know how I would react to a shut down. Worse case I fall on my face and need help getting up. The same thing I do now when I fall while walking. I probably risk a greater chance hurting myself with a fall walking than a fall on the Segway because I wear a helmet when glidding. We all weigh the risk benefit of getting on a Segway. Only the individual glider can decide if the Segway is worth the benefit. I would no more tell a physically able person who felt uncomfortable on a Segway to use it then I would tell a handicapped person who felt comfortable on a Segwy not to, even if they needed to use it in a non sanctioned manner. Any person who is interested in a Segway must try It first to decide if the Segway is for him/her. Only they can be the judge. To articulate what a persons abilities must be to operate a Segway appears to me to be autocratic.

[Suzie]

quote:Originally posted by mister_bigtime

SegwayUtah,

I take exception to your criteria for who should and should not operate a Segway. I think that unless you face a physical disability yourself you don’t get it. As physical challenged individual I use many aids to get through a normal day. I take & use non-sanctioned treatments. I weight the benefit against the risk. If I did not get out bed I reduce my risk to almost zero but at what benefit. I have difficulty mounting/dismounting, I need the Segway proped against a stationary object like a wall or bench to mount/ dismount and do not know how I would react to a shut down. Worse case I fall on my face and need help getting up. The same thing I do now when I fall while walking. I probably risk a greater chance hurting myself with a fall walking than a fall on the Segway because I wear a helmet when glidding. We all weigh the risk benefit of getting on a Segway. Only the individual glider can decide if the Segway is worth the benefit. I would no more tell a physically able person who felt uncomfortable on a Segway to use it then I would tell a handicapped person who felt comfortable on a Segwy not to, even if they needed to use it in a non sanctioned manner. Any person who is interested in a Segway must try It first to decide if the Segway is for him/her. Only they can be the judge. To articulate what a persons abilities must be to operate a Segway appears to me to be autocratic.

Ditto for Me!
I really hate the condesending, well meaining, and totally inappropriate comments the able-bodied community doles out. I may not be able to climb up or down stairs unassisted but I sure as hell can hop on my Segway and glide wherever I damn well please; and with just as much skill or better than any non-disabled Seggers.

[Nelda]

Gee, I'm 'disabled' and took absolutely no offense from any comments made by anyone on this thread.

[driley]

I'm with Nelda, disabled and I do not take offense. The intentions of the comments were meant to be helpful and I thought that they were accurate. Intent is what counts as far as I am concerned. Thanks for contributing SegwayUtah.

That being said, this is coming from someone who has a disability and has done all kinds of things more able bodied folks might discourage. Such as motorcycle racing.

Some people with disabilities will be able to use Segways to their advantage and will find that they are a truly marvelous invention. Unfortunately, others simply may not be physically able to ride a Segway.

If you are lurking out there and wondering whether you will or will not be able to ride a Segway, the only way to find out is to try. Unless you are very sure, just make sure that you have some spotters standing by.

Just my 2 cents.

Devin

[Okeechobee Wind]

THANK YOU, Jerry.

[Segway City]

I hate to see incidents happen like the one at Daytona this week, where a driver using hand controls struck and killed a track worker. His disability had nothing to do with the accident, it was purely a blind spot on the track and poor communication with his spotter in the stands. But the media jumped on it, implying the driver shouldn't have been allowed to compete. They even went so far as to report the driver left the track without comment afterwards, as if he was hiding from a mob. They didn't report that he was directed not to meet with media by track officials, sanctioning officials and the investigating officers of the police department prior to the conclusion of the investigation of the death itself, as required by law.

Coverage intoned that disabled folks shouldn't utilize high performance equipment, for fear they won't be able to control it and end up injuring bystanders. That kind of prejudice extends directly to HTs being used as assistive devices.

[SegwayUtah]

Nelda, driley:
thanks for understanding me

mister_bigtime, Suzie:
Sorry, I was trying to be inclusive, not exclusive, but I guess it came across wrong. Anyone who can be helped by using any kind of assistive device should be able to enjoy the freedom it brings.

You did bring up an interesting point:

quote:[I] do not know how I would react to a shut down.

This is my main concern. You can force the HT into "emergency shutdown" mode with the "wet fingers trick." I would have a friend available who could hold onto the machine if necessary while you figure out how to get off. Again, my concern is only for your safety, and that you figure out ahead of time what you can do in a given situation, and understand what that risk is.

Apart from that, I do have a concern for the safety of others.

For instance:
1. If someone suffers from narcolepsy and falls asleep while riding an HT, what happens?

2. If a person who suffers from vertigo rides in red-key mode and suddenly loses control of their senses (because of extreme dizziness) and has no idea what they're doing on their HT, or if they're stopped in place, what happens?

The danger in both of these situations is obviously mostly to the rider, but there is also a small danger to bystanders as well. Someone's shins could get bruised, or someone riding on a bike down the road could get knocked over, etc.

If you can ride the HT safely (and this is up to the individual to decide, there are lots of factors), I rejoice with you in your new-found freedom, abled or disabled.

Chris