Segways illegal in Britain

[peterbj7]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/8267312/Segways-banned-from-pavements-and-roads-as-rider-fined-75.html

Says more about the inflexible inertia of the British authorities than about the safety of these vehicles.  They're legal in most countries around the world.  In Belize of course whether they're "legal" or not means little.

[deadserious]

Says more about the inflexible inertia of the British authorities than about the safety of these vehicles.  They're legal in most countries around the world.  In Belize of course whether they're "legal" or not means little.

There is fascism in all forms throughout the developed world.  A lot of people would just think, Government banning Segways, oh that's a little silly.  But when you have government imposing it's will, even in the smallest and minute of things, you have fascism. It may not yet be violent, and it may not yet be unyielding, but that is its natural conclusion.

[clover]

Britain is an oligarchy....more than likely this is all about protecting someone's market from undue competition..........kinda like Belikin if you know what I mean

[peterbj7]

To be fair, Segways aren't banned per se.  It's just that for pedestrian purposes they are classed as vehicles (because they're mechanically propelled by a non-human power source) and hence banned from specific pedestrian areas - pavements (sidewalks and the like).  They must go on the road.  But on the road they don't meet the legal requirements of vehicles - no registration number plates, no brakes etc etc.  So they're not allowed on the road either.  Clearly at some point a way was found of permitting electric wheelchairs to travel on the pavements (sidewalks).  It's just that no-one ever envisaged anything like a Segway so there's no provision for it.  I agree that they shouldn't be permitted on public roads - the nature of British traffic is such that the life expectancy of a Segway rider would be measured in hours if not minutes.  But pedestrian areas...?