Segways to roll by Lake Burley Griffin

Dante said :

Segways don’t have accelerators.(…)It’s not like any other powered vehicle where the user could easily slam on the accelerator (…).

What happens if you lean forward quickly?

Dante said :

L
Why the Segway hate?

They are preposterous machines which are ridden by prats and hipsters, and are a menace on footpaths.

Seriously, have you seen the dipsticks who ride these things?

“While we’re granting exemptions why not let electric bicycles join the rest of the world with the power limit lifted?”

200W is more than enough power for a power-assisted bicycle. There were good reasons for setting the figure, to do with matching a fit person’s maximum power output etc, and the risks in adding power to a person’s power etc.

When you can do 40km/hr on the flat with the same effort it takes to do 20km/hr pedalling normally or 20+km/hr up Belconnen Way etc, that’s plenty of power.

Keijidosha said :

It will only take one numpty to topple into the lake before the fun police bring their hammer down.

No worries, then let’s ban bikes and rollebaldes around the lake as well. I’ve seen heaps of people have accidents on them.

In fact, we need to ban cars as well. Plenty of car accidents.

Let’s get some perspective.

Segways don’t have accelerators… they use gyroscopes to keep the vehicle balanced and upright at all times. When you lean forwards, the Segway moves forward to keep you balanced. It’s not like any other powered vehicle where the user could easily slam on the accelerator by pressing a button.

They have a max speed of just over 20km/h, so they’re easily overtaken by human powered vehicles.

They’re hardly different from an electric wheelchair, and people don’t freak out when someone with a disability comes rolling down the footpath in one… or when they come down the road as I have seen frequently around the CBD.

Why the Segway hate?

DrKennethNoisewater said :

I can see why they are illegal… 200kw – the power to weight ratio would be mental!

He means 200w, which is basically nothing. According to google, a segway motor is 1500 watts. It’s not a few watts over, its blatantly illegal.

I find it hard to believe that an “entrepreneur” didn’t stop to consider his idea might be illegal before investing thousands of dollars.

p1 said :

If I start a business selling heroin, only to find out later that it is illegal, do you think Simon will give me an exemption?

i think he might. 🙂

alaninoz said :

AG Canberra said :

Common sense…a novel approach by the ACT Government.

Stupid – making an exemption to benefit one hire company. The only justification is to paper over the bureaucratic stuff-up that allowed the operator to open in the first place.

Actually, it was the National Capital Authority, the pretend administration for the Parly triangle (ie the Feds) who issued a licence to operate this Segway hire business without checking whether they were legal under the AUSTRALIAN Road Rules. The ACT Govt had to fix up their stuff up.

Not quite a Pink Batts fiasco but getting there…

what_the said :

milkman said :

Henry82 said :

Common sense?

How is it fair that one ‘company’ is allowed an exception to the law, but someone caught riding a homemade version will probably lose their drivers license?

Relax komrade, it’s gunna be ok…

He’s got a point. The laws were brought in to stop electric scooters coming into the country, hence the 200kw limit which Segways get caught up in also. So why is it suddenly ok to use a segway but not a majority of electric scooters around the lake? There will definitely be a few importers that will be peeved.
Another question this raises, if they can exempt the rules for scooters, why cant they exempt the helmet laws which are stuffing up the bike schemes in Melbourne and Sydney?

Another question – how long until some muppet steers a Segway into the lake!!!

I can see why they are illegal… 200kw – the power to weight ratio would be mental!

Unless of course, you had some slick glasses and some fat tyres for your Segway, like the gentleman in red jumper.

I still don’t know how he rides with his hands in his pockets. Perhaps he is the Chuck Norris of the Segway riding community?

1967 said :

Homemade?
Where can I get the plans for that?

This is a good start for understanding whats required. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKHPN9RIKxg
There are a lot of designs here: http://hackaday.com/?s=segway

And as usual, google is your friend.

p1 said :

If I start a business selling heroin, only to find out later that it is illegal, do you think Simon will give me an exemption?

Good point, and it raises the spectre of a rise in diluted Segways hitting the footpaths as people try to maximise their profits, cutting the Segways with Hubos and wheelbarrows and shopping carts. Then some poor unsuspecting fool used to the crap will think they can handle pure Segway and have a trip straight into Lake Burly Griffin.

Henry82 said :

Common sense?

How is it fair that one ‘company’ is allowed an exception to the law, but someone caught riding a homemade version will probably lose their drivers license?

Homemade?

Where can I get the plans for that?

milkman said :

Henry82 said :

Common sense?

How is it fair that one ‘company’ is allowed an exception to the law, but someone caught riding a homemade version will probably lose their drivers license?

Relax komrade, it’s gunna be ok…

He’s got a point. The laws were brought in to stop electric scooters coming into the country, hence the 200kw limit which Segways get caught up in also. So why is it suddenly ok to use a segway but not a majority of electric scooters around the lake? There will definitely be a few importers that will be peeved.
Another question this raises, if they can exempt the rules for scooters, why cant they exempt the helmet laws which are stuffing up the bike schemes in Melbourne and Sydney?

Another question – how long until some muppet steers a Segway into the lake!!!

If I start a business selling heroin, only to find out later that it is illegal, do you think Simon will give me an exemption?

Mr Corbell said he was pleased to be in a position to grant an exemption for the use of Segways in Lake Burley Griffin, coinciding with high visitor numbers to the area for Floriade over the coming month.

In Lake Burley Griffin? But won’t they sink?

Kath said :

Perhaps this is a step towards legalising the use of Segways, once it’s obvious that they haven’t lead to carnage around the lake?

It will only take one numpty to topple into the lake before the fun police bring their hammer down.

Does this mean that the 200w limit on electic bicycles may be lifted to say 1kw at the minister discretion?

Perhaps this is a step towards legalising the use of Segways, once it’s obvious that they haven’t lead to carnage around the lake?

Henry82 said :

Common sense?

How is it fair that one ‘company’ is allowed an exception to the law, but someone caught riding a homemade version will probably lose their drivers license?

Relax komrade, it’s gunna be ok…

Bet Simon is asking for a share of profits.Pretty common. 🙂 Are you, Simon?

AG Canberra said :

Common sense…a novel approach by the ACT Government.

Stupid – making an exemption to benefit one hire company. The only justification is to paper over the bureaucratic stuff-up that allowed the operator to open in the first place.

Common sense?

How is it fair that one ‘company’ is allowed an exception to the law, but someone caught riding a homemade version will probably lose their drivers license?

Common sense…a novel approach by the ACT Government.