Segway conviction ends legal limbo

The conviction of a man for riding his Segway on the road is being seen as legal test case that ends years of legal limbo for the Electric Personal Vehicle (EPV). It can now be used legally only on private land with the owner’s permission.

District Judge Michael Rosenberg ruled that the self-balancing Segway was a motor vehicle and fined Phillip Coates £75 for riding one on the pavement.
Until the ruling, the legal status of the Segway had been unclear; it was not clear whether it had the right to use the pavements in the same way as a mobility scooter, but without conventional brakes it was considered by the government to be too dangerous to be ridden on public roads. The Segway uses its electric motor in order to slow and stop – the Department of Transport has cited this lack of mechanical brakes as a cause for concern.

The government last year ran a public consultation on changes to the law that would allow Electric Personal Vehicles (EPV), such as the Segway, to be used on the roads and cycle paths. However, the government says it has no plans at present to change the law regarding the Segway.

Who uses the Segway?

Segways are used in America on military bases and industrial sites and by police patrols. However, despite the fact they are allowed to be used on pavements in most parts of America, their high price has meant that Segways have not been bought by the public in large numbers.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “It is not unreasonable that vehicles such as the Segway be permitted to use the roads, but it remains to be seen whether people want to. It may be that the Segway one day finds itself in a museum alongside the Sinclair C5, another expensive electric vehicle that failed because it was unable to compete with the bicycle.”

Insure my bicycle

Cover from the ETA includes personal accident up to £20,000 at no additional cost. It also includes new-for-old replacement if your bike is stolen, cover for accidental damage (race events included), third party insurance (in the case of an accident you may need to seek compensation or even deal with a claim by someone else), and personal accident cover. From 33p a week