Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on January 30, 2002, to define and allow on public sidewalks "electric personal assistive mobility devices" (the "Segway Human Transporter"). The bill would allow local governments to regulate but not to ban the use of the device on sidewalks, except they could be banned on a pedestrian walkway adjacent to a waterfront. The devices would be prohibited on Mackinac Island

The vote was 21 in favor, 15 opposed and 2 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 531 at Senate Journal 42)

Click here to view bill details.

I voted "no" on this bill because this device is rather recent. It only came into being about four or five months ago, and I don't think there's been adequate research into the fact of trying to mix motorized and foot traffic on sidewalks. Therefore, I voted against the bill.

Moving into this Flash Gordon technology--for those of you who remember Flash Gordon--we're going to have a space-age deal jetting around our cities and so on. I believe we need further research before we move into something like this. I think we should start the research maybe on a college campus where we provide all the students with these little scooters. Then we kind of see how it works out in terms of traffic jams and where to park it and all the little things that are involved. Then if we found out there were no problems on college campuses, then maybe we ought to go into shopping centers. We ought to do some research with the scooters in shopping centers, and see how much fun our teenagers have. If that all works out, then eventually we can let people run up and down the sidewalks with them. But I just think we're moving way too fast on this new Flash Gordon technology. We ought to take it easy.

Senator Smith's statement, in which Senator DeBeaussaert concurred, is as follows:

I have no problem with the technology. I have a problem with the fact that once again we have taken away the opportunity for local units of government to regulate their streets and their sidewalks. I think the local units have a better understanding of the needs of their communities than the Legislature does. And this does eliminate a degree of local control in deciding how to manage the Segway vehicle.

Senator Byrum's statement, in which Senators DeBeaussaert and Stille concurred, is as follows:

It's not the technology that I have a concern or a problem with. It's once again the Legislature taking away the local control. Local communities invest a great deal of time and resources in making their communities liveable and walkable. I think that the Legislature should allow these communities to decide what is best for their own citizens and that we should stay out of the element of local control.