Yesterday the TV-news had an item about the desirability of having the Segway available for use in the city. The machine is shown here on a quiet Sunday morning a week ago in the Chancellerie street in Brussels. In order to make them very safe for the user, the organization renting them in Brussels has blocked the speed of the engines to 30 km per hour. Their use in some cities is apparently controversial. In Bruges, the person at city hall responsible for tourism is not a great fan. He is in favor of individual use of the Segway but is strongly against their use for group excursions. He thinks that in the city they hinder pedestrians, shoppers, tourists.
According to http://www.segwaybrugge.be/en/:
"The Segway is very environmentally friendly. It is not only noiseless and energy-efficient, but it does not produce any harmful substances either. Very convenient to ride around in the city, where enough emissions are produced already, as well as outside the city, where you want to harm nature as little as possible".
We have such "segway" for tourists in Paris...
ReplyDeleteHave a great day,
Pierre
nice pictures!
ReplyDeleteJ'aime beaucoup l'idée des segway ! j'ai déjà hésité à Lille d'en louer, c'est assez simple de s'en procurer à certaines stations de métro.
ReplyDeleteQuand à ta deuxième photo, elle est prise à quelques pas de mon bureau... les photos qui y sont d'ailleurs exposées pour le moment sont assez intéressantes.
you can rent a segway in Bruges and in Ostend. Pff, I don't like them. It's a silly view with that helmet. It's too wide to use on the pavement and too slow for the street or the bicycle lane.
ReplyDeleteWhy not take a bike?
Pierre, I have seen them in Paris. The streets and especially the sidewalks are larger and it just seems easier there than in a place like Bruges.
ReplyDeleteThank you Harold Roscoe, I am always looking forward to your visiting This is Belgium and hearing from you this way.
Jacques, j'ignorais que tu travailles "à côté" .. chouette!. La seule chose, il me semble difficile d'aller d'un trottoir à l'autre... beaucoup de 'bumps'.. Mais qui sait, peut-être ça connaîtra un succès... On verra.Tu fais la navette de Lille tous les jours? whow!
I know what you mean Jeroen, but maybe it is a solution for people who can not walk or bike .. and who otherwise can not enjoy all the city treasures ??
that's really interesting !
ReplyDeletecome for a vvsit, and if you like sign as follower...I'll do back
ciao ave
Thank you for visiting my blog.
ReplyDeleteI love these segways - minimum polution - easy parking - less road traffic. I'm sure the other objections could be overcome.
great idea!
I think they have their place although I think I probably wouldn't ride one! I can see where groups might bugger up the traffic flow though.
ReplyDeleteV
Thanks for your visit, white cabbage.
ReplyDeleteDianne and Virginia, happy you visited today. I also think that there is something to be said 'pro'..
It really does depend a whole lot of the city's infrastructure..
however, not sure that I would use one myself..for the moment I do prefer walking and biking.. but who knows?
I have not been on one but look forward to the opportunity... that, and a Velib in Paris!
ReplyDeleteBises,
Genie
(Belgium is on my list, mon amie!)
sounds like a good idea, we don't have any in Australia :)
ReplyDeleteClaudia xo
Belgium I think that is a good idea, for these people who can t walk well, troubles with feet, etc. Greeting for you from Chile,
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