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State: Segways have no place atop the Charles River locks
By adamg on Thu, 08/16/2012 - 9:21pm
What's wrong with this picture?
OK, so the Segway guy is finally keeping his tours off the Greenway, if not off Long Wharf, but now he's taken to directing his tours across the Charles River, by way of the gangplanks over the locks at the Charles River Dam.
Kristin MacDougall noticed one of those Segway tours navigating the gangplanks today and complained to the state Department of Conservation and Recreation:
What is up with Segways on the Charlestown Locks lately?! Dangerous to walkers and riders alike.
Tonight, DCR agreed:
They are not allowed on the locks! Please stay clear of them and be safe.
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Comments
that's dangerous!
People, stop labeling shit "dangerous" just because it LOOKS dangerous to YOU.
I have to agree
I don't understand what the problem is.
..
The real problem
Those "gangplanks" are no where near wide enough for the amount of traffic over the dam and locks. They are so narrow that people have to turn sideways in places to pass.
It isn't acceptable and never has been, segways or no. They need a more permanent solution.
segway lanes duh
segway lanes duh
A pedestrian bridge to North
A pedestrian bridge to North Station, similar to the new one linking North Point to Paul Revere Park, is part of the Big Dig mitigation. It's something which will happen whenever the state gets around to funding it.
Why is this guy still operating
What happened to the court date for this company? Segways are only legal on the street and yet they are still all over the Harborwalk. This tour provider's behavior is only getting more egregious in the absence of any real enforcement. This summer there are little kids on these tours who obviously weigh less than 100 lbs, which is both illegal and stipulated as unsafe by the Segway company itself. At the beginning of the year he had 70K in unpaid tickets and then skipped a court date. Who knows how much he owes now. Why is this allowed to continue?
People bring bikes over the locks, too
This really isn't much different than what happens when there are bikes being walked over, or when somebody in a powerchair needs to head through there.
This is totally half-assed and inadequate even for foot traffic. I don't know why they don't do a better job of it - probably "home land security blah blah burp" or something.
Segways here are just pointing out the stupidity of the current scheme.
This dam was built in the 1970s
and I don't know really what you'd have them do to fix it. There are locks, and they have to be easily openable for boat traffic as well as passable on foot.
I have to agree that Segways don't belong here, any more than bike riders do (you are supposed to walk bikes).
Um ...
Ever go through there? They could put in wider walkways for a start.
That doesn't require any modifications to the "dam built in the 70s blah blah". Just wider walkways. Simple.
That bridge sounds nice, too.
The walking path zigzags between three locks
and it is on top of the lock gates. I'm not sure there's actually room to widen this. I'll try to take another look soon.
And yes, they are openable. They have to be in order to let boat traffic through.
uhhh....
"openable?"
uhhh...yep
"openable"
It wouldn't be a problem
If we had really nice locks like these in Ballard, Seattle, WA - these were designed with people in mind...
http://www.myballard.com/ballard-locks-seattle/
The "fish ladder" at the Gridley locks on the Charles doesn't even work.
Chill out
If Kevinator and Menino had been in charge, the Wright Brothers would never have got off the ground. Cars? Dangerous! Hot Air Balloons? Are you kidding? Rope Swing at the river? Oh my gawd.
As far as I know, Segways haven't really hurt anyone, and based on my experience (5 minutes of lessons and 30 minute tour), are no more dangerous than bikes, and the technology may well lead us to something very cool
Chill out and relax.
Never hurt anyone?
Tell that to Jimi Heselden, Segway owner, who died in a Segway accident.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315518/Se...
#irony
Well, or City Councilor Sal LaMattina
Who had the city traffic commissioner ram him with a Segway.
Dramatic recreation (around 1:05).
Bike riding isn't allowed here either
It's no place for any sort of wheeled traffic going faster than pedestrians. You're supposed to get off your bike and walk. The path is twisty and narrow.
Twisty riding
So aren't mt. bike trails. ;-) Or at least the ones worth riding.
Disclaimer: This is more of a wise-ass comment than a serious one. I'm not familiar with this area.
This has been happening for a while
Some Segway tour company, I'm not sure which one, has been doing this for at least a couple of years. I've seen them on the locks a few times when I've been out jogging. It didn't seem particularly dangerous to me, just annoying for anyone trying to walk the opposite direction when a gaggle of Segways is crossing.
Fighting over scraps
Non-drivers fighting over scraps of space. Welcome to post-1930's America.
Segway PR
Wow, that guy whose name I won't mention is a walking PR disaster. He's pretty much singlehandedly turning the Segway into a hated object.
If I ran the Segway company, I would seriously consider giving him a million bucks to get out of the tours business and never touch, be seen with, or talk about Segways again. It would be worth it.
Out, damned Segways! Out, I say!
DCR helpfully posted a photo of one of the signs by the locks today.
i rode my mobility scooter over it...
i had no choice... why didnt they just extend the new bridge, which i wanted to see so badly, to causeway st? i wasant going to go all the way back! i wanted n. station... it was like 1230 am... to get the last train... i started from sullivan square.
nice bridge.. but to damn short.. the park before it is pretty.. i feel sorry for a woman walking alone down there (rape) too far away from the street a no mans land