Inclusion Daily Express -- Segways Are Now Allowed In Federal Buildings

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Segways Are Now Allowed In Federal Buildings
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
January 10, 2008

WASHINGTON, DC--People with disabilities can use Segway Personal Transporters in U.S. federal buildings, according to an interim policy that the General Services Administration published this week.

The policy, published in the January 7 Federal Register, allows "individuals with a mobility impairment" to use Segways "in a manner that does not compromise the safety of the user, the building occupants or the building infrastructure."

Specifically, Segway users cannot use the scooters above 3 miles per hour within government buildings.

Segways are capable of traveling up to 12.5 miles per hour.

The two-wheeled scooters, which cost about $5,000, allow people whose disabilities affect walking but not standing to travel upright, so they can be more independent and interact eye-to-eye with others.

The GSA policy essentially gives Segway users the same rights as power wheelchair users in federal buildings. It clarifies rules for building security officials that have sometimes turned Segway users away.

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