Two Segway entrepreneurs have their sights on Yosemite and Sequoia national parks as the next frontier for these two-wheeled contraptions. Steve Steinberg and Darren Romar, who operate Segway of Oakland, want to offer fleets of these "human transporters" to the two parks.
"We want to expand rental operations into the U.S. National Park Service, and we're ready to take on bigger things like Yosemite," Mr. Steinberg said in a PR release. "Our goal is to work out partnerships where we supply Segway units to start your own turnkey operation, and support for when you are running the operation. We are already looking into a partnership with a concessionaire and we are excited about the Parks. We can only take on so many locations, but right now we're looking for good partnerships"
Of course, the rhetorical question is whether Yosemite and Sequoia and other national parks need Segways tooling around their roads? Another question is why the National Park Service would want to invite Segways into the parks?
It wasn't too long ago that former NPS Director Fran Mainella was touting the healthy benefits of recreation in the parks. It was back in June of 2006 when Ms. Mainella talked about the Park Service's efforts to "advance the physical and mental health of the American public by encouraging additional, appropriate physical activity during visits to national park units."
Riding a Segway around a park doesn't exactly seem terribly physical.
Beyond that, can anyone demonstrate a need to do away with the traditional ranger-led tour of a park? Or are we to assume that rangers will continue to lead tours, but only involving herds of Segwayians? Of course, the savvy Segway fleet owner could equip his units with "electronic rangers" and do away with the living and breathing ranger entirely.
Seriously, though, do we really need to add to the congestion that already exists in Yosemite Valley, where cars, hikers, joggers, cyclists and regular pedestrians already eat up most of the available ground space? Should the Park Service be advocating against walking and hiking? Should the agency be encouraging younger generations to avoid using their feet to explore the parks?
In their drive to "take on" the national parks, will Messieurs Steinberg and Romar lobby to see that Segways gain access to paved trails? And if that's accomplished, will they then outfit Segways with more rugged, knobby tires to conquer hiking trails?
Perhaps there are places in the national park system where Segways make sense, but I hope the Park Service doesn't believe Yosemite, Sequoia, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon and the other 54 "national parks" are among them.
Comments
I cringe at the thought of hordes of Segways jostling for position in Yosemite - or any other large park - while the operators make a mint. They would be a nice alternative to the eternal traffic jam at Cades Cove in Great Smokies, though, if done properly.
---
jr_ranger
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Emerson
http://tntrailhead.blogspot.com
I absolutely love the National Parks. Although Yosemite is amazingly beautiful, it does not rank in my top ten favorite parks as it does for many people. Why not? It was too crowded. Adding Segways would only contribute to the congestion and detract from the purpose of National Parks and the beauty that they preserve. We need to encourage the National Park Service to prohibit Segways from becoming a part of the National Park System.
No, A simple answer to a simple question.
One of the reasons people go to National Parks is to escape the noise and hubbub of everyday life which I believe is one of the reasons the parks are becoming more and more crowded. If they add Segways, they may as well start adding carnival rides, Starbucks, shopping malls, and start tearing up beautiful land for condos and Qwik-E marts.... We need areas where we can escape this. I wouldn't want to see them in Cades Cove either. I don't know if I'd want to ride a Segway through there anyway with the higher bear activity - "Meals on Wheels". Sometimes I get nervous just riding my bike in there.
For Cades Cove and maybe other parks where people just like to ride through and look, stopping occasionally, I think a sort of electric trolley or bus system where you sat facing out. You would pay fare like a bus and it would have certain stops. Though I have not visited Yosemite yet, I know that in the Smokies, most people drive through the park stopping at different points of interest such as historical buildings, overlooks and trailheads. We usually hit Cades Cove very early in the a.m. to avoid the long lines of traffic. I don't know if something like a trolley would help eliminate it but many of the vehicles going through there only have a few people in them and maybe by taking larger groups through at different times would help restore some of the peacefulness of the area, eliminate congestion and maybe generate some revenue....
There once was a Jetson named Judy,
But modernity made her quite moody.
Said she, "In Yosemite,
You must use each extremity...
Yes, to walk in the park is our duty!"
(C) 2008, Jon T. Merryman, All rights reversed.
Almost all of the comments so far are clearly from people who have never been on a Segway and know nothing about them.
Let's clear up some misconceptions:
- You do not have to balance a Segway; it balances itself.
- Segways are smaller, quieter, safer and more environmentally-friendly than many other types of "contraptions" that are allowed in national parks, including cars.
- Segways are smaller, go slower, stop faster, turn more safely, and more-easily blend into pedestrian traffic than bicycles.
- Segways make almost no noise. The ratcheting sound of a coasting bicycle is louder.
- Segways handle hills and loose terrains just fine.
- Segways can have a handlebar bag to carry purses, packages, cameras, cell phones, and other material that would otherwise cause a safety hazard.
- Segways are recognized in at least 42 states as "Electric personal assistive mobility devices" (or EPAMDs) and are not classified as motor vehicles.
- There are lots of people who can stand but have trouble walking, balancing, bending or sitting. Victims of Multiple Sclerosis, Postpolio Syndrom, Altzeimers, and amputees, are among those who use Segways to improve their mobility. If it seems odd to you that such people can or would use Segways, then that should tell you how little you know about Segways! Do a little research at http://www.draft.org, among others, before spouting off.
- Segways can also be fitted with a seat for those who have a different kind of disability.
- There are many "for-profit companies" that operate tours and other businesses in national parks using conveyances other than Segways.
- Segways allow riders to enjoy not just the sights but also the sounds and smells of national parks without being cooped up in a car and contributing to the problems.
- Segway riders pay taxes too.
What do you think banning Segways would solve? Do you expect (or demand) that those people will not visit national parks at all?? No, many of them will get in a _CAR_ instead. Duh. That won't solve congestion, pollution, parking, or noise problems, only exacerbate them.
The same people who call Segway riders fat and lazy seem to have no objections to fast-food eaters riding around a national park in a car or motorcyle, burning fossil fuels, generating noxious emissions, making much more noise, and causing much more congestion. If their complaints about Segways were sincere, then those who claim that you should be getting exercise in a national park would be arguing just as strongly against every other kind of conveyance. But, of course, they don't. People are simply afraid of what they don't know.
It would make just as much sense to complain that people with RED cars shouldn't be allowed in national parks because the mere sight of them offends you.
Get over it.
Actually they're toys for tikes! For god sakes fat Americans...start walking & hiking more!
I'm 6'5", 200 lbs, and in good health but I ride a Segway because I have bad knees ... and because it is cheap, green, and efficient way to get around. I too like to experience the national parks that my taxes pay for ... if you judgmental people don't mind too much, that is! What nerve.
You don't know anything about me but you can't make a reasoned and informed argument for your position so you resort to all you have left -- name calling.