Segway - NO WAY

Yesterday I attended my first meeting with the Sustainable Transportation Committee on campus.  We are interested in things like car pooling, electric vehicles, walking and bicycling, for example, as ways to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions.   I represent the Graduate Student Association on this committee and various other departments and groups are represented.  One of the members is from law enforcement.

At one point during our meeting, someone asked the law enforcement officer about the "segways".  In case you do not know, these are motorized stand up, um....- hell I don't know how to describe them, I only know I abhor them.  I do not like them because I believe that people who can walk, should WALK not stand still and let this thing which looks like a dolly sort of, cart them around town.  

Apparently the police department bought some Segways to use for security patrols and my colleague was asking if they still had them, etc.  The officer said that no one wanted to use/ride them (No kidding!). He then told stories about officer's running into things with them, crashing into bushes for instance and just generally falling off because they could not keep their balance.  I actually stopped the officer who was speaking to be certain that he was talking about police officers using the Segways  - yes, I was told, in much the same way they might use bicycles or horses.  Well, that is just crazy - in my opinion.  I could envision out of shape officers cruising parking lots on the Segways - what a laughing stock they would be.  Not only do people walk faster than the Segways roll but people NEED to walk.
He said that the Segways were more novelty items than anything else - (again,as no one would ride them).   I was relieved to hear that they were not being used.  But again, I was stunned that they were even ever considered for use.

Oh and here I found a picture on the Internet of this very idea (now I  have trouble respecting this version of authority).