Standup Police Transport???

Hi Folks,

On the news on TV tonight there was a story of police, possibly Edmonton police, who were testing out some strange mobility unit called something like Sedwich (can't remember what they were called and can find no info or photos online about them!!!)

The contraption is a two wheeled thing that the officer stood up on and whizzed around on. My impression is thats its use is intended for what would normally be "walking the beat" ...

Does anyone know the contraption I'm talking about? Am totally curious about it

Thanks.

Curious Ma Yappy (Hey ... it just occurred to me ... maybe its cheaper than a wheelchair or scooter LOL)

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Is that a Cop between two pieces of bread? I thought Coppers atre Truncheon Meat sandwiches?

Seriously, do you mean the Segway? Two-wheeled contraption, battrey-powered? They have giros to keep the thing upright. See BOSTON LEGAL for instance.

Wow David ... ya diddit! Thats the thing. No wonder I could find nothing with the spelling I had I googled "Segway" after reading your reply and found 'em:

http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en...h+Images&gbv=2

Thanks David ... cool

And HERE I even found the related story that even has a photo of officers using them:
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmo...f-4326883.html

By Sun Media



City police officers ride Segways out front of police headquarters in downtown Edmonton. Two Segways have been donated to the police for use in a summer-long test run. (Jason Franson/Sun)
City cops are rolling out a pilot project involving Segways.
They'll be using a pair of the electric two-wheeled vehicles, donated by the Segway company of New Hampshire, for special duty policing activities like parades, festivals, and sporting events.

They've been fitted with specialized equipment like emergency lights and sirens.

An officer on a Segway will stand 20 cm above the rest of the crowd, said police. And the Segway's open-air configuration makes an officer more visible and accessible to the public.

The police Segways are designed with a quick shut-down option that arms an alarm system and renders the vehicle inoperable if the officer riding it has to leave it in a hurry.

The test vehicles will be deployed at three venues in the city over the summer months.

They cruise at speeds up to 20 kmh.

Segways have been in use as private security vehicles at university campuses and airports for years, said city police, and have recently been introduced to several law enforcement agencies in the United States.

PS: I had NEVER seen or heard of these things until I saw the news story last night Amazing things.

Ma

And another story from Jan that they were banned by the Dutch as of Jan 1st! Hmmmm ... so these things have been around a while

Dutch ban Segway scooters from public roads
Last Updated: Tuesday, January 2, 2007 | 3:22 PM ET
The Associated Press
Dutch police banned scooters made by Segway from all public roads, bike paths and walkways in the Netherlands as of Jan. 1, the nation's official importer confirmed Tuesday.

Segway Nederland director Piet Kruijt said the company was "completely ambushed" by the decision, first announced by national police on Nov. 27, 2006.

"We're working on all fronts to get this resolved," Kruijt said. He estimated that "a number of hundreds" of Segways have been sold in the Netherlands. For the time being, they are only legal on private property.

Police said that with no approval of the vehicles in sight by the country's Royal Traffic Agency, they could not be allowed to continue using public streets.

The two-wheeled, self-balancing Segway "is a motorized vehicle, and according to Dutch law, a mo-ped," a police statement said.

But because the traffic agency hasn't approved the vehicle, the police statement said, it can't be issued licence plates.

Continue Article

"It's a nice vehicle, I've ridden one myself," said Hans van Geenhuizen, a spokesman from the traffic agency, which is responsible for licensing.

But he said the agency cannot license the Segway under current law. "It doesn't have a brake, you brake by leaning back, and that's clearly not permissible," he said.

The traffic agency is part of the Transport Ministry, but that ministry referred questions to the Justice Ministry.

Bureaucratic tangle

Leo Maats, a spokesman for the traffic enforcement division of the national prosecutor's office, confirmed the rule would be enforced, but with so few Segways in operation it may take some time for the message to trickle down.

Kruijt said the mess was a bureaucratic tangle that would eventually be resolved — but it was difficult to get politicians to notice the problem while the Dutch government is in a caretaker phase after Nov. 22 elections. Coalition talks to form a new government are just beginning.

In neighbouring Germany and Belgium, new laws have been drafted to govern Segway use.

"This is definitely not the end of the Segway in the Netherlands," said Hans de Jong, a distributor. He pointed out that the Segway would help the Dutch government meet environmental goals and some government arms are using them in pilot projects: notably military police at Schiphol Airport — which is private property.

He conceded that it may be a while before government regulations on Segways are resolved, and at the moment it is not even clear whether police are issuing tickets. "It's Jan. 2. I have no idea what my clients are doing," he said.

An Amsterdam police spokeswoman said she was not aware of the policy change — or what a Segway is.

A spokesman for Amsterdam Segway Tours said the business was closed until March due to ice, which makes it difficult to operate Segways.

It hasn't frozen in Amsterdam yet this winter, the warmest in the Netherlands in 300 years of recorded history.

"That could change at any moment," the spokesman said

A Segway (pssst ... it can't go forth and multiply by becoming pregnant as its wearing a rubber diaphram as protection from the control shaft

(oh dear ... did I say that? )

There's one on ebay for about $1600

Geez ... I just got up for a drink of water and a cigarette and got into this ... sleep soon ...

night all.