Do Segways Belong On Park Trails?

Dec. 4 - KGO (KGO) -- In Silicon Valley technology and nature may collide, headlong. Should people who want to use the high-tech Segway transporter be allowed on the Los Gatos Creek Trail? Do Segways belong on trails with bikers, joggers and rollerbladers?

On the Los Gatos Creek Trail it's man, nature and the occasional Segway. South Bay Segway actually conducts tours on the trail and says the high-tech transporter is a perfect fit for Silicon Valley.

South Bay Segway Spokesperson: "People come here, they want to experience the next best thing and here it is."

Under current law, Dean Kaman's invention has as much right to the trail as a bike. The state vehicle code regards the Segway like a motorized wheelchair and defines the user as pedestrian."

As you might imagine though, some hikers, bikers and trail users aren't thrilled with the latest recreational device to roll down the path. Just last month, Campbell banned the use of Segways on its portion of the Los Gatos Creek Trail and in city parks.

Krista Skarbeck, daily trail user: "Personally, yeah, I would say have no Segways because the trail already gets pretty crowed between people on their bikes, people walking, people rollerblading."

The Los Gatos Parks Commission is recommending the town council support Segway use on the rec trail and Segway tours with restrictions. There would be rules about group size, tour times and include a six-mile an hour Segway speed limit. The commission also calls for a trial run.

John Curtis, Parks & Public Works Director: "The probationary period would be a nine month period which would take us through some seasons, and we'd see how it works in spring, summer, winter."

The owners of South Bay Segway say the more people that come to understand their Segways and their safety, the more people accept their use.

South Bay Segway Spokesperson: "This is much safer I would argue than a lot of uses that are currently allowed on the trail."

The public debate goes before the Los Gatos town council tonight.

Sharon Snyder, hiker: "It just seems like it would add another level of caution that everybody would need to have."

Douglas Beck, biker: "As long as people wear a helmet, I think it's okay."

The council could allow the current Segway use to continue, place restrictions on that use or ban Segways altogether.

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