Sales of the Segway Human Transporter are only about one-tenth of projections but it is popular with police departments.
"Segway says its human transporter will take you almost anywhere, replacing a car for short hops and saving the environment to boot. But the fortunes of the motorized scooter's parent company appear to be headed in just one direction: south. People aren't buying the $4,500 machine in the great quantities expected. A recall last year raised questions about reliability. President Bush fell off one. And theme parks including Walt Disney World and cities such as San Francisco have banned Segways, which travel up to 12 1/2 mph, from sidewalks. 'We're not disappointed it hasn't caught on,' said Melanie Brunson, executive director of the American Council of the Blind. 'People don't necessarily have as much control over these devices, moving at that rate of speed, as you like to think they would.' Segways went on sale in November 2002 amid projections that more than 50,000 would be sold in the first year. Instead, by September 2003, when all Segways were recalled for a minor repair, just 6,000 had been sold. New Hampshire-based Segway LLC also reportedly ran through its $100 million start-up money and has been forced to raise $31 million more. But despite Segway's failure to live up to the initial hype, some in Maryland say it's just catching on. Police at Baltimore-Washington International Airport are wrapping up a favorable two-week trial of the machines, and an entrepreneur in Annapolis plans to begin renting them out this weekend."
Thanks to Richard Layman
FULL STORY: Personal transport spinning its wheels

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Charlottesville Temporarily Has No Zoning Code
A judge ordered the Virginia city to throw out its newly revised zoning code, leaving permitting for new development in legal limbo.

In California Battle of Housing vs. Environment, Housing Just Won
A new state law significantly limits the power of CEQA, an environmental review law that served as a powerful tool for blocking new development.

Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont