Robyn Reisler couldn't stop thinking of the Chicago police officer he saw riding a Segway Human Transporter (HT) through O'Hare International Airport in the summer of 2004 and how the battery-powered scooter would be perfect for Canadians in all kinds of different situations.

When the Toronto-area man returned home that night, he searched for information about Segway and contacted its U.S. head office.

"As soon as I saw it, I thought of how it could really help get people out of cars," says Reisler, who launched Segway of Ontario in October 2004. "This is an environmentally friendly solution that's fun to use."

Riders stand on a two-wheeled platform and while holding the handlebars lean forward to get the self-balancing device moving. To turn, they simply lean in the appropriate direction.

File photo by Dave Olecko, Business Edge
The Segway Human Transporter cannot be used on public roads in Ontario.

In some U.S. cities, bylaw-enforcement officers were using them to more efficiently ticket illegally parked cars. Letter carriers used them to deliver mail faster and managers at large factories employed them to get around easier.

But Reisler quickly found it wasn't going to be a smooth ride in Ontario for the HT, which sells for about $8,000.

A Niagara Falls man who had ordered an HT from the United States to ride around his local neighbourhood was ticketed by police in September 2004 for several infractions, including operating it without a proper licence, licence plates and insurance.

When the matter went to court, officials weren't sure what to say. The HT didn't fall under the classification for a bicycle, but didn't qualify as a motorcycle either. An Ontario Ministry of Transportation licensing office told him an operating licence for a Segway didn't exist in their books. The same applied to a licence plate. The judge finally dismissed most of the charges.

"He (the plaintiff) wanted to prove a point, but that wasn't exactly the way to do it by taking on law enforcement," Reisler says. "I've never actually spoken to him. At Segway we would rather quietly talk to the province and municipalities to see what can be done."

Municipal streets in Ontario are governed by the provincial Highway Traffic Act (HTA). The Segway is considered a motor vehicle, but because it doesn't meet the proper equipment standards it is not allowed on streets or highways.

Ontario Ministry of Transportation spokesperson Emna Dhahak says Bill 169, which proposes amendments to the HTA, could allow the province to test using the HT and consider updating its rules. Bill 169, which has received second reading, would allow tests of new types of electric-powered vehicles and technologies.

Dhahak says using the Segway on sidewalks is up to individual municipalities.

Reisler provided Toronto Coun. Bill Saundercook with a Segway for 10 days last summer.

"At first I had my doubts," Saundercook says. "But I put it through a variety of different conditions and it just performed beautifully. I rode it on sidewalks from where I live in High Park to my office at City Hall, giving pedestrians the right-of-way whenever I saw anyone. It was a great experience."

Saundercook, however, ran into intense opposition when it was discussed at the city's pedestrian committee, which is made up of politicians and local residents. Most residents cited safety concerns over the Segway, which has a maximum speed of 20 kilometres per hour, being used on sidewalks.

"There were some residents who felt strongly that it wasn't appropriate for the sidewalk and ultimately we had to listen to them, especially with this being an election year," says Saundercook.

Coun. Adam Giambrone, who fought last year to get bicycle racks on local transit buses, says he was surprised the issue kept coming back for discussion. "It's not a question of the Segway being fun or even environmentally friendly. Nobody argues that. But this is something that's just not appropriate for our streets. It's way too dangerous. The Segway is nothing but an expensive toy."

Giambrone dismisses comparisons with bicycles, which also are not allowed on city sidewalks even though they are frequently ridden there.

"This is probably at least a few years away," he says. "Even if the province did decide to test Segways somewhere, it would have little effect on us. You can't compare the busy sidewalks of Toronto to a place like London or Hamilton."

Giambrone says although he has seen a Segway HT, he has never ridden one, which is something that frustrates Reisler.

He says he offered an opportunity to try out a Segway, but only limited interest was shown by councillors. "There was also tons of safety data they had that was just ignored," he says.

A report prepared by City of Toronto lawyers shows most Canadian cities also would not allow the Segway on their sidewalks. The report polled officials in such places as Hamilton, Mississauga and Niagara Falls, who all said it was considered a motor vehicle and couldn't be used there.

The same goes for other major Canadian cities such as Edmonton and Vancouver. City officials in Calgary are studying the issue, while Montreal didn't respond to Toronto's requests for information.

The matter resurfaced in January when a London teenager who has prosthetic legs rode a Segway into council chambers. The 14-year-old told councillors the Segway helps her lead a more active lifestyle and talk to her friends as if she were standing next to them, rather than looking up from an electric wheelchair.

Reisler says he didn't invite the teen to Toronto or even know she was coming, but agrees the device has been popular with disabled people. "This is great for anyone who has mobility issues or even has trouble walking a couple of blocks or so. I know asthmatics who find it very helpful."

Giambrone says he believes the city might consider an exemption to allow a "limited number" of permits for disabled Toronto residents who want to use the Segway on local streets.

Reisler says he plans to open a 230-sq.-m Segway retail store by the end of the month in Toronto's Distillery District. He will offer tours of the area on a Segway that will not include any city streets or sidewalks. Tour prices will range from $10 to $60.

Reisler says that so far he's spent "hundreds of thousands" of dollars getting Segway established in Ontario and with sales last year of about 100 units he doesn't plan on giving up anytime soon.

"Oh God, no. It's definitely not game over for us," he says. "This is just the beginning. We have a clearer direction on how to proceed now more than ever before."

(David Hatton can be reached at hatton@businessedge.ca)