La Mirada this week became the second city in California to ban from sidewalks Segways, two-wheeled motorized vehicles that resemble scooters.
"Our sidewalks aren't able to accommodate Segways and pedestrians," La Mirada City Manager Andrea Travis said Wednesday, a day after the City Council enacted the ban. "There's a potential conflict with pedestrians because people aren't able to move out of their way quick enough."
The Segway, which debuted in 2001, has been hailed by its makers as a major advance in transportation. A series of gyroscopes stabilize the scooter and react to the driver's movements. Leaning slightly forward on the battery-powered scooter platform makes the device roll forward. It travels up to 12 mph and sells for about $4,950.
But some local governments have raised concerns about where the Segways should be allowed to travel.
State law classifies Segways as "electric personal assistive mobility devices" that are allowed on sidewalks. But cities have the ability to set their own restrictions.
