Disney's Segway Ban Upheld in California

[The Straight Story]

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CN) - Safety concerns properly led Disneyland officials to bar a disabled woman from using her Segway to tour the park, a state appeals court ruled.

In 2006, Tina Baughman, who suffers from limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, called Disneyland to ask if she could tour the park using her Segway. Her disability causes a gradual weakening of the large muscles in her arms and legs, and while she uses a cane to walk short distances, she has difficulty getting up from a seated position and prefers not to use a wheelchair.

Officials told Baughman that Disneyland policy bars guests from using two-wheeled devices to navigate the park. After writing letters and speaking to several Disney representatives Baughman sued in 2007, alleging violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act, California's disability and civil rights laws and negligence per se.

Disney successfully removed the ADA action to Federal Court, where U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney sided with Disney in 2010. Last year, however, the 9th Circuit unanimously reversed, ordering Disneyland to embrace new technologies to assist guests of the 58-year-old park.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/07/22/59544.htm

[no_hypocrisy]

1. WTF -- Wheelchairs are two-wheeled devices . . . .

If electronic wheelchairs are permitted, then Segways should have been also permitted.

[Pab Sungenis]

3. Wheelchairs are four-wheeled.

Two large and two small. Sort of a penny-farthing in reverse on each side.

[rog]

4. I don't think so.

Take a look at a picture of a wheelchair. Don't be distracted by the two large wheels. Also, looks like the modern electric wheelchair has six wheels.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheelchair

.rog.

[no_hypocrisy]

10. Conceded. I can't count.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=861&q=wheelchair+%2B+two+wheels&oq=wheelchair+%2B+two+wheels&gs_l=img.3...774.6930.0.7132.27.9.2.16.6.0.101.673.8j1.9.0....0...1ac.1.22.img..12.15.697.AGTTynZ8MHI

[djean111]

2. I am more afraid of an out-of-control Segway than a wheelchair.

It goes a lot faster.

[Buns_of_Fire]

6. The Disney folks probably saw those pictures of G.W. Shit-fer-Brains wiping himself out.

That boob could've taken out a family of four, plus Minnie, all by himself.

[wercal]

5. Locally (Topeka) a man won in court over his Segway

http://cjonline.com/stories/091808/loc_333720049.shtml

It seems in his case the mall would allow him to use it...only after signing a form promising to pay for any damages it might cause....and he succeeded in having that rule thrown out.

I'm a little on the fence about this...this thing can go 12 miles an hour. Whenever I'm at an outdoor event like a concert or race...who makes me nervous? Usually the security and event staff racing around on four wheelers and scooters...and now some are on Segway like vehicles. I don't like dodging these things.

How about if the Segway had a 'crowd mode', that limited its top speed? Flip a switch, and it only goes 4 mph, etc.

[elehhhhna]

7. Disney knows that the 1%'s will show up en masse on segways

wait for it


another way to be fakehandicapped and jump the lines

[Nye Bevan]

8. If Disney had lost, people would have been zipping around in Segways all over their parks.

Especially since they are not allowed to ask for proof of disabilities.

And yes, it would have been a safety hazard.

[djean111]

9. The guy who bought the Segway company went over a cliff on his Segway and died,

in 2010.
I think people who ride Segways may, perhaps, be a little less cautious than people in wheelchairs.