That the Segway tycoon plunged over an 80-foot cliff to his death in 2010 while riding one of his company's electric vehicles didn't help the case of a disabled women trying to convince the courts to require Disneyland to allow Segways.
A California appeals court sided against the woman and agreed with Disneyland, concluding last week that the Segway was just too dangerous to be used as a mode of transportation inside the Southern California theme park. The park accommodated alternatives such as motorized scooters and wheelchairs for the disabled, the court noted.
"Disney also submitted evidence that in 2010, the owner of the company that makes Segways, died when he apparently lost control of his Segway," the appeals court said in siding against a woman with muscular dystrophy (.pdf) who often uses the device to get around.
The court concluded that the "Happiest Place on Earth" had "demonstrated a Segway is an unstable two-wheeled device that could accelerate quickly, either forward or backward, and injure the rider and/or others if the rider is bumped."
The case concerned Tina Baughman, a mother who wanted to bring her 8-year-old to the Southern California park. She asked Disneyland if she could use her Segway and was denied. She sued under California and federal disability rules, alleging Disneyland should accommodate her needs.
The Segway, which travels up to 12.5 mph, was unveiled in 2001 in New York. Rules on their use vary by jurisdiction.
Segway company owner Jimi Heselden was found dead in 2010 after plunging down a cliff outside his estate near Boston Spa, West Yorkshire, while riding a rugged country version of the Segway.
