Huron Expositor, 2006-04-26, Page 23The Huron Expositor • April 26, 2006 Page 23
News
Local farmer hopes to convince Huron East
council to amend law on usage of Segways
Jeff Heuchert
4111100111
A local 26 -year-old farmer
is planning to attend Huron
East council for the second
time next week, in hopes of
convincing councillors to
amend a law that currently
prohibits him fromriding
his Segway - a two -wheeled
motorized vehicle - on
municipal sidewalks.
Arthur Burns, of
Brucefield, attended Huron
East council two weeks ago,
where he was told that as of
now, Segways are not
allowed on sidewalks,
mainly due to their speed,
which can reach a
maximum of 20 km/h.
But, Huron East Clerk -
Administrator Jack
McLachlan said they would
look into it.
Burns rarely uses the
Segway in town, usually
only to get around when
visiting with some friends.
"They think I'm going to
be slaloming down the
sidewalk, but that's not the
case," says Burns.
"I can hold any speed on
the vehicle. It's unlikely I
would travel at its full
speed."
Movement of a Segway
corresponds with the
movement of the rider's
upper body as he stands on
a platform between the two
tires, holding on to the
handles.
If the rider leans forward,
the vehicle moves forward.
The further you lean, the
faster it goes. The same
principle moves the vehicle
backwards, while left and
right is controlled by the left
handle.
Burns' Segway weighs
only 85 pounds. It comes
with pneumatic tires for
easy travel on practically
any terrain, which is what
Burns had in mind when he
bought it.
Each morning Burns
performs field tests on parts
Jeff Heuchert photo
Brucefield farmer Arthur Burns shows how he uses his Segway
while conducting field reports at his farm.
of his father's 1,800 acres of
farm land.
He'll look for "anything
out of the ordinary and then
write it down," he says.
Prior to purchasing his
Segway, on foot it took
Burns approximately 45
minutes to perform a field
test.
With the Segway, it takes
approximately 10
minutes.
"With the
Segway you can
get a more
accurate yield
map," he says,
because each day
a greater area is
being covered.
Many farmers
utilize four-
wheelers for the
same purpose,
although Burns
says the Segway
is a much more
environmentally
safe way of
travelling through
fields.
Burns says his crops are
not even effected when he
rides over them with his
Segway.
Another bonus according
to Burns is that the
Segway runs on a
rechargeable battery.
"It uses 10 cents of
electricity to charge the
battery full," says Burns,
adding that on a full
battery he can travel eight
hours on pavement, but in
the field, where the vehicle
is worked harder, only
three and a half hours.
A Segway has a much
lower PSI - pounds per
square inch - than a four -
wheeler.
In fact, it has less than a
footprint, because the
weight of the individual is
divided amongst the two
pneumatic tires, as opposed
to when all of your weight
is on one foot when you're
walking.
The vehicle also comes
with a number of safety
features, which Burns says
he would like to, not just
explain, but show to council
members.
He says that he
understands council might
be nervous about saying "go
ahead" to Burns because
they don't want to see
anybody get hurt.
But adds
that he's sure
he can
convince
e
council that it
is not
dangerous.
"I'd like to
get every
councillor
under 260
pounds on it
and give them
a full safety
course," he
says.
Burns'
Segway comes
} with sensors
inside __ the
platform where he: stands,
which registers when he
gets off, so that if he was to
fall off, the vehicle would
stop;
If the rider begins to lean
the vehicle too forward it
automatically levels out,
and a sound indicator
alarms when the rider is
travelling too quickly
backwards.
The Segway comes with
reflective markings for
when travelling at night,
and Burns has added a
headlight and wears a
helmet for additional safety.
It also comes with two
keys, one for beginners and
the other for experienced
riders, both of which allow
the vehicle to accelerate to
different maximum speeds.
"They say it's not safe, but
that's inexperience talking."
says Burns.
"But if I can show them
they can experience it."
"I realize I'm the first guy
and I'm trying to set the
standards here in Seaforth,
t1„l('41
get
every
Councillor
under260
pounds on it
and give them
a full safety
course,
Brucefield farmer
and Segway owner
Arthur Burns
he says.
"It's something new and
fun, and within 10 minutes
you're an absolute
professional."
•