Facing the wheels of justice
Newsday
By Deborah Lynn Blumberg

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The Pocket Rocket's banned, but for now, the Segway's safe for the sidewalks of New York.

By a unanimous vote, the City Council Transportation Committee yesterday passed legislation prohibiting the sale and use of Pocket Rockets - small motorcycle-like vehicles that have grown popular with teenagers - as well as other motorized scooters.

But at the same time, the committee exempted the two- wheeled, self-balancing Segway Human Transporter and other devices used to assist disabled persons and electric scooters that travel less than 15 mph.

"We carved out [Segways] because they were not contributing to the problem," said City Council Transportation Committee Chairman John Liu.

This past summer, Pocket Rockets filled city streets, spurring complaints from New Yorkers about noise and pollution. In July, a 19-year-old Pocket Rocket rider was killed in Queens when the scooter hit a large pothole at high speed. Because of their lack of safety equipment, the devices cannot be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles and are already illegal in New York State. Still, owners continue to take them to the streets.

"This has gone from a quality of life issue to a matter of life and death," said Staten Island Councilman Michael McMahon, who sponsored the bill.

The new law would carry a penalty of $500 for operating and $1,000 for selling, leasing or renting motorized scooters in New York City.

Nevertheless, McMahon said he is considering introducing additional legislation to bar Segways. He said yesterday's vote "is not intended to legalize Segways, though. Those are issues left for another day."

Transportation group advocates applauded the ban on motorized scooters and Pocket Rockets, but argued that it should extend to Segways.

"We don't see a basis for allowing some brands of scooters and not others," said Noah Budnick of Transportation Alternatives, a group advocating less car traffic. Budnick said Segways are dangerous to pedestrians and do not belong on city sidewalks.

Pauline Toole, assistant commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs, said the agency does not support the legislation, believing that banning the sale of scooters could negatively impact the city's economy.

But the full City Council is likely to pass the measure when it meets next Tuesday, council officials said. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a spokesman said, must review the legislation before deciding whether to support it, but the council routinely overrides the mayor's vetoes.

"We fall under the same regulations as New York State does," said Brent Harding, owner of Segway of Long Island in Port Washington. "There are no special laws yet for Long Island."

A bill currently before the state Assembly would amend New York State vehicle and traffic law to define motorized scooters and regulate their operation on public roadways.

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