>> Rooney: I'M EMILY
ROONEY, TONIGHT ON
"GREATER BOSTON," SEGWAYS
ARE BREWING BATTLE OVER
WHETHER THEY SHOULD BE
ALLOWED.
AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR
BULLYING, AND THIS OLD
HOUSE TAKES ON A
FORECLOSURE.
COMING UP NEXT.
>> Rooney: TONIGHT ON
"GREATER BOSTON," A
SHOWDOWN OVER SEGWAYS.
ARE THE MOTORIZED SCOOTERS
A HAZARD.
PLUS, CRACKING DOWN ON
BULLYING.
SHOULD THERE BE A CRIMINAL
PENALTY?
AND "THIS OLD HOUSE" TAKES
ON A FORECLOSED PROPERTY
AS IT COMES HOME TO ITS
BOSTON ROOTS.
GOOD EVENING.
SEGWAYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
A TRANQUIL MODE OF
TRANSPORT.
HERE IN BOSTON, DEBATE IS
RAGING OVER WHETHER THE
MOTORIZED SCOOTERS SHOULD
BE ALLOWED TO ROAM, AND
WHETHER THEY BE ALLOWED ON
THE CITY STREETS AND
SIDEWALKS AT ALL.
CALL IT A THE SEGWAY
SMACKDOWN.
IN ONE CORNER, THE CITY OF
BOSTON, WHICH DOESN'T WANT
SEGWAYS CRUISING UP AND
DOWN THE ROSE KENNEDY
GREENWAY.
IN THE OTHER CORNER,
BOSTON GLIDERS, WHICH
OPERATES SEGWAY TOURISM
AND SAYS IT IS THE VICTIM
OF VEHICULAR
DISCRIMINATION.
>> WE COMPLETED LAST YEAR
OVER 8,000 TOURS.
TO DATE, THERE IS ZERO
INCIDENTS OF ACCIDENTS, IN
ANY PEDESTRIAN, BIKE, OR
VEHICLE.
>> Rooney: SIGNS POSTED
ON THE GREENWAY SAYS
SEGWAYS AREN'T ALLOWED.
BUT ALLEN ADMITS THEY
IGNORE THEM.
>> IF A POLICE OFFICER
SAYS YOU NEED TO STOP, I
NEED TO TALK TO YOU.
THE IDEA THAT SOME
EMPLOYEE FROM THE GREENWAY
RAN OUT WITH HIS HANDS
FLAILING, OH, MY GOD, YOU
BETTER STOP.
YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE ARE
LIKE, YEAH, WELL, NOT TIME
FOR TODAY.
BYE-BYE.
>> Rooney: WITH NO
BOSTON SEGWAY ORDINANCE ON
THE BOOKS, STANLEY SAYS
FEDERAL LAW ALLOWS THE
VEHICLES TO GO ANYWHERE.
>> THE FEDERAL LAW SAYS
THEY BELONG ON THE
SIDEWALK.
I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I
BELONG.
>> Rooney: AND THAT'S
GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE
TOURISTS FROM MILWAUKEE,
WHO WANTED AN EASY WAY TO
GET AROUND WHILE ONE IS
RECOVERING FROM THE FLU.
>> WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE
A QUICKER, MORE EASIER WAY
TO SEE EVERYTHING IN
BOSTON THAN TO TAKE CABS
OR WALK THE ENTIRE TRIP.
YOU KNOW, YOU'D GET TIRED
OUT.
>> Rooney: HOWEVER,
LOCALS MAY WANT TO GIVE
SEGWAY DRIVING VISITORS A
WIDE BERTH.
>> I WOULDN'T PUT ANY
BABIES OR OLD PEOPLE IN MY
PATH.
>> Rooney: IN THE
MEANTIME, THEY NOT ONLY
FIGHTING WITH THE CITY,
BUT THE MAKERS OF THE
SEGWAY.
>> THE SEGUE CORPORATE IS
UPSET BECAUSE AS THEY
REFER TO IT, I'M BECOMING
THE FACE OF SEGWAY.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW,
AS A TOUR OPERATOR, WE'RE
PROBABLY ONE OF THEIR
LARGEST BUYERS.
SO THEY CAN HAVE --
CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR
HATERAID AND DO WHATEVER
IT IS THEY'RE GOING DO DO.
>> Rooney: AND UNLESS
BOSTON PASSES A LAW THAT
KEEPS SEGWAYS OFF THE
SIDEWALKS, BOSTON GLIDERS
WILL CONTINUE TO DO
WHATEVER ITS DOING.
JOINING ME NOW IS BOSTON
CITY COUNCILLOR SALT
LAM -- SAL LAMATTINA, AND
REINA ELLIS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CITY'S
PIECE MAY BE MORE WITH
ALLEN DANWAY THAN WITH
SEGWAY.
IT IS THE WAY HE OPERATES
THE BUSINESS OR THAT IT IS
A SEGWAY?
>> ACTUALLY, I HAVE
NOTHING AGAINST THE BOSTON
GLIDERS.
I HAVE CONCERN ABOUT
SEGWAYS BEING USED ON THE
SIDEWALKS.
PARTICULARLY IN THE NORTH
END.
FOR ME, IT WASN'T -- IT
WAS CONCERN ABOUT IT.
I WAS IN CHARLESTOWN, AND
A 70-YEAR-OLD WOMAN TOLD
ME SHE WAS SQUARED WALKING
ON THE STREET BECAUSE OF
THE SEGWAYS.
I REMEMBER A FEW YEARS
BACK GOING TO TEST THE
SEGWAYS IN MANCHESTER, AT
THE MANCHESTER, NEW
HAMPSHIRE, AND I REMEMBER,
UM, TESTING IT, AND I HAD
THE COMMISSIONER AT THE
TIME HIT ME WITH A SEGWAY.
CAN YOU IMAGINE SOMEONE
WEIGHING 250 POUNDS
COLLIDES WITH A SENIOR
WOMAN.
I HAVE CONCERNS OF A
LITTLE KID RUNNING OUTSIDE
A STORE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THEY
BELONG ON A SIDEWALK.
PARTICULARLY IN SOME OF
THE STREETS IN THE NORTH
END.
>> Rooney: YEAH.
I THINK IT DOESN'T WORK AT
ALL IN THE NORTH END.
IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL IN
THE BACK BAY.
AND, BY THE WAY, THERE ARE
NONE IN THE BACK BAY.
>> YES.
>> Rooney: THEY'RE JUST
NOT THERE.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE THIS
SAYS A SALES MANAGER?
DO YOU ADVICE PEOPLE WHERE
TO USE THEM?
IF THERE ARE NO ORDINANCES
ABOUT IT.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY
ABOUT IT?
>> THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION.
WE WORK PRIMARILY THROUGH
DEALERSHIPS, AND
DEALERSHIPS GOING THROUGH
EXTENSIVE TRAINING WITH
US.
WHEN THEY FINISH THAT
TRAINING, THEY'RE SEGWAY
AUTHORIZED DEALERS.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE
ETIQUETTE, AND THE SAFETY
PARAMETERS.
MOST OF THEM RUN THEIR OWN
TOURS, AND THEY DO IT WITH
THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE
TOURS' REQUIREMENTS THAT
WE SET UP.
>> Rooney: BUT IT SOUNDS
LIKE THAT IS WHAT ALAN IS
DOING.
HE ONLY PUTS SIX PEOPLE IN
A TOUR.
GIVES EVERYBODY A 20
MINUTE LESSON.
THEY ONLY GO AS FAST AT
9.5 MILES PER HOUR, WHICH
IS A GOOD CLIP ON A
SEGWAY.
>> IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO US WHEN THESE TOURS
START UP, THEY'RE IN A
LOCATION THAT MAKES SENSE.
IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT
THIS LOCATION DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE.
I'VE HEARD THE PEOPLE FROM
THE NORTH END SAYING THEY
HAVE TO GO OUT ON THE
STREET WITH THEIR BABY
CARRIAGES.
THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
PART OF BEING A SEGWAY
AUTHORIZED TOUR OR DEALER
LIKE SEGWAY OF BOSTON IS,
IS MAKING THOSE GOOD
DECISIONS.
WHEN THEY'RE NOT GOOD,
YES, THAT'S MY JOB TO
ADVICE THEM.
>> Rooney: IT SOUNDS TO
ME LIKE, COUNCILLOR, YOU
DON'T THINK THEY BELONG IN
THE NORTH END AT ALL.
IF THEY'RE IN THE ROADS,
THEY'RE GOING TO BE A
HAZARD.
>> 10 TO 15 MINUTES AND
ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU PUT
SOMEONE ON A SEGWAY --
>> Rooney: THAT'S WHAT
YOU GET ON A JETSKI.
>> THE MASSPORT POLICE USE
THEM, AND THEY GO THROUGH
A TRAINING SECTION BETWEEN
ONE AND FOUR HOURS BEFORE
THEY GET ON A SEGWAY.
>> Rooney: BUT THEY'VE
GOT TO DO CHASES AND DO
POLICE WORK.
>> YEAH.
BUT IF YOU'RE OUT THERE
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU
HIT A BRICK ON A SIDEWALK
AND YOU GO FLYING OR YOU
JUST FORGET OR YOU'RE
WAVING TO SOMEBODY, IT
COULD BE DANGEROUS.
MY CONCERN IS VERY SIMPLE:
ON THE SIDEWALKS -- AND
BOSTON IS A WALKING CITY,
IT'S FOR PEDESTRIANS TO
WALK, AND I'M REALLY
CONCERNED THERE IS GOING
TO BE A COLLISION, AND
SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET
HURT.
THERE IS NO REGULATIONS.
I SEE THEM OUT TODAY ON
THE STREET, JUST TWO GUYS,
NO HELMETS.
IN TRAFFIC ON A STREET.
SO AT LEAST THERE SHOULD
BE AN AGE REQUIREMENT,
MAYBE A HELMET, MAYBE A
VEST.
WE HAVE NO REGULATIONS IN
THE STATE OF
MASSACHUSETTS, OR THE CITY
OF BOSTON, AND I WANT TO
SEE SOME KIND OF
REGULATIONS.
>> Rooney: WHAT KIND OF
REGULATION WOULD YOU LIKE
TO SEE?
>> MAYBE ON A BIKE PATH.
I DON'T WANT THEM ON A
SIDEWALK.
SORRY.
IF THERE IS GOING TO BE A
TOUR, MAYBE THEY SHOULD
HAVE A ROUTE THAT THE CITY
APPROVES.
THERE -- NEEDS TO BE SOME
KIND OF REGULATIONS.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES,
I THINK IT IS REALLY
HELPFUL --
>> Rooney: THEY'RE NOT
AS INNOVATIVE THAT DEAN
CAIN SAYS THEY WOULD BE
YEARS AGO.
IT WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE
TRANSPORTATION, BUT
THEY'RE TOO CLUNKY.
>> MY CONCERN IS IF WE
DON'T CONTROL THEM NOW IN
THE CITY, WHAT IF MORE AND
MORE OF THE TOUR COMPANIES
COME IN.
>> Rooney: THAT'S TRUE.
>> I WANT SOME KIND OF
REGULATIONS FOR PEDESTRIAN
SAFETY FOR PEOPLE IN THE
CITY.
>> Rooney: IS ALAN
DANLEY A THORN IN YOUR
SIDE.
HE SAYS THAT SEGWAY
DOESN'T LIKE THE FACT HE
IS THE FACE OF SEGWAY
BECAUSE HE IS COMBATIVE.
>> THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION.
WE'RE COMPLETELY
UNAFFILIATED WITH AL
DANLEY, AND WE WANT TO
KEEP IT THAT WAY.
WE WANT TO ALIGN OURSELVES
WITH PEOPLE WHO USE THE
SEGWAY RESPONSIBLYLY WITH
ETIQUETTE, IN HARMONY WITH
THE COMMUNITIES WITH WHOM
THEY RIDE.
>> Rooney: YOU MUST SELL
THEM TO HIM?
>> ACTUALLY, WE DON'T SELL
DIRECTLY VERY OFTEN.
HE CAN GET THEM ON eBAY,
HE CAN GET THEM FROM
DEALERS OR POTENTIALLY
FROM SEGWAY.
>> Rooney: BUT JUST TO
ANSWER MY QUESTION, IS HE
A THORN IN THE SIDE OF
SEGWAY?
>> I WOULD HAVE TO SAY HE
DOES NOT GIVE US A GOOD
REPUTATION IN THIS CITY,
AND WE WANT TO CHANGE IT.
>> Rooney: HAVE THERE
BEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS?
>> YES, IN CHARLESTOWN.
WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE
INSTRUCTIONS, THEY'RE
DOING IT ON THE PUBLIC
SIDEWALK.
WE HAVE PICTURES OF
MOTHERS WITH BABY
CARRIAGES ON THE STREETS
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T WALK ON
THE CROSSWALK TO A
SIDEWALK.
AND THEY'RE DOING THIS IN
THE NORTH END, TOO.
LIKE I SAID, WHEN A
70-YEAR-OLD WOMAN OR
80-YEAR-OLD WOMAN IS
SCARED TO WALK ON THE
STREET, THAT SCARES ME.
>> Rooney: WAS THIS PART
OF THE ORIGINAL INTENT, TO
MAKE THEM AS A TOURIST
TOY?
I THOUGHT OF IT AS PUBLIC
SAFETY, POLICE WORK,
TRANSPORTATION FOR THE
ELDERLY.
I NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS?
DID SEGWAY?
>> IT IS INTERESTING.
I DON'T THINK WE REALLY
DID.
IT REALLY EVOLVED IN EACH
OF THESE CITIES AND TOWNS
WHERE SUDDENLY SOMEONE HAD
THE GREAT IDEA THEY DIDN'T
WANT TO BE STUCK IN A BUS
ANYMORE IN THE SWELTERING
HEAT, SPEWING DIESEL
FUELS.
WITH THE WHOLE GREEN
REVOLUTION, THEY THOUGHT
WE'RE GOING TO JUMP ON AND
BUY A FLEET OF SEGWAYS AND
LET PEOPLE EXPERIENCE ALL
THESE GREAT CITIES.
A LITTLE FURTHER OUT, AND
DOING IT WHILE THEY'RE
CONNECTED WITH THAT CITY,
AS OPPOSED TO INSIDE
SOMETHING.
>> Rooney: IT SEEMS TO
ME, THOUGH, THE CITY --
THEY'RE ALWAYS IN THE
BUSINESS OF LEGISLATEING
THE FUN OUT OF LIFE.
REMEMBER THAT PARTY SAYING
THAT USED TO GO AROUND --
>> YEAH.
>> Rooney: THAT WAS
GREAT, AND THE MAYOR GOT
RID OF THAT.
>> WELL, THAT WAS KIND OF
DANGEROUS.
>> Rooney: COME ON, YOU
CAN'T LEGISLATE AGAINST
DANGER.
>> BUT THEY WERE
PARTLYING.
>> THEY TOOK A HUGE
FOOTPRINT.
THE SEGWAY IS THE SAME
SIZE AS A PEDESTRIAN.
>> Rooney: AND NOW
THEY'RE GONE FOR SURE.
>> BUT TO ANSWER YOUR
QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT
TOURISM WAS PART OF THE
ORIGINAL INTENT?
NO, I DON'T THINK IT IS.
BUT I STILL DON'T THINK IT
MAKES IT A TOY.
I THINK IT MAKES IT A
VALUABLE TOOL.
MY PARENTS ARE IN THEIR
70s, AND THEY CAN'T WALK
THREE OR FOUR MILES TO SEE
ALL OF THE SIGHTS.
>> Rooney: YOU THINK IT
COULD BE USED IF IT IS
DONE RESPONSIBLY?
>> I AGREE WITH THAT.
I THINK IT IS AN
INNOVATIVE DEVICE --
>> Rooney: BUT IT DOES
NOT GO ON THE SIDEWALKS?
>> NOT ON SIDEWALKS --
THERE ARE SOME SIDEWALKS,
BUT --
>> Rooney: IN FRONT OF
THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
BUT YOU CAN'T GO THERE
BECAUSE THE "T" IS TAKING
ALL OF THOSE SPOTS.
>> YOU SAW IN YOUR CLIP
THAT THE MOTHER HAD TO
PULL THEIR CHILD AWAY FROM
THE SEGWAY.
SO I HAVE CONCERNS ON THE
SIDEWALKS.
MAKE ON A BIKE PATH AND
THEY WEAR HELMETS AND
VESTS.
>> Rooney: SAL
LAMATTINA, AND REN
ELSIPOGTOG -- REN REINA ELLIS,
THANK YOU.
>> Rooney: WHEN WE COME
BACK, A FORMER JUDGE
SPEAKS OUT.