-----Original Message----- From: Adam Spey [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2002 7:38 PM To: Thunderhead Members List Cc: Marianne Fowler Subject: RE: segway legislation S 2024 - STALLED The markup of S. 2024, the Segway bill has been postponed, but we don't know for how long. This means that you have a little more time to get your comments in to your Senator. Also- if you want to check on the status of your states companion piece, here's the first site that I've found listing all of the bills, their numbers and their status. It's a bit out of date (3/6), but I can't criticize on that front. Best of Luck, Adam -----Original Message----- From: Adam Spey [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2002 5:03 PM Subject: FW: segway legislation S 2024 I'm sure that most of you have heard about the Segway and all of its controversy. I'm sending this alert to you because you live in a state that has a Senator on the Environment and Public Works Committee. They will be marking up a bill, S 2024 that will allow their use on federally funded sidewalks and paths. Many of the details of this bill's significance are incredibly unclear, and there have been no public hearings on it. Thunderhead has not officially taken a position on this particular piece of legislation, but we do feel that as a matter of policy, Segways have no place on sidewalks and that we would like to explore working with government entities and Segway, LLC to increase and improve safe and appropriate facilities that could be shared by bicyclists and Segway users. To that end, Thunderhead is seeking co-signers for letters (attached) that we have drafted stating our position to both legislators and the people of Segway, LLC. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has put out an action alert (below) and a draft letter to the hill (attached) expressing their position on the pending legislation. I encourage each of you to consider how the Segway and the related legislation could affect your community and consider that no public hearings have been held on this legislation and contact your Senators immediately, to let them know where you feel Segways will best be used. Sincerely, Adam Spey Executive Director The Thunderhead Alliance [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.thunderheadalliance.org 1612 K St., NW Suite 401 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 728-9100 ph (202) 822-1334 fx The Thunderhead Alliance is a coalition of fifty state, regional and local bicycle advocacy organizations, dedicated to creating, strengthening and uniting bicycle advocacy organizations. ---------------- RTC's letter: ---------------- Thank you again for agreeing to be a part of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Action Alert Network. Who would have thought we would need your help so soon? Here's the situation: Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) has introduced a bill, S2024 that would repeal current federal law and allow "motorized electric . . . mobility devices" on federally funded trails and pedestrian walkways. These machines, known as Segways, can achieve a speed of 20 mph with a 170-pound driver. Who knows their velocity with a lightweight kid at the helm? "Who knows" is the real issue. The bill is scheduled for committee vote Thursday, April 11th. No hearings have been held; no impact studies conducted; and there has been no consultation with the trails community, users or managers. Dropping large, high-speed vehicles on trails and sidewalks frequented by walkers, joggers, bicyclists, equestrians and parents pushing baby carriages is a serious matter. RTC thinks such a decision should not be made lightly and should certainly not be rammed through Congress without opportunity for citizen input and debate. We hope you agree. If you do, please e-mail or communicate via the Web to your Senator in care of their transportation aide and ask them to vote "No" on S2024. Remember, the vote is scheduled for this Thursday. A list of Senators on the Environment and Public Works Committee and their contacts follows. We have also attached RTC's letter to the committee. Thanks for helping out. If you get any interesting responses, or have any questions, please contact Marianne Fowler, RTC's Senior Vice President of Programs, at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 202-974-5104. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT), c/o Jeff Squires, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), c/o Dawn Levy, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), c/o Mitch Warren, [email protected] Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL), c/o Caroline Berver, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), c/o Tim Profetta, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), c/o Laurie Saroff, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), c/o Josh Sheinkman [no e-mail address; communicate through his Web site - wyden.senate.gov] Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), c/o Jim Reilly [no e-mail address; communicate through his Web site- carper.senate.gov] Sen. Hilary Clinton (D-NY), c/o Sean Sweeney [no e-mail address; communicate through her Web site - clinton.senate.gov] Sen. Jon Corzine (D-NJ), c/o Bob Helland [no e-mail address; communicate through his Web site - corzine.senate.gov] Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH), c/o Megan Stanley, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. John Warner (R-VA), c/o Ann Loomis [no e-mail address; communicate through his Web site - warner.senate.gov] Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), c/o Ruth Van Mark, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO), c/o John Stoody, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), c/o Karen Bachman, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), c/o Sharla Beall [no e-mail address; communicate through his Web site - crapo.senate.gov] Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), c/o Ted Michaels, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), c/o Tom Dower [no e-mail address; communicate through his Web site - specter.senate.gov] Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO), c/o Larry Vigil [no e-mail address; communicate through his Web site - campbell.senate.gov ----------------- The Thunderhead Alliance is a coalition of forty-five state, regional and local bicycle advocacy organizations representing over 80,000 cyclists. The Thunderhead Alliance seeks to strengthen, create and unite state, regional and local bicycle advocacy organizations. www.thunderheadalliance.org ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1dcQz.b2SEqe Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================ ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the Bicycle Coalition of the Delaware Valley list named "bike." To subscribe or unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>.
