Uber is a small company. Google is big enough to pay politicians. I don't think political opposition will be a big problem.

As someone with bad knees, for whom a bicycle isn't an option, this is enormously frustrating. What a disgrace.

The impact on your knees from riding a Segway would also make them a big challenge I'm afraid.

That said, it wasn't legislation that made Segway fail.

"That said, it wasn't legislation that made Segway fail."

True, but it was pretty contributory. For much of its 'early adopter' period people had no idea whether or not they would get a ticket for riding one on the sidewalk, and then later the knew that they would in most places. That certainly mitigated sales significantly.

Similarly if self driving cars were available today and you could only 'legally' use them in California and Nevada in self driving mode, and they were "probably" going to be illegal most everywhere else, that would make it hard to sell them.

I ditched my car and have walked everywhere for the last 5 years, I must honestly say I'm glad they didn't take off. People riding bikes on pavements and people in their motorized chairs are annoying and dangerous enough.

Sometimes governments actually get it right.

I agree with you, but I think that is because we both tend to walk a lot. Fast moving vehicles (generally bicycles and skateboards) in foot traffic are a damn menace.

But I can see how in the vast empty sidewalks of some suburbs that riding bicycles on the sidewalk is a good idea, and did so myself when I was a child.

Translated: "Damn kids, get off my lawn!"

Um, no. You ever been hit by a bike? Then again I saw a car reverse blindly onto a main road and a guy on his bike go flying over it. I'm sure that hurt more.

Truth is there isn't enough space for sedgeways over here. Pavements too narrow, roads too littered with parked cars.