Santa Monica, which likes to regulate things, is looking next at the Segway. Kevin Herrera in the Santa Monica Daily Press builds his story around Allen Battino, who commutes from home in Westwood to downtown SM by leaning his "self-balancing transporter" down the sidewalk.

The scenic route takes about 10 minutes longer than if he drove, but Battino estimates he saves twice that amount of time not having to look for a parking space. That means more productivity at work, fewer parking tickets and less stress.

“I can ride it right up to the building, in the elevator, and park it right in my office, plug it in and charge it up. It’s that simple,” said Battino, a visual effects supervisor. “The best part is, I don’t have to worry about moving my car every three hours like the rest of the guys here. That keeps me from being distracted and helps me concentrate on work.”

San Francisco has banned Segway riders from sidewalks and other localities have adopted a variety of rules. Santa Monica never likes to be left behind, so the city council told the city attorney to research the issue. Though Councilmember Richard Bloom says, "I’m not convinced that we need to regulate this. But since it has come up, I think it’s best to have staff research the use of Segways, not just on the promenade or the pier, but in the entire city."