diff --git a/vcg/space/segment2.h b/vcg/space/segment2.h
index 05e92056..4f1407ce 100644
--- a/vcg/space/segment2.h
+++ b/vcg/space/segment2.h
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ typedef Segment2<float>  Segment2f;
 typedef Segment2<double> Segment2d;
 
 template <class ScalarType>
-Point2<ScalarType> ClosestPoint( Segment2<ScalarType> s, const Point2<ScalarType> & p)
+Point2<ScalarType> ClosestPoint(const Segment2<ScalarType> & s, const Point2<ScalarType> & p)
 {
 	vcg::Line2<ScalarType, true> l;
 	l.Set(s.P0(),s.P1()-s.P0());
@@ -157,6 +157,12 @@ Point2<ScalarType> ClosestPoint( Segment2<ScalarType> s, const Point2<ScalarType
 		return clos;
 }
 
+template <class ScalarType>
+ScalarType Distance(const Segment2<ScalarType> & s, const Point2<ScalarType> & p) {
+  const Point2<ScalarType> c = ClosestPoint(s, p);
+  return (c - p).Norm();
+}
+
 template <class S>
 class PointSegment2DEPFunctor {
 public: