The New Scooter?

What exactly are hoverboards and how practical are they as a means of transportation?

18:57 15 October 2015

A futuristic new breed of transportation has made it way to the market – known as hoverboards or rideables, they are the latest must-have for celebrities. Celebrities who have been seen using them include pop singers Lily Allen and Justin Bieber as well as footballer David Beckham’s son Brooklyn.

 

However, the Crown Prosecution Service warned that they are not to be used in public UK roads due to safety reasons. But what really are they?

 

Some call them "self-balancing scooters" or "personal transportation devices". Others refer more concisely to "rideables" or - with a nod to Back to the Future II - "hoverboards", despite the fact that, clearly, they don't hover.

 

Despite being used on the streets on the UK’s main cities, these new rideables are banned under section 72 of the Highway Act 1835 for use on public pavements and roads in the UK.

 

The Department of Transport said that they can only be used on private properties, with the owner’s consent.

 

However, Former Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik, said that they shouldn’t be banned. "It's insane, because any common sense says they are very eco-friendly and a sensible alternative to public transport and cars," he says.

 

"These things aren't going to kill people. All of them should be allowed on the pavement, because people aren't stupid, they will get out of the way if they see one coming."