“Hovering” into the New Year

If you’ve ever seen a group of tourists riding segways down the street, you might have judged them. But recently hands-free segways, more widely known as “hover boards” have become extremely popular. But let’s get one thing straight: These are NOT hover boards. They do not hover over the ground, therefore they aren’t true hover boards like the ones in Back to the Future. You probably know someone who received one for Christmas and you definitely know someone who has fallen off of one. Although the boards seem easy to ride, they are far from it. Riding a hands-free segway requires balance and a lot of practice. Here are some hilarious videos of people wiping out on their new toys:

Youtube

Some boards can reach speeds of up to 11 mph, but that doesn’t mean you can take it out on the road yet. In fact, California has instituted laws that require a rider to be sixteen years old and wear a helmet when riding in public. Hands-free segways can only be ridden on streets with speed limits under 35 mph. They are currently no laws on hover boards in South Carolina.