In New York State, the hoverboard is considered an “electric personal mobility device” (EPA®) under Section 114-d of the Vehicle & Traffic Law (VTL), which is defined as follows: Hoverboards are illegal in New York City, but they are not illegal because of this code. In New York City, however, because the urban population is over one million, NYSDMV considers “hoverboards” that meet the definition of “electric personal mobility devices,” just like motor vehicles. There is no doubt that, despite the legal issues, this device is one of the most popular holiday gifts and has seen considerable growth this year. Until recently, each place where a hoverboard was used had its own rules. For example, a mall may have banned hoverboards due to liability issues. However, the New York Department of Transportation has landed on firmer ground when it comes to rules for hoverboards — they told us that these devices are actually illegal. They are considered motor vehicles that cannot be registered with the DMV, which means they are prohibited in the city (under Section 14, Section 14, Sections 401-a, and 401-b). Although they are not included in the DMV`s list of expressly prohibited motor vehicles, they are considered motorized self-balancing devices, similar to Segways. Read on to learn all the details about the hoverboard laws in New York. For now, let your hoverboard drive for test drives in your driveway. A bill to legalize hoverboards in New York City was proposed in 2018, but was rejected by Governor Cuomo.
You can drive a hoverboard on the sidewalk anywhere outside of New York City, but it`s illegal to do so in the city. So it`s best to drive your hoverboard through quiet suburban streets with few cyclists and pedestrians. NYSDMV jargon currently makes hoverboards illegal almost everywhere – you can buy them, you can have them, but you can`t use them. These include New York`s sidewalks, streets, and parks. But you probably won`t have any problem with the law if you use them in a private room for boy band dance exercises. Thus. Are hoverboards legal? Slow down, McFly. It turns out that with new technologies, a lot of confusion arises.
Earlier this year, an NYPD official told CBS2: “We don`t know – new technology. We don`t know. Useful. Another official explained that hoverboards are allowed in parks (watch out for open water!), while another said they are allowed everywhere. Wheee! But they`re not, no matter what you think you`ve seen on Buzzfeed. When it comes to new technologies, we are entering a window of opportunity that is confusing for everyone. Most likely, not all NYPD officials know that “hoverboards” are illegal, and they certainly don`t know why, as we saw with this now-deleted tweet. Until the wording of the law explicitly states that “hoverboards” are illegal, there will likely be a lack of knowledge and enforcement of this law.
A school may have already experienced an accident in which a pedestrian was injured, or a local residents` association may have been concerned about children using hoverboards on the street. The name of these devices is still debated – leading to increased legal confusion – although the most common name comes from a brand name called “Hoverboard 360”. I encourage people detained in connection with hoverboard operations to do what any other person arrested by the police should do: ask if they are free to leave and, if so, leave, and if not, explain that they want to remain silent and consult a lawyer and do not consent to a search. A spokesperson for the New York City Department of Transportation said the law`s definition of “e-mobility device” is broad enough to include hoverboards and they are regulated as such. Since New York`s population is over 1 million people, drivers of personal support electronic devices must be licensed and the devices must be registered with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Hoverboards are illegal, the spokesperson said, because the NYSDMV would refuse to register them for legal use: the self-balancing hoverboard or Segway scooter is no different. These automatic transport devices have been around for quite some time, but it seems that New York and California have only recently decided on the legal status of the hoverboard. But you won`t have much luck if you try to register your hoverboard with the DMV.
NYC will not issue an official license to drive a hoverboard, making it impossible to legally drive on the roads. And since they are considered real motor vehicles in the city, it is also illegal to drive on sidewalks. In short, you can`t use your self-balancing hoverboard in public in New York City, but you can use one in California if you stick to bike lanes and stay away from pedestrian areas. Just last month, British authorities declared it illegal to drive in public because they are considered vehicles and vehicles cannot be driven on pavements.