Finally you have got the brand new famous hoverboard as a gift? And you are wondering how much is it safe to use? Maybe it will explode!!
You may also be wondering where you can actually ride them, seeing as so many places are banning them. You've got questions and we've got answers, so let's stop wasting time and get right to it.
1. Check if your hoverboard is genuine
There is no specific way to figure out if your hoverboard is genuine or not, first, as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported, "there's no safety standard in place for hoverboards." Second, nobody really knows what a "genuine" hoverboard is; is it one that costs $1,500 or one that is $400?
All we can say is buy your two-wheeled board from a reputable store such as: Swagway, PhunkeeDuck and IO Haw, Razor’s Hovetrax, eBay or ALIBABA.
Also, if you're buying from giant online retailers like Amazon, make sure the hoverboard is sold directly from the hoverboard maker and not some third-party seller.
2. Where can you ride them?
Are they street legal or are they not? That really depends on where you live. For instance, they're illegal to ride in New York City and in the UK. In New York, you could face fines up to $500 for violating the law, but honestly, we've seen tons of people riding them on sidewalks, in bike lanes and in the streets without a care in the world.
If you're not sure, muster up the courage and ask a local police department.
Some colleges have started banning them, too, most likely to prevent students from bringing them on campus post-holiday break.
3. Don't abuse them
Hoverboards, like all vehicles and personal modes of transportation, need to be treated gently. Don't try to do tricks with it. Don't try to drop down a flight of stairs with it. It's designed to glide you along a smooth road. Do that and only that.
4. Don't charge overnight
Hoverboards with genuine batteries are supposed to stop sucking up power from the outlet once they're fully charged; it's not worth potentially setting your house on fire while you're asleep. Even if you've taken your hoverboard apart or purchased it from a reputable seller, it's still not worth the risk of charging overnight.
We recommend charging a hoverboard in a spacious area and keeping an eye on it. And maybe have a fire extinguisher handy just to be extra safe.
5. Don't bring them on planes
Here are just a few regulations on hoverboards from a handful of airlines:
• United: Allowed in checked luggage, but battery must be removed and taken as carry-on
• Delta: Not allowed in checked or carry-on luggage
• American: Allowed as carry-on only
• Southwest: Allowed in checked luggage if battery is under 160 Watt-hours
• JetBlue: Not allowed in checked or carry-on luggage
• Virgin America: Not allowed in checked luggage
• Alaska: Not allowed in checked or carry-on luggage.
• Frontier: Not allowed in checked or carry-on luggage.