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Hoverboards Outlawed In New York City This is seriously going to mess up some of y’all’s Instagram feeds and SnapChat stories. Apparently, the city of New York has cracked down on the use of “Hoverboards ,” “Swagways,” or whatever you choose to call the personal motorized movers that all your favorite rappers and IG models love to roll around on. However the wording of the new city code has some confused, making it seem as though the latest street toy is A-OK to scoot through the streets on. Via Gothamist : – “For purposes of this section, the term ‘motorized scooter’ shall mean any wheeled device that has handlebars…” — the hoverboards do not have handlebars. – “For the purposes of this section, the term ‘motorized scooter’ shall not include electric powered devices not capable of exceeding fifteen miles per hour…” — the hoverboards (like the most popular version, the IO Hawk) have a max speed of around 6 MPH. So… hoverboards are legal? Slow down, McFly. It turns out that with new technology comes great confusion. Earlier this year one NYPD officer told CBS2, “We don’t know—new technology. We don’t know.” Helpful. Another officer declared hoverboards were allowed in parks (watch out for open bodies of water!), while another said they were allowed anywhere. Wheeee! But they aren’t, no matter what you think you saw on Buzzfeed. The NYC Department of Transportation, however, has landed on firmer ground when it comes to rules surrounding hoverboards—they told us that these devices are in fact illegal. They are considered motor vehicles that cannot be registered with the DMV, which means they’re prohibited in the city. Welp, that’s that. We wonder how many cities will follow suit.

Excerpt from:
Use Your Feet: “Hoverboards” Officially Outlawed On The Streets Of NYC…Maybe