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SELF-BALANCING SCOOTERS have been made illegal to ride on roads or footpaths in London, with local police sending out a warning to anyone who planned to ride one around the city.
MPS Specials / TwitterOwn one of these or thinking about getting one? They're illegal to ride in public! Info here: http://t.co/We85yLAzsU pic.twitter.com/vMm0hxNAjs
— MPSSpecials (@MPSSpecials) October 11, 2015
For those unfamiliar, self-balancing scooters function the same way as segways, except there’s no handle for the rider to hold. They’re also smaller and their top speed usually ranges around 10km/h.
But if you were thinking of getting one here, you may want to hold off as the laws are similar here.
In short, self-balancing scooters are treated the same way as Segways and therefore prohibited from driving on both roads, footpaths and cycle lanes.
Self-balancing scooters fall under the category of mechanically propelled vehicles, which means the Garda Síochána has the last word on whether they’re allowed or not.
What about Ireland?
When asked about the laws surrounding self-balancing scooters, a garda spokesperson said under existing law, it’s illegal to use one on Irish roads or footpaths, but stated that the issue was “being kept under review by the Department of Transport in the context of our examination of sustainable modes of transport”.
There are exceptions to riding one in a public place, like Phoenix Park, although it comes with a number of requirements. For one, you must have a driver’s licence and have third-party insurance to cover potential injury or property damage, ensure it meets safety requirements and you must wear a helmet when operating one.
Also, it’s recommended you check first before you bring one to a public place as it can vary.
When asked about their policy on the matter, Dublin City Council stated that since they fall under the remit of road traffic, it’s up to the Garda Síochána to decide what to do with them. Cork City Council was also contacted but have yet to respond at time of publication.
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Thank you for not calling the hoverboards like others are saying, they’re not the hoverboards we were promised!
@ David, I think that you need to get over the idea of the hoverboard, it’s been 26 years would you believe since that famous chase scene!!
ahh.. but that is indeed a hoverboard with stabilisers… xD
We’ve officially become too lazy to walk.
it will be like the movie wall-e soon
Sure there are loads of company doing Segway tours around Dublin for tourists. I highly doubt they are adhering to these guidelines.
How about getting the cyclists off the footpath or foot-bridges around the docklands first? Or building a proper network for them?
Damn, I was looking forward to uploading vids to YouTube of overweight people falling off them.
I just hope Gardai aren’t issued with them.
Segways are bad enough.
What a load of BS! You need a drivers licence and 3rd party insurance to use one of these scooters, but what licencing authority will provide you with a test for this, and which insurance company will insure you? None!
This is only technically illegal in the UK under section 72 of the Highway Act of 1835, whereby you would be charged with “committing a nuisance”
“If any person shall wilfully ride upon any footpath or causeway by the side of any road made or set apart for the use or accommodation of foot passengers; or shall wilfully lead or drive any horse, ass, sheep, mule, swine, or cattle or carriage of any description, or any truck or sledge, upon any such footpath or causeway; or shall tether any horse, ass, mule, swine, or cattle, on any highway, so as to suffer or permit the tethered animal to be thereon… every person so offending in any of the cases aforesaid shall for each and every such offence forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale, over and above the damages occasioned thereby.”
Not forgetting our NCT.
ridiculous – we went on a segway tour around Versailles this summer and it was great. Typical nanny state here..
Very dangerous both for the user and if they end up in the road under a passing cyclist .
In other words the State wants your money before you can use one.
Wow they seem to police these things more than skateboards
Don’t the Gardai have segways?
love to know if they have the right licence for it… I guess a B1 doesn’t cover this? I think it’s BS anyway, it’s electronically propelled, not mechanically. As likely to be brought to court for sitting on a washing machine without a licence.
How do you think electronics move things? They are mechanical with an engine moving you just electrically powered
thanks kal for your submission to the IEEE corrections page, no wait… this is the journal. the point was to point out the difference between mechanically propelled (stream, combustion engine) and electrically propelled (segways, kids battery powered cars). the UK law in this case is antiquated as it doesn’t take into context the potential for harm of what is essentially a toy, vs a high powered car. I think we actually DID put a caveat in our law to allow electrically propelled vehicles under 15km/h to be driven without a licence, though I’ll have to look out up (the Garda response seemed a bit of a guess).
Electrical motors can be very powerful. They make cars and motorbikes with them. Your logic would mean they could be driven on footpaths.
You can’t ride a combustion nor steam powered machine on the path even if they go only 15km/h either.
No difference in the law. Mobility scooters have an exemption but I think limited to 10km/h.
I do think laws should change but electric or petrol are still mechanically propelled no matter what.
I think we should let this lie (regardless of your misuse of modern/non-20th century terminology of electromechanical power sources – don’t go for an interview with Telsa), apparently it doesn’t matter as it needs four wheels:
… from the Irish statute book:
S.I. No. 234/2011 – European Communities (Mechanically Propelled Vehicle Entry Into Service) (Amendment) Regulations 2011: (h) by substituting for the definition of “mechanically propelled vehicle” the following:“ ‘mechanically propelled vehicle’ means any power-driven vehicle (with or without bodywork) which is moved by its own means, having at least four wheels, a maximum design speed exceeding 25 kilometres per hour and which is intended for use on the road;”
Therefore, Segway/Selfbalancing scooter can fire away anywhere in Europe (except in the UK).
PS: I guess this means you can plow ahead with your steam powered tricycle on the path as well, while you are worrying about mobility inertia analogies.
I am assured you know better than the gardai and law makers. Surely the bit you quoted covers everything as it is so comprehensive.
Electric motor used to propel a vehicle remains a mechanical means. Claiming my language is wrong is pretty petty given your completely ridicules suggestion electric vehicles are non mechanical
Ridiculous. We have lunatic rickshaw operators with zero regulation on the city streets. All with electronic mechanically propelled motors.
They are pedelecs which are classed as bicycles. The motor doesn’t kick in unless you pedal. So electric assist and limited to 25km/h
Most people call them electric bikes. They can’t have a throttle option on them. Mind you I have seen a few on the road that are not legal without licence and insurance as they have a throttle and go faster than 25km/h. I doubt the gardai would notice but if you were in an accident it will matter pretty quickly.
every time I see a hipster on one I want to throw things at him
Typical they are trying to impose the term DRIVING on you when you use this device to travel and that’s all your doing is traveling and having a bit of fun … But what can we do after all we’re all slaves in this so called free society
role your way to obecity
doaaaaaaaahhhhhhh obesity
more miserable nanny state bullsh#t, you’ll be getting tax and insurance for your bicycle next!
Anyone remember Hoola Hoops?
Young people always love to master tricky devices.
If people need licences and insurance for these why don’t cyclists need a licence and insurance!!??
Next roller skates and bikes…
It really doesn’t make sense, what about the electric wheelchairs? Is the Garda going to block disabled people from “riding” it.
have your say