Self-balancing boards - illegal in Ireland?

mrcheez

In the UK these are banned on public pavements, but do we have legislation here for them?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-balancing_two-wheeled_board#Legality

Saw loads of people using these in Dubai so might grab one in the Black Friday sales to use here (on safe un-pedestrianised pavements of course)

TommyKnocker

Meh, Motorised skateboard for lazy folks, not half as maneuverable as the original or a pair of rollerblades.

whiskeyman

Saw a lad using it around Sandyford business park a few weeks ago.
I can imagine the scobies will be yoinking them from anyone brazen enough to use one around town

mrcheez

whiskeyman wrote: »

Saw a lad using it around Sandyford business park a few weeks ago.

Grand so not illegal I take it

Dial Hard

mrcheez wrote: »

Grand so not illegal I take it

I suspect they will be very shortly. The CCPC seized two shipments of them at Customs last week as they breach a lot of legislation around product safety standards.

the groutch

same laws as UK, illegal to use on any road, pavement or cycle lane.

Amirani

I'd say they'll be illegal. Same as segways.

mrcheez

the groutch wrote: »

same laws as UK, illegal to use on any road, pavement or cycle lane.

damn, any links with more info? Cheers.

smash

Someone I boards recently imported a load of these. Maybe ask him about the legislation? http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057526882/1/#post97851323

Badly Drunk Boy

Dial Hard wrote: »

I suspect they will be very shortly. The CCPC seized two shipments of them at Customs last week as they breach a lot of legislation around product safety standards.

Remember when the CCCP were the bad guys?

RobertKK

Hardly good for getting your 10k steps a day.

BenedrylPete

Dont get why.

Those little push scooters, or rollerskates or skateboards are surely just as 'dangerous'.

Only real difference is one uses battery power the other leg power.

Although its kind of good. Theres enough waddling gormless dolts in pedestrian areas. All you need is to be stuck behind a slow motion 4 abreast family while some doofus on his board drives up your hole.

Yeah ban the feckers.

mrcheez

Knew I shouldn't have posted this in After Hours

whisky_galore

Might end up getting your face smashed in with the state of some pavements around here.

SEPT 23 1989

I witnessed a chinese man making a holy show out of himself trying to stay on one of those outside the Whitewater centre in Newbridge

what made it was worse was that he was trying to sell them:D

mrcheez

For something so illegal there sure appear to be a lot of people selling them openly in Ireland

https://www.donedeal.ie/games-for-sale/segway-board-from-irish-company-christmas/10013478

It's probably the same level of "illegal" as going through a red light on your bike.

Lux23

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/cancel-christmas-hoverboards-blocked-at-dublin-port-1.2444981?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Maybe buy one from a reputable retailer.

mrcheez

Colleague in work said they were selling them in Stephen's Green, so I guess there isn't a problem using them (yet!).

Probably will be banned when enough kids break something (or someone)

* or battery explodes

Fluffy Cat 88

Amirani wrote: »

I'd say they'll be illegal. Same as segways.

Are segways illegal? Didn't know that!

The_Valeyard

Then why are the Gardai using the segways around the Christmas markets?

Lux23

You can get special permission to use them.

Bio Mech

mrcheez wrote: »

Colleague in work said they were selling them in Stephen's Green, so I guess there isn't a problem using them (yet!).

Probably will be banned when enough kids break something (or someone)

* or battery explodes

They won't get banned per se. They are also not illegal to sell or own. But existing legislation is sufficient to ban their use on public paths roads and cycle lanes.

You can use them on your own private property. Same as Segways as said above. As always enforcement is another issue.

salamanca22

Segways are classed as mechanically propelled vehicles in Ireland are illegal to be used on public roads and pathways. I have no link to legislation but I do know that gardai were forced to get special permits to be allowed use these a few years ago.

I would assume these boards would be the same. So, while they are not illegal to own or import they are illegal to use on public roads and pathways.

mrcheez

Bio Mech wrote: »

As always enforcement is another issue.

That's really what matters I guess.

Gardai are hardly going to pull up and confiscate one off you unless you are running it down a crowded main street knocking over bystanders.

flas

Saw a lad on one of these on O'Connell street couple of weeks ago about 8:30 on a Friday night,going across the street at supermacs and two junkies* who had just come out of the alley behind supermacs ran over to hit him a shoulder.

Your man got off the thing and proceeded to beat the **** out of the two junkies,one went running away(he actually had a crutch and tried using that to hit the guy but he got the crutch across his back and scarpered,was feckin miraculous!), while the other junkie kept giving a gun sign with his hand sayin he will shot your man while also getting a really good hiding! The guy ended up just getting back onto this thing and scooted off, it was so surreal and absolutely hilarious at the same time,really brightened up my break from work!

*know they were junkies because I had been coming up the alleyway behind them from work and they had been getting up out of one of the doorways from shooting up,that alleyway is ridiculous for stuff like that.

sabat

Just the other day I was doing my business at a urinal in a shopping centre toilets here in the far-east when a little fella skooted in the door on one of these; skooted up beside me and took a piss without dismounting, then skooted back out again.

mrcheez

whiskeyman wrote: »

I can imagine the scobies will be yoinking them from anyone brazen enough to use one around town

flas wrote: »

Saw a lad on one of these on O'Connell street couple of weeks ago about 8:30 on a Friday night,going across the street at supermacs and two junkies* who had just come out of the alley behind supermacs ran over to hit him a shoulder.

If anyone did actually try to rob one of these they'd be surprised once they try to lift it. At 15kg you're not exactly going to be speeding away and will be easily caught by the owner.

Also I imagine a lanyard attachment to your leg would be a good idea just in case you fall off it and it flies on down a set of steps!

although perhaps it would drag you down too

imitation

Id say it will be like e cigs, the establisment will be so astounded by new technology they will have to spend copious amounts of time of deciding if its bad or not. Unless something bad in happens involving injury or death, at which point it will get the ban hammer.

mrcheez

imitation wrote: »

Unless something bad in happens involving injury or death, at which point it will get the ban hammer.

Or the "restriction" hammer, as with landboarding on Dollymount which is restricted to specific times and zones.

I'd say riding one of these around paths in the Phoenix Park will be fine. Just as pedestrians get away with walking on the bike path there despite the dangers.

BattleCorp

Amirani wrote: »

I'd say they'll be illegal. Same as segways.

Maybe illegal to use on roads or footpaths, but not illegal to use in fields or around your house or yard.

Unless they have some sort of health and safety flaw, they wouldn't be banned. You would just be very limited where you can use them.

mrcheez

Spotted these guys selling them in Jervis Centre today

http://ciebike.ie/index.php?route=product/category&path=60_74

Think they had a special deal price of €395 or thereabouts. Full warranty, Samsung (non-explodey) battery and local repairs if anything goes wrong.

More expensive than shipping from China, but to be honest I'd rather pay the extra to get a warranted model, plus no risk of customs blocking them.