Put this here because although it's a UK article I don't know if these hoverboards are being sold here too.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-34975178

They're a fire hazard so please be careful if you do decide to buy one.

Yes they are available, but not all of them here or in the UK are a fire hazzard.

If you say they are all a fire hazzard, then the same can be claimed for every box of matches !

It depends if they conform to standard BS1363 or the equivalent here.

Fire hazard or not, if I remember that right, those things are allowed in Switzerland only on private ground, not on streets, sidewalks and the like. So no fun.

I'm waiting for the stand-up quadcopter anyway.

Regardless of that I see them almost every day now. Normally going to/from a train station.

Christmas trees catch fire and burn down many more homes each year. Why haven't these natural inflammable products not been banned yet?

Is that really the case? I did some research (rather, tried to), and found it was quite a tricky question. I somehow came to the conclusion that they can be used on pavements/ paths where bikes are allowed, but perhaps not on pedestrian-only pavement.

Owning a self balancing scooter over the age of 10 makes you instantly a douche, owning a Christmas tree does not.

You are correct as this thing would clearly count as a toy in the eye of the law: low traffic side roads are ok, bicycle paths are not.

http://www.bfu.ch/de/ratgeber/ratgeb...d-skates-recht

I saw them in Manor only yesterday, Chf 500 ? i think, didn't look too closely but i'm sure they'll be everywhere else too, the Sheep like Swiss or should that be the Swiss are like sheep !

I tried one out on a shopping centre recently. Felt like a fool.

Or fell like a fool?

As far as I remember you're right on the money. You can only use these within the confines of your own private home / property.

It's ridiculous that these things are turning out to be a fire hazard though... not like they're very cheap to start with.

Sounds like the usual counterfeit copies from Asia which cause the problems. No labelling and don't meet UK, EU or Swiss standards.

Sounds like the usual counterfeit copies from China which cause the problems. No labelling and don't meet UK, EU or Swiss standards.

FTFY.

Saw a boy aged about ten on one in the library yesterday. He was a foreign (expat)? sheep.

I was trying to be politically correct and not specify any particular country as per the article, but yeah you're probably right.

It amazes me a bit that all the big names in industry have rushed into China because the labour costs are cheaper and then wonder why their products get ripped off/counterfeited by the hundreds of thousands. Did anyone really think they'd actually play by everyone else's rules?

How fast do they go, and how long do they go for? I think I like the idea of getting to a train on these. Anyone know where I can find one? A real one?

My daughter ordered one in the summer from Amazon.de, in innocence of origin, and before they were easily available here as they seem to be now.

Only when there appeared to be a problem with the delivery schedule, did we contact Amazon, who then referred us to the distributer ...... in China.

After many weeks, many emails and calls, one failed entry into CH with one delivery company, two round trips between DE and UK, did it finally arrive via DHL.

Unfortunately, it appears to be identical to the black one pictured in the article - although the charger, not .... hers (IIRC) runs an internal fan for cooling, with a two pin DE plug and shows the double insulation symbol.

From now on it will only be charged when someone is around and I will try to make sure the charger is away from combustibles, fire extinguisher at hand and with the charger in a metal bucket.


On the plus side, she is very good on, it goes quite quickly on the flat, but is impractical to take anywhere, though, due to weight and bulk when it has to be carried.

I personally think that the other type, with a single wheel that goes between the standing feet is more practical for carrying around.

Are those things not ancient? They had them in the stoneage if I remember correctly...

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