You see them rollin’: those self-balancing scooters known, for better or worse, as ‘hoverboards’ even though they don’t actually float. In the past year, the two-wheeled electric boards have become the next best thing since Heelys – those sneakers with heel wheels you rocked as a kid to feel a little more like Superman.
Though e-scooters have seemingly made their way onto every busy street in Guangzhou and into every office elevator, they have incited a fair amount of criticism in the process.
On October 31, the Guangzhou Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee declared hoverboards would soon be banned from main roads in Guangzhou. Those who take their futuristic boards to the streets will face a fine of RMB50 or have their e-scooters seized, depending on the severity of the situation.
Chinese netizens have denounced the new law, claiming the fine is too low to dissuade hoverboard owners from risking a ride on main roads. Others have asked if pedestrians that monopolize space on sidewalks and bike lanes will be charged as well, since that causes an equally annoying disturbance to traffic.
Urban development and transportation experts, however, support the regulation, which they say will improve safety and limit congestion on the roads.
If you’re still set on getting a hoverboard of your own, just be sure to research the model ahead of time (they’ve been known to spontaneously combust) and stay off the streets before midnight.
READ MORE: Police Face Challenges Enforcing Beijing's New Ban on E-Scooters
[Cover image via engadget]
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