After a series of exploding hoverboard reported lately, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is taking a drastic measure now banning the two-wheeled motorized device from entering public transportation. The latest announcement was made by the MTA on Wednesday on their official website.
According to the official statement, not only public are not allowed to ride the subway using the hoverboard, but they also ban public from using hoverboard on the platform. According to the New York Times, people are also not allowed to carry the hoverboard into both subway and bus.
The MTA is expected to put up its "bubble people" advertising the ban in every station involved soon as reported by The Verge to ensure that public is well aware regarding the latest banned.
According to the chairman of MTA, Fernando Ferrer, the banned was enforced purely for security reason. He explains that "There have been reports of exploding batteries, and certainly you don't want anything like that in a crowded subway car or a train."
Previously some city and even airlines had put a banned on the popular riding device due to the same reason. New York Post reported that the United States airline is currently putting the banned and also the New York City. However, there is no real enforcement by the authority in the New York City.
There is also a talk that authority in other states will allow hoverboard to be used but only under a certain condition. According to the authority, hoverboard might be allowed to be used at a public park only and not on the street. Riders will also be needed to wear a helmet or proper protection before riding it.
The exploding hoverboard problem is causing lots of problem not just to the authority but also for the seller. Amazon is currently facing pressure by the customer and started to provide a refund for the device if they are caught on fire or exploded.
To overcome this problem, a company is currently developing a better hoverboard that will include a fire-retardant chassis. Swagway was reported to have been successfully created the new version of hoverboard known as Swagtron which also includes few new feature including a Bluetooth speaker.
The full list of banned subway and bus are stated on the official website. This includes Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad and Staten Island Railway, along with buses and Access-A-Ride. Based on the study done by US Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration, most of the hoverboard they tested are running on uncertified battery which is the main cause of the explosion.
Join the Conversation