It seems that the principle of the Segway has been incorporated in the latest fashion toy expected to fly off resellers shelves this Christmas. They are called " Hooverboards " - motorised two wheelers that look something like a Skateboard that has been designed to go sideways. They are priced at about five hundred dollars - and they are capable of reaching speeds of 25 kph.
The rider changes direction by leaning in the direction they want to go, and obviously this is a skill that will only be learned by practice - and there is no braking system. The dangers will be obvious to any reasonably thinking person. Commonsense dictates that all riders need to be wearing a safety helmet to avoid head trauma.
This concept horrifies the New South Wales Road minister. It is illegal to ride them on any road or street in this state and conviction comes with a $637 fine, but past history shows that Skateboard riders ignore that law and there is every likelihood that these Hooverboards will be treated in a similar manner.
Even riding them on a footpath or a shared bike track brings problems. A speeding Hooverboard will be a hazard for other pedestrians, specially the elderly, and like Skateboards it will become unusual to see a rider wearing a safety helmet. There is the expectation that emergency room traffic will peak as receivers of this year's Christmas presents come to grief during their learning process.
This latest marvel from the toy manufacturers brings inevitable conflict with the framers of our safety laws. We are quick to ban items that pose a safety hazard from sale in the shops and inspectors regularly check stock and confiscate items they deem illegal. Electrical wiring that does not meet our safety standards will bring such a ban and toys with detachable components that a child may swallow are disallowed. Loose button batteries are now high on the list for removal from sale.
It seems that these Hooverboards fall into a strange category. They are not unsafe in themselves - but are merely a danger in the hands of irresponsible users. That takes them into a similar category to what are called " Monkey bikes " - miniature motorbikes with a functioning petrol engine that can not be registered for road use, but are sold as a " toy " quite legally.
Kids agitate to get them as presents - as kids will certainly agitate for Hooverboards now that the stores are advertising them as the new " go-go " item, and many parents take the least line of resistance - and completely fail to supervise how they will be used. There is no point supplying a safety helmet - unless it's use is strictly enforced at all times, and we know how kid's react when conditions of use are imposed.
It seems inevitable that we are about to have a new Skateboard era burst upon us, but this time it is a motorised version. The Segway never took off for general use, but it found niche appeal as a novelty and now there is the expectation that the Hooverboard will go gangbusters - because it will appeal to a far younger age category.
There is every chance that this year's first item on kid's wish list will leave a litany of serious injuries in it's wake !
No comments:
Post a Comment