Petition launched to stop the ‘Christmas Grinch’ robbing kids of ‘hoverboards’
A petition has been launched to reverse the ban on hoverboards, the 'must have' toy of the year.
The ban will rob children of hours of enjoyment on Christmas day.
You may have seen these new $500 contraptions popping up all over social media.
They look like a Segway with no handle bars and have been in high demand ever since hitting the market.
They are officially illegal on the streets of NSW.
Minister for Roads Duncan Gay wants Christmas shoppers to think twice before purchasing the ‘hoverboard’ because they are dangerous.
“I don’t want to be a Christmas Grinch, but I want people to know and send a message that these new toys have real safety concerns,” Mr Gay said.
‘The Grinch' claims that they will endanger riders and “they don’t have adequate brakes and don’t have lights of warning indicators, meaning the can’t interact safely with other road users like pedestrians."
The change.org petitioner claims that the ‘hoverboard’ is safer than a bicycle because the device stops when nobody is on board.
“The electric braking is very effective and will stop quicker than a bicycle,” the petition reads.
"They do have lights at the front which also flash with directional turns."
The petitioner also claims that the devices "are speed limited, making them less likely to gain too much speed and lose control like a bicycle can."
Be warned, you can only ride the 'hoverboard' on private property – the minute it rolls out onto the footpath you will be slapped with a $319 fine.
If you're caught using the device on the road you will be hit with an even bigger fine of up to $637.
Mr Gay said that road safety experts are currently working out how and where people can use them safely.
Yahoo7 contacted Roads and Maritime Services for further comment on the petition and are yet to receive an answer.
