Hoverboard safety tips for an injury-free riding experience
First of all: They don't hover. They're called hoverboards, which conjures images of a young Michael J. Fox riding an actual floating skateboard in "Back to the Future 2." But they're basically skateboards that balance themselves to give the allusion of hovering. (Imagine the feeling of riding a Segway without handlebars built like a skateboard and you'll get the idea.)
The hoverboard was one of the hottest gifts this holiday season. The more boards sold, the more "epic fail" videos surface on on social media of users falling off or crashing on the device. Hoverboards are fun. Celebrities seem to like them. Sometimes they catch fire. And, like a bicycle or anything with wheels ridden by a human, they can be dangerous. But they don't have to be. (Try stepping off your hoverboard from the back, not the front even though it seems right. This would eliminate a ton of falls right off the bat.)
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received dozens of reports of injuries and is expecting that number to grow. Professional baseball player Dan Uggla was caught on camera falling backwards off a hoverboard, while Rep. Carlos Curbelo tweeted that he ended up in an emergency department after trying his daughter’s hoverboard.
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A woman in Louisiana saw her home catch fire after she said a hoverboard exploded. New York City fire fighters are among departments reporting hoverboard fires, which are believed to start in the batteries. As of January 1 hoverboards were banned on the campus of George Washington University, and similar bans have been set in place across US college campuses. Hoverboards are also banned from this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, but that rule doesn't apply to hoverboards being unveiled for future releases, like this robot hoverboard by Segway.
"In addition to the wipeouts, the CPSC is also investigating reports of 21 fire incidents across the country involving hoverboards, ABC News reported. Major airlines have also banned the devices from flights, they say for fear of the batteries catching fire," said Andrew Schetter of Webimax.
If you have a hoverboard or are thinking of buying one, there's enough evidence to warrant a tutorial before you take your first ride. Glitek Founder and CEO Tony Le has a vested interest in getting this information to the public. His company makes the Glide—one of the more popular boards on the market—which Glitek describes as a self-balancing personal transport device with the ability to go as fast as 12 mph, go up to a 30 degree incline, and run as far as 12 miles.
Research first
Before you buy a hoverboard, be sure to do your research. The hoverboards that are causing fires are known to have cheap batteries installed. Be sure to check social media, user reviews, and do a web search on the brand you're buying from to make sure there are no fire reports. Don't be afraid to call the manufacturer and ask questions.
Charging and care tips
Before we get into how to safely ride a hoverboard, here's how to safely care for it.
Don't plug in your hoverboard to charge and leave the house. Always charge it while you are attending to it, and never charge it while you're sleeping. Using the right charger is just as important. Don't ever try to use a different charger to plug it in. If you lose the charger, contact the manufacturer to purchase a replacement, and don't always think you're getting a better deal buying a charger off of eBay or Amazon from a 3rd party—those chargers may not be safe. Always purchase chargers and batteries directly from the manufacturer or an authorized dealer. Never try to modify or troubleshoot the board yourself.
In case you experience a hoverboard fire, it is said that pouring water over it may make matters worse, and that the best way to extinguish the fire is to use a class D powder fire extinguisher. Call 9-1-1 immediately. For more tips on hoverboard fire safety, see the California State Fire Marshal bulletin.
Riding tips
Now to the fun part—riding your hoverboard safely. Here are useful tips to help you use your hoverboard responsibly.
- Users should always wear a helmet; those starting out should also consider elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards.
- Test calibration before stepping on it. The Glide—like other hoverboards—must be calibrated in order to work properly. To test this, lift the wheel up and press the foot pad. If the wheel is spinning and not shaking, that means it's calibrated.
- Keep weight centered and use a wide stance. To get on safely, step right in the middle—not too much toe, not too much heel—and use the widest stance possible.
- Step off board to the back. It's not intuitive to get off by stepping back, so most people make the mistake of stepping forward which is why they fall.
- Use a straight posture and look ahead. When riding it, you want to look straight ahead—you don't want to look down.
Yahoo Shopping readers, do you have any hoverboard safety tips that you'd like to share? Post them in the comments section below.
