‘Hoverboards’ banned from Temple’s campus
WRITTEN BY: CIERRA WILLIAMS
The advent of the ‘hoverboard’ has taken the world by storm. The self-balancing board does not in fact actually hover but acts instead as a scooter. It gained its name from the wildly popular movie, “Back to the Future II.”
Overnight, major celebrities from John Legend to Kendall Jenner were seen gliding along on their hoverboards and showing off the technique needed to remain stable on the device.
Locally, in North Philadelphia it is not uncommon to see many members of the Temple University basketball team riding down Broad St. with their hoverboards.
While hoverboards continue to gain more popularity, there is also major concern being brought up about the safety of users of the hoverboards. In 2015, there were several recorded incidents of hoverboards malfunctioning and catching on fire.
The surplus in demand for hoverboards means that there is no quality insurance to make sure the hoverboards are safe to ride. If the hoverboard is of a cheaper grade, then it may not have the proper wiring inside which will cause it to be combustible when overheated.
Senior Vice President for Construction, Facilities and Operations, James P. Creedon released a statement on Jan. 8th prohibiting the use of hoverboards on Temple University campuses. Creedon states that hoverboards may not be “used, charged, or stored anywhere on campus.”
Creedon says the reasoning behind this action is due to safety concerns and the reported malfunctions surrounding the hoverboards.
Temple University is not the first place to put a ban on hoverboards. In October of 2015, London police reported that it would now be illegal to ride a hoverboard on the pavements or in the streets.
The best way to go about buying a hoverboard is to invest in one of quality. The company PhunkeeDuck has been known to send their hoverboards to stars like Philadelphia native Kevin Hart. Their hoverboards can cost about 1,500 dollars, but also have not been one of the companies to have its product malfunction.
