Is the Airwheel legal as they say?

Is the Airwheel legal as they say?

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Discussion

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,954 posts

210 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Legal for pavements, not roads. Are they right?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/medias/AirWheel-legal-docu...

Bert

Buzz84

1,138 posts

148 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Personally I'd like to see that letter coming from the police or relevant body rather than the manufacturer - or at least include an appendix referencing the law to prove their statements

timetex

643 posts

147 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
I don't know about 'legal' but they are great fun!

We have an AirBoard (the one which looks more like a skateboard with 2 small wheels at the edge rather than a unicycle stance) - and it is perfect to ride around inside the house even!

Adrian E

3,248 posts

175 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Not correct at all - they allude to getting the opinion of the 'Met' which presumably means they stopped someone in uniform on the street in London and asked a loaded question.

No such thing as an 'unclassified vehicle' - it's not permitted for road use because it fails to meet the requirements for lighting etc of a motor vehicle, which is what it is. The motor is far too powerful for it to fall under any of the alternatives, most of which require pedals to be attached.

It's basically a Segway so all the same restrictions apply. You can use it on private land, with the land owners permission, but nowhere else.

Devil2575

13,400 posts

187 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
I was wondering what an Airwheel was. It appears to be a device for lazy bds biggrin

PAULJ5555

3,554 posts

175 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
If they were legal you would see them about, I have never seen a segway for this very reason.


jesta1865

3,448 posts

208 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
PAULJ5555 said:
If they were legal you would see them about, I have never seen a segway for this very reason.
i would have thought you don't see them because people have better things to spend £800 on.

MKnight702

3,096 posts

213 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
£800? a Segway is somewhat more than that, £5k plus IIRC that's why you don't see many in the UK!

illmonkey

18,112 posts

197 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
I could park 1 mile out of town and 'commute' on that. It'd be free parking, no waiting for busses etc and it'd get paid for in no time (car park space £200/month). Charge at work every day too.




jesta1865

3,448 posts

208 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
MKnight702 said:
£800? a Segway is somewhat more than that, £5k plus IIRC that's why you don't see many in the UK!
that is the price for the airwheel, i had no idea that the other rubbish was 5k plus.

that's just mad

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,954 posts

210 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
I was wondering what legislation it was that controlled electric devices on pavenments - mobility scooters and the like.
Bert

Adrian E

3,248 posts

175 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
BertBert said:
I was wondering what legislation it was that controlled electric devices on pavenments - mobility scooters and the like.
Bert
I forget the title, but there's a 1970s bit of legislation governing mobility scooters use on pavements, so long as they're restricted to 4mph.

Lowtimer

4,286 posts

167 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
It would be fun to ask the bufton who wrote that very carefully worded letter to indemnify any of his customers against prosecution.

The Airwheel is clearly not in the same category as a skateboard or a pair of roller skates, as unlike them it is powered. That makes it classified as a motor vehicle. It is illegal to use except on private land with the permission of the landowner, as it does not meet any of the criteria which would allow it to qualify for use on the highway, e.g. as an electric bike or a disability scooter.

Subject was done much more comprehensively here last year, btw.
http://www.pistonheads.com/GASSING/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by Lowtimer on Tuesday 28th April 14:32

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,954 posts

210 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Lowtimer said:
It would be fun to ask the bufton who wrote that very carefully worded letter to indemnify any of his customers against prosecution.

The Airwheel is clearly not in the same category as a skateboard or a pair of roller skates, as unlike them it is powered. That makes it classified as a motor vehicle. It is illegal to use except on private land with the permission of the landowner, as it does not meet any of the criteria which would allow it to qualify for use on the highway, e.g. as an electric bike or a disability scooter.
They are not saying it meets the criteria for highway use. Just for pavement use.
Bert

Lowtimer

4,286 posts

167 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
There are no criteria allowing for the use of a motor vehicle on the pavements, except for the disabled buggy / 4mph category, which it does not meet. See the other thread from last year. Legally an Airwheel is in a similar position to that of a Segway.

Edited by Lowtimer on Tuesday 28th April 14:35

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,954 posts

210 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
So presumably they hope to grow sales in places where they are legal to use as the market in the UK must be very small!

dacouch

1,172 posts

128 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
I see quite a few of these around the City and especially Shoreditch

Lowtimer

4,286 posts

167 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Oh, I see them from time to time round London. Mind you, you see quite a lot of things going on round London which may not be within the letter of the law.

I think the UK marketing so far is based on the notion that they might as well sell as many as they can as it's the users, not the vendors, who are liable for prosecution when nicked using them in public places. And from casual observation it does not appear that the law is being enforced with any great passion with regard to these things anyway. No doubt at some point one will be involved in mowing down a little old lady or colliding with a pram and then the full majesty of the law will groan into action.

Yabu

2,052 posts

200 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all

BertBert

Original Poster:

18,954 posts

210 months

Tuesday 28th April 2015
quotequote all
Lowtimer said:
as it's the users, not the vendors, who are liable for prosecution when nicked using them in public places.
However, having made specific statements as to the legality of the device they would be exposed I imagine should someone rely on their statement and get nicked.
Bert