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The Benefits Of Hoverboards

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PITTSBURGH, Pa. — One year ago, few people knew what hoverboards were. This past Christmas, however, they were the hottest holiday gadget. Hoverboards are a popular new way to get around, even though they do not really hover. Hoverboards are like motorized skateboards. Riders can make them go forward, backward, or turn by steering the devices with their feet. Unlike skateboarders, who ride sideways, hoverboard riders face forward. Hoverboards do not actually hover above the ground. Between the board and the ground is a solid pair of wheels. Still, they let riders move effortlessly, and if you see a hoverboard rider out of the corner of your eye, you might think that he or she is floating. Catching Fire, Falling Off Millions of the two-wheel, battery-operated vehicles were sold in the United States in the past year. Prices for hoverboards range from $250 to $1,500. As their popularity has grown, however, safety concerns about hoverboards have emerged. …show more content…

Manufacturers have the option to follow their standards, and most choose to do that. Stores often refuse to sell products that that do not meet those groups' standards. Selling Without Safety Standards The problem, in the case of hoverboards, is that there are no standards. John Drengenberg helps develop standards at UL. He said that hoverboards are an "example of what can happen” when products go on sale without safety standards. Drengenberg said that UL will work with manufacturers and experts to come up with standards for hoverboards. It could take nine months or more, though. And ATSM may take two years to produce standards. Some stores have stopped selling hoverboards. The website Amazon.com used to sell the vehicles online. In December, it stopped selling many models, and this week the company said it would give customers who had purchased the hoverboards their money back if they asked for it. How Dangerous Are

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