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Turning its back on the future, NYC declares fake hoverboards illegal

Will Gleason
Written by
Will Gleason
Content Director, The Americas
Photograph: Courtesy Creative Commons/Flickr/Ben Larcey
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Could this be the final nail in the coffin of Silicon Alley?

Tech start-up bros are going to feel a little less secure in their morning commutes following a recent alarming report that hoverboards-that-don't-actually-hover may actually be illegal in NYC. Good thing we found a way to fund that capital plan.

After a string of confusing tweets from the NYPD's 26th Precinct and police statements to the press, Gothamist went straight to the source and asked the NYC Department of Transportation if they were ready to live in a bad-ass 21st Century urban environment where you tilt your way to your open-plan office every morning or if they weren't. Turns out, they're not.

The devices can't be registered with the DMV, meaning they're currently illegal in the city under New York State law. The potential fine for getting caught using the futuristic form of transportation? $500. The potential amusement of watching someone fall off of one? Extremely high.

h/t Gothamist

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