Has anyone used a Boosted Board or similar?
February 18, 2018 10:33 AM Subscribe
Caveat, never skated and this is in NYC. I want to use it for commutes and going those extra three blocks. I almost bought a hover board but those seem to have been a gimmick.
I know someone who uses a Ninebot One for getting around without aggravating his newly replaced hip (sexagenarian). I have seen a younger person commuting in on one of these (wearing a helmet safety-orange vest) numerous times where I work.
posted by the Real Dan at 10:52 AM on February 18, 2018
posted by the Real Dan at 10:52 AM on February 18, 2018
I believe they're actually illegal in NYC (see also hoverboards and segways), though it's hard to confirm and enforcement is lax (see ubiquitous delivery people on e-bikes).
They're also a menace, as far as I'm concerned.
posted by hoyland at 1:59 PM on February 18, 2018
They're also a menace, as far as I'm concerned.
posted by hoyland at 1:59 PM on February 18, 2018
I worked for a shop that sold Boosted Boards and they look really fun. As a fellow person who never learned to skateboard, I would have tried it out, but the learning curve for an old seemed rather steep.
I have seen a few people riding them in NYC, and I don't think you'd get into trouble unless you were being really inconsiderate in front of cop with nothing better to do.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 3:46 PM on February 18, 2018
I have seen a few people riding them in NYC, and I don't think you'd get into trouble unless you were being really inconsiderate in front of cop with nothing better to do.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 3:46 PM on February 18, 2018
I believe they're actually illegal in NYC (see also hoverboards and segways), though it's hard to confirm and enforcement is lax (see ubiquitous delivery people on e-bikes).
The current situation is basically that the state and local laws were written before this type of device existed, so there isn't a clear legal category for them. So they get lumped in as types of motorcycles, but there's no avenue to register them as motorcycles, making them legal to sell and own but not technically legal to operate.
However, due to a recent massive crackdown on delivery cyclists and resulting backlash from both immigrant rights groups and transit groups, the state laws may actually get changed this year.
posted by showbiz_liz at 4:03 PM on February 18, 2018
The current situation is basically that the state and local laws were written before this type of device existed, so there isn't a clear legal category for them. So they get lumped in as types of motorcycles, but there's no avenue to register them as motorcycles, making them legal to sell and own but not technically legal to operate.
However, due to a recent massive crackdown on delivery cyclists and resulting backlash from both immigrant rights groups and transit groups, the state laws may actually get changed this year.
posted by showbiz_liz at 4:03 PM on February 18, 2018
My boyfriend had one. We both agreed it was a terrifying device and someone was gonna get hurt. He sold it and replaced it with an electric kick scooter, which is so much better! There’s almost no learning curve, it’s really fun and effortless to zip around on, and it folds in half for taking on public transit.
posted by somedaycatlady at 7:06 PM on February 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by somedaycatlady at 7:06 PM on February 18, 2018 [1 favorite]
If you've never skateboarded before, I'd be wary about commuting with one, electric or not. Casey Neistat makes it look very cool and tempting, but even Casey has wiped out before. I *think* that "hoverboards" are simply less forgiving in terms of the terrain they can handle -- I think a skateboard is more able to deal with bumps in the road (I've never been on either) -- and they go much slower than a Boosted board can, so that's why the electric skateboard is more of a commuter vehicle.
A Boosted board is at least $1000 or more, so it's quite an investment. Keep in mind, there are lots of other brands, like Inboard, Juiced, etc.
I got a regular skateboard in the interest of commuting with it, and that was tougher than an electric skateboard because you need to push off with one foot and balance with the other foot, but I still found balancing and steering while standing on it not super easy. I was also sort of scared of falling off so I didn't really ever try to take it outside and use it. I eventually broke my foot doing something else (slipping down the stairs) and not being able to walk for a few weeks bummed me out so badly that I decided I didn't want to risk another broken bone and sold the skateboard.
An electric bike seems like a better option to me.
posted by AppleTurnover at 11:47 PM on February 18, 2018
A Boosted board is at least $1000 or more, so it's quite an investment. Keep in mind, there are lots of other brands, like Inboard, Juiced, etc.
I got a regular skateboard in the interest of commuting with it, and that was tougher than an electric skateboard because you need to push off with one foot and balance with the other foot, but I still found balancing and steering while standing on it not super easy. I was also sort of scared of falling off so I didn't really ever try to take it outside and use it. I eventually broke my foot doing something else (slipping down the stairs) and not being able to walk for a few weeks bummed me out so badly that I decided I didn't want to risk another broken bone and sold the skateboard.
An electric bike seems like a better option to me.
posted by AppleTurnover at 11:47 PM on February 18, 2018
There are also these things (I've never tried one, but I really want to).
posted by TomFoolery at 1:51 PM on February 20, 2018
posted by TomFoolery at 1:51 PM on February 20, 2018
« Older Books in which people shop for clothes | What to do when a tenant says they have bed bugs? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you're looking for more info on options for 'those extra three blocks,' btw, the search terms you want to use are "last mile" + "transportation." This is a big question in urban planning actually.
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:39 AM on February 18, 2018