Beijing Starts Regulation of Self-Balancing Electric Unicycles

According to a report by the China Daily, Beijing has joined Shanghai and other cities in regulating the use of the self-balancing electric unicycles reclassifying them as motor vehicles and forcing owners to register them with traffic authorities.

The electric unicycle has been deemed a major threat to orderly traffic due to the safety risks they pose to riders as most don’t wear helmets or pads. They will also no longer be allowed on roads, with users incurring fines for improper use, although exact penalties have yet to be confirmed.

The popularity of these vehicles has soared as they can reach speed of 20km per hour and have the added benefits of portability, ease of use, and of not having to worry about parking fees and where to park.

The unicycle’s use by security guards in shopping malls has also increased as they can cover more ground when on patrol and reach emergency sites faster.

This article first appeared on beijingkids.

Photo: thegreenhead.com