Did you get one of those super cool (meh) hoverboards as a gift this past holiday season?
You've long been banned from zipping around NYC streets, but it seems that your futuristic playground just got a bit more limited.
The MTA has officially banned hoverboards from all MTA subways, train stations, and buses. The ban includes riding as well as carrying the devices on their properties.
The ban was announced Wednesday after the decision was made as a result of the number of hoverboards which spontaneously caught fire, even while motionless, over the past few weeks.
According to NBC New York, the MTA stated that the lithium batteries present a pretty significant threat of fires, which is less than ideal when aboard a bus, train, subway, or even on an underground subway platform.
The MTA's Chief Safety Officer David Mayer's told NBC New York, "[the] safety of our customers and employees is always our top concern... For obvious reasons, it is not safe to use hoverboards, skateboards or other personal wheeled vehicles on station platforms."
He goes on to state, "[we're] equally concerned about the safety risk of bringing devices that pose fire hazards into the confined spaces inside trains and buses."
[anad]
For those who need a refresher, skateboards and scooters have been banned by the MTA for fairly obvious reasons.
It's dangerous for commuters and riders to have to contend with someone on a moving object, particularly in the confined spaces of MTA stations.
Check out Subway Riders More Cautious Than Ever After Recent Slew of Train Slashings.
[via NBC New York] [Feature Image Courtesy Instagram]