Photo: gettyimages
- Sudden explosions and fires cause unpredictability
- Cheap boards get burned uncontrollably or block the wheels
- Amazon and airlines react
Sudden explosions and fires cause unpredictability
Many children and technology-savvy people may have been happy this year about a so-called hoverboard under the Christmas tree. But beware: The modern skatboards are dangerous!
In a few weeks, the hype surrounding the self-balancing scooters, reminiscent of a Segway without a handrail, has spread rapidly. No wonder, then, that the racers secured the pole position on the wish lists and ensured brilliant eyes under the Christmas tree. No problem, if there were not the cheap plagiarism of the original, which are a real source of danger.
Cheap boards get burned uncontrollably or block the wheels
The cheap copies of the "hoverboard" cause a stir in a negative way. Not only do they explode, they also frequently catch fire, jeopardizing their health and, in the worst case, even their owners' lives. The incidents surrounding the popular boards are piling up. The "BBC" reported that in October in London, a hoverboard was on fire while charging the battery and a second had exploded shortly before. Even in the United States, there have already been explosions, in Louisiana, a whole house was destroyed. The batteries and power supplies of cheap imports from China & Co. are mostly the cause of the accidents. Because they do not meet European safety standards, they overheat quickly and catch fire at the same time.
But that's not all: The German computer magazine "c't" has taken a cheap model under closer scrutiny and thereby found another serious deficiency. The device shuts off automatically after 20 minutes. Reason: danger of overheating. The wheels lock in such a case abruptly, which can possibly end fatally.
Amazon and airlines react
Tagesschau.de reported recently that the three largest US airlines Delta, American and United have responded to the incidents and have banned the scooters for the safety of passengers on board. Amazon has also taken out the most dangerous plagiarism in order to avoid further accidents. On the German side of the online retailer are currently still cheap models. The prices here are between 380 to 1000 euros - an indication of the great differences in quality.
Anyone who has opted for a cheap model instead of the expensive version should act as quickly as possible and banish the device from the house and it is best not to put it into operation. Especially parents should react to protect their child from the dangerous toy.
