A new gadget has taken the world by storm and is slowly making its way on Choate campus. Some faculty members and students may have spotted it being used near Memorial (Mem) House or other locations around the school. This device is not something that you can hold in your hand or wear on your wrist, analogous to the other popular devices of this decade. Rather, it’s put under your feet and used to practically “hover” over the ground. You guessed it: the hoverboard is the new rage that’s caught the attention of children and adults worldwide. Whether it’s posting videos with them on YouTube or simply riding down the street with friends, it’s evident that they are quickly gaining popularity and are devices that will stay.
Upon first glance, a hoverboard is similar to a skateboard or a Segway without handlebars. As put by Kristen Altman ’18, “They look like something straight out of the future.”
Essentially, hoverboards are self-balancing scooters that have two independently controlled wheels. The body of the device is reminiscent of an hourglass shape. According to David Pierce of Wired, one can maneuver the hoverboard by applying pressure on two footpads located on either side of the device.
Though they can be quite pricey, ranging anywhere from $300-$1800, their simple mechanism, myriad of color combinations, and overall sleek design make them hard to pass up. Additionally, they aren’t geared towards any select age range. As stated by Saleha Farooqui ’18, “They’re enjoyable for pretty much everyone, aside from the fact that older people are a little more apprehensive about falling.”
So what can one do with hoverboards, you ask? Well, one can do just about anything, from cruising around the house or on campus to riding around town. They, undoubtedly, make getting from one place to another abundantly more eventful, despite their mere six to twelve miles per hour speed. According to Farooqui is, “The best feature is the fact that you can just lean and the hoverboard will go wherever you want. They require so little effort.”
Nonetheless, this is not to say that one won’t acquire their fair share of bruises and scratches if necessary precautions aren’t taken. Potential danger is intrinsic within any device such as the hoverboard. For Altman, “At the same time, while they are very cool in terms of presentation, I’m not very coordinated and I’d be afraid of falling. I’d definitely need some kind of safety equipment.”
Jack Tenney ’16, a prefect in Mem, also noticed the rise of hoverboards on campus. He said, “Hoverboards have taken over Mem. They’re really fun, and you look like you’re floating when you ride one. The only problem is they’re easy to fall off of, and they make a huge ruckus in the halls.”
That being said, as hoverboards gain popularity, it is inevitable that some form of safety precaution will be implemented. Mr. Gordon Armour, a faculty member who has seen the hoverboard being used by some students in front of Mem, joked, “It looks like death on wheels, frankly.” He added, “While I don’t think faculty members have spoken too much about hoverboards and any safety measures that may be taken in the future, I do think you should be wearing a helmet when you’re on one of those.” It is quite probable that hoverboards will fall under the umbrella of the helmet rule. For the time being, however, no rules have been issued regarding hoverboards.
Regarding the safety of hoverboards, Ryan Musto ’16, another prefect in Mem, said, “My freshmen prefectees are daredevils if I’ve ever seen one. Certainly there’s a risk involved in using hoverboards, but you’ve got to respect what they’re trying to do.”
As the holiday season quickly approaches, hoverboards will undoubtedly be topping many wish lists. However, it’s crucial to keep in mind that while riding around on these futuristic-looking gadgets is quite enjoyable, it might be a good idea to put on a helmet, at least while you’re getting used to it. Better to have a safe holiday than to be pressing an ice pack to your head.
