That hoverboard may have seemed like a great gift idea during the holidays, but it won’t be one that students are bringing back to campus housing.
It all started last semester when hoverboards made their first appearances on the UA campus. They became noticeably more popular and, suddenly, everyone wanted one to make getting around campus easier. Rumors started to spread that the hoverboards were catching on fire while they charged, causing Residence Life to take action.
Over winter break, Residence Life sent an email to students saying that hoverboards were banned from the dorms due to “numerous hazards and safety concerns with Hoverboard’s battery and charging system.” The email included a link to a report from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, which reported that some hoverboards have caught fire while charging or in use.
Hoverboards, which do not actually hover, are two-wheeled personal transportation devices. They gained popularity in the past semester as an alternative way to get around campus. They are small, portable and easy for students to store while not in use.
Despite the convenience, they are a potential safety hazard, especially when left unattended in the dorms as they charge. The ban would prevent residents from using and storing hoverboards in any residence hall on campus. Jessica Offolter, a plant sciences junior said, “I think that’s a good thing. It’s not safe to have those things in halls.”
Rafael Ablao, a resident assistant in Yuma Residence Hall, agrees with the decision to ban hoverboards from campus in general.
“People don’t even know how to use them,” he said. Ablao, a physiology junior said, “It’s just ridiculous to me.”
Some people are also opposed to hoverboards because of the problems they cause on the sidewalks.
“They cause blockages in traffic on sidewalks,” Offolter said. “And they take away all exercise that you would get from walking.”
Liz Morales, a global studies sophomore, is glad hoverboards are defective.
“I’m kind of happy they explode because of battery issues,” she said. “That’s what we get for wanting to be so lazy.”
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