Beiruting News

Australians are now banned from using hoverboards in NSW roads and walkways. The Roads Minister, Duncan Gay, issued a notice that warns people against riding the self-balancing hoverboard in public.

"Hoverboards are the hot ticket item on many Christmas wishlists, but we need shoppers to keep safety front of mind before they put their money down," the Minister said on a press release. "I don't want to be the Christmas Grinch, but I want people to know and send a message that these new toys have real safety concerns."

He explained that these hoverboards, a cross between a Segway and a skateboard, usually do not have brakes to stop nor does it require any training to operate. While it is fairly safe for travelling to up to 25 km per hour, it still has inadequate measures to keep riders, mostly children, safe.

The NSW police have been alerted of the matter. Violators will be facing a fine to up to AU$637 when caught on a public road and AU$319 on footpaths.

Australia is the third country to ban the use of hoverboards in public. Last month, the London Metropolitan Police issued a similar notice dissuading people from using the self-balancing scooters in public roads or pavements because these devices are neither registered nor licensed. They can only be used inside the parameters of a privately owned land and with the owner's permission. The police also advised wearing appropriate protective gear when using the said device.

Earlier this week, New York City also declared that these self-balancing scooters are illegal to be used in public roads and pathways. A spokesperson for NYPD told Fortune that hoverboards are considered as motor vehicles that cannot be registered to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Hoverboards are one of the hottest items this Holiday season. The likes of teen sensation, Justin Bieber and rapper Missy Eliott have been recently seen using these transportation devices.