The two-wheeled self-balancing scooters known as “hoverboards” are now prohibited on University of Wisconsin grounds, as determined by a recent clarification from UW spokesperson John Lucas.
Issuing the ruling in response to a growing presence of hoverboards on campus, UW officials prohibit the devices citing safety concerns of falls and battery fires, placing them in the same category as skateboards and rollerblades.
While the ban applies to all campus thoroughfares, UW has yet to issue a decision regarding their use within university residence halls.
UW Police Department spokesperson Marc Lovicott said officers plan to treat renegade hoverboard bandits similarly to skateboard offenses. Consequences for two-wheeled hooliganism may range from a warning to a $263.50 citation.
