Are electric skateboard legal in the UK?

I have been threatening to build an electric longboard for some time now and I suddently thought, are they actually legal to ride on the roads in the UK?

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probably not, like nearly anywhere else :yum: but the police is usually really tolerant

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If it doesn’t seem too obvious and you hide the remote behind your back when you see the cops, it’s legal for sure :joy:

I think you should not step your foot on the motorway that is meant for 45-60mph and you should be good … generally I see no reason why anyone would have to ‘‘punish someone’’ for using a device on sidewalks / bicycle path’es (unless they are right next / on the same level as the road for cars)…if the speed and driving(riding) is not dangerous to others…

Though I can agree that im extra cautions around the cops… usually slow down and ‘‘imitate’’ that im pushing so I would not rise extra attention… non the less, I’ve heard some good things about police and these devices (eboards) where in some cases police have showed good interest in them (what they are etc)…

Of course this is very country depending… so you should probably wait and hear from what other UK ppl can tell you… besides that… Germany/Holland in some cases… seem to be the countries where you should be the most cautions or ‘‘hide your e-board’’… not to get fine or something…

Thanks guys, I think I’m going to go through with the project, I’ve already ordered a few bits here and there and it would be a shame for them to go to waste lol, I asked this question just because I’ve never actually seen anyone where I live with an eboard

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I’ve heard some stories about people getting a fine in the Netherlands, but that’s only in the big cities, when they were racing past pedestrians.

@AlexJ Seems to be from London, Uk,

I think if you are outside of London (capital) you might as well be more safe… though depends on how picky the police is… perhaps he can shed some more light onto this, here

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Technically not legal.

Yep, I am based in London, definitely a greater police presence here and chance of getting stopped. But as I say, even though it is technically illegal, as long as your ride courteously and considerately, chances are the only thing a bobby on the beat will do is ask you to stop and carry it if you’re in a congested area or tell you how cool it is and ask you about it.

Outside of London the chance of being stopped is tiny I’d say, again as long as you’re not jetting down pavements terrorising grannys at 20mph

Thats awesome, my Nanna would have just shot you for that (she was from Mississippi, she liked to shoot lots of things :slight_smile:).

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I have family in Alabama and VA, we like to shoot things too, so she’d have to be quick off the draw! :stuck_out_tongue:

I looked into this and its kind of a grey but not grey area.

Those hoverboards are illegal, e-bikes with more than 250W motor and that power past 15.5mph are illegal. Well, illegal to use in a public place but totally fine on private land with permission. From what I can make out there is not an actual law for or against a 4 wheeled skateboard. This is the grey area. This means they can try to class your board as a 4 wheel electric vehicle and without plates, insurance and safety documents, the police can confiscate your board but from what I have read you can usually get it back with a slap on the wrists if you are not a dick about it. As Alex says, as long as you are not racing through people or traffic and not racing about the place they will just leave you alone.

I ride at a local park, its massive and open with few people around so no one to bother. I could not ride my board on the streets or pavements (eMTB, the opposite of stealth) without issues with people, traffic or police.

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I have been commuting from Monday this week down cycle paths. A few of them are next to a main road and they pass the turning for the main town Police station. I’ve seen 1 Police car pass me and the cops looked and 1 pointed and that was that. I’d say I’m well placed to find out how they feel about it…

Yeah I think I’ll be alright, I’m im the Cotswolds so not exactly busy with police everywhere

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If your ever in Alabama, look me up.

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There’s a good post here from MBC on the Evolve Forums from when he last did some research on it

You’ve just got to watch out for the sheep droppings :grin:

I rode past you on my board a little while back, @bigben :stuck_out_tongue:

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Well courts seem to say that you’re ok if you’ve had a drink…

:stuck_out_tongue:

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That’s interesting, I don’t plan on drinking while on a board anyway so I guess it should be all okay, it’s just a big of grey area and I doubt a lot of police would know what to do if they caught you on a board

Probably just a bit of this

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