Hoverboards Banned on Campus

After multiple incidents of hoverboard malfunctions and treacherous explosions in the news, the Exeter administration decided over the winter break to officially ban them from Exeter. The decision prompted discussions among owners but primarily agreement among community members. Although many students agree with the ban as a safety measure, others consider the decision frustrating.The hoverboard, otherwise known as the modified segway, swagway or segboard, is a small two-wheeled vehicle that resembles a sideways skateboard, which moves around six miles per hour. This innovation first received news coverage soon after it was invented in 2014 and has since gained popularity and traction as a pop culture item. With its self-balancing technologies, it was said to revolutionize the transportation industry.In 2015, the hoverboard went viral. Celebrities, tech enthusiasts and Youtubers alike began recording their first wobbly moments on the board. Eventually, the devices became much more than just an internet phenomenon; people everywhere bought hoverboards as a mode of localized transportation.“I think they are awesome!” Lower Dilan Nana said. “I didn’t even walk around my house after I got it. I just used the hoverboard. It’s really simple to learn, super fun to use and easy to get around on.”Not only was the hoverboard entertaining, but also it provided an effective and convenient mode of transportation. Prep Hanna Pak said that the hoverboard was a perfect fit for her because it “was smaller and more convenient to store than a bike and easier to ride than a skateboard.”It was not long before the hoverboard found its way to the Exeter campus. Since the beginning of the year, the population of hoverboard owners has grown. These students have been very pleased with the capabilities of the modified segways on campus.“Overall, my experience with the hoverboard has been completely positive,” Lower Teddy Weaver said. “It [is] a neat way to get around campus, as the nicely paved pathways and sidewalks [provide] an ideal stomping ground… I found that it cut off precious minutes of my across-campus commute to the gym and made a lot of people laugh in the process.”Many students reviewed the hoverboard positively as a mode of transportation from one class to another. Users believe that, although somewhat humorous, hoverboards are a good fit for Exeter life. Over Thanksgiving break, reports of the flammability and combustibility of hoverboard’s lithium batteries began to surface. Even though these incidents mostly occurred when the boards were badly damaged or overcharged, concerns arose that their use was still permitted at the Academy. “Every time I step on the board, the flammability of the battery crosses my mind. I wonder if my fun experience will turn into a disaster,” senior Will Rau said.Not only are individuals remaining cautious around the boards, but also multiple companies and schools have taken steps against the use of hoverboards. Airlines have prohibited passengers from bringing hoverboards in luggage, and resellers such as Amazon have removed them from stock. Many colleges, too, have banned hoverboards from residential areas. Exeter followed the lead of these organizations in taking precautionary steps to secure the safety of the community.Director of Campus Safety Paul Gravel talked to Dean of Students Melissa Mischke and the administration with concern about the lithium batteries of the hoverboards. Gravel’s advice as well as “an existing effort to ban the hoverboards boards elsewhere,” Mischke said, led administration to prohibit the use of modified segways on campus “until a better product is made available.”Many students, including those who own hoverboards, support this ban, agreeing that they can pose a threat to users and their communities.“Although it is bad for me and other hoverboard owners, I would say that the restriction on bringing them to campus is correct. It is unfair to risk the safety of a dorm or class with a toy,” Weaver said.Some, however, have expressed frustration towards the ban, claiming that other modes of transportation are equally dangerous.“I understand that the Academy is concerned with current news coverage of the hoverboard,” prep Noah Citron said, “but I believe that with proper care and maintenance, the hoverboard is no danger to anyone. Therefore, if bicycles and skateboards (which I would argue require more skill to ride safely than a hoverboard) are allowed on campus, then ‘swagways’ should be as well.”Nonetheless, the majority of students agree that this is a topic to be revisited only once the product is improved. Many hope that manufacturers will be forced to substitute the lithium battery for a safer option, assuring the safety of the vehicles and thereby allowing their return to campus.Mischke agreed. “If the product gets better, then the administration will retract the ban on hoverboards. But if the school has to micromanage the safety of each specific brand, then the ban will be upheld.” The prohibition of hoverboards is not only relevant to their owners but also raises the question of how the administration will handle new innovations on campus. Mischke explained that the school is constantly reforming policy to fit modern technology as it is developed.One example of this, Mischke said, “was with [e-cigarettes] a few years ago. We did not believe that kids should be using nicotine products, so we decided to ban their use.”As new technology emerges, the administration will evaluate the situation with concern for safety, then adapt their policy accordingly on a case-by-case basis for each new invention.Post-graduate Brycen Yarmo said, “Although I am frustrated that I can longer use my hoverboard on campus, I understand how they could pose a serious safety threat to Exeter life, and therefore, I have come to terms with the ban of hoverboards at Exeter.”