Angst

[John Montpetit]

I woke up this morning with the intention of taking my 18XL for a ride in the mountains. As I finished up my coffee I thought about my route. I live in Kyoto and we have a system of police boxes placed at strategic points all around the city. I had already done a Google Earth search with “Police Boxes” in the search buffer and I knew where they were so I take a roundabout route to avoid them. This morning I took a wrong turn which resulted in me riding past a police box. I didn’t look at them and just rode past. This kind of crap puts a bad spin on my ride. I notice that I feel more like a fugitive than a citizen enjoying the fine summer weather. My ride was tense, my turns were clumsy and I just felt uneasy. I’m used to watching isthereanyfood with their relaxed rides through the Swedish countryside and Hsiang with his great narrative as he ride through New York City ... that kind of riding isn’t going to happen any time soon in Kyoto. On the narrow streets here in Japan I ride at bicycle speed and that’s ok. I don’t want to present an outlaw image here and jesus christ  I don’t want to  hurt a citizen with reckless driving. It’s the feeling of being under scrutiny that puts an edge on my ride. I’ll deal with it.

[.....]

Move... Your brand of 'outlaw' is pretty mild in a lot of places!

Edited June 3, 2020 by ShanesPlanet

[Kryziss]

Are EUCs prohibited in your area? Did you ever have a bad encounter during a ride?

I was very anxious the first few times I took my wheel out on the streets because they aren't explicitly allowed where I live. This thing is still very new and it is our responsibility to make sure it has a good reputation if we want the laws to adapt and the market to grow.

I ended up crossing paths with dozens of police cars without anything bad ever happening. Just this week a police officer came to talk to me for the first time. He saw I was wearing protection and had no reason to believe I was irresponsible. He seemed very interested, asked a few questions then just wished me a good day. 

I don't know what the law is where you live, but the law will never be adapted if there is no need for it to adapt, IE if nobody rides unicycles in the first place. This was my reasoning when I first decided to get my wheel. We are a small community for now, but we are slowly spreading awareness of how good an alternative PEVs can be compared to cars for a great portion of our transportation needs (let alone how much fun of a hobby lifestyle it can be).

So if your situation is similar to mine, you should not feel like a fugitive, but like a pioneer of electric unicycles. 

Edited June 3, 2020 by Kryziss

[John Montpetit]

Yeah, in some ways I feel like a pioneer, I know that how I present eucs will affect the Japanese impression. I ride carefully and obey the rules. I’ve been stopped twice this week and firmly told to get off and walk the wheel. I walk a block or two and get back on. It just makes for a tense situation, I have to avoid them and I don’t feel I’m free to ride in a relaxed environment. The people themselves are fine, they smile and even clap. I’ll keep pressing on until there is some legal decision on eucs. Right now there are no rules governing eucs, they are not legal or illegal. I’m the first euc in Kyoto which makes it kind of cool in some ways. Japan is an extremely conservative society in spite of what is presented in the popular press and social media.ShanesPlanet suggested I should move. I’ve been here over 30 years and to be honest I have thought that it may be time for new pasture!

[RockyTop]

They are legal here. The problem that I have is that very few people know that they are legal. I still get people chasing down the police to stop me. The police tell me that I can’t ride here and I show them the law that say that my device is not to be discriminated against in any way that a bicycle would not be discriminated against. Are you saying that bicycles can’t ride here? Are you breaking the law by telling me I can’t ride here? ...... Thank you officer. Have a nice day. What is it with these nosy people that just want to tell on people that aren’t causing any trouble? 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I [by mistake] live in a totalitarian community (in the U.S.) where everything the city government dislikes is considered illegal, and most other things they want you to purchase a permit (permission) for. This has prompted me to plan moving elsewhere in the future. Otherwise it is a very beautiful area.

Despite this (and a flat-out ban on Personal Electric Vehicles) I ride hoverboards everywhere (and once I'm better will ride EUCs in public)--this is not without planning and consideration. Being very respectful goes a long, long way. Smiling, waving, and always letting other pedestrians have the right of way de-escilates most situations before you even know of them. Giving police a smile/nod/and wave lets them know you respect their job and are not intending to cause trouble. Dressing respectably most likely helps. Offering to take pictures of those trying to take selfies helps; people hundreds of yards (meters) away have commented how nice it was to do that for other people. I'm guessing most police-being people themselves-are supportive of genuinely nice people. Driving responsibly and at respectable speeds helps (it also minimizes insurance risks for property owners).

There are a few places I've been turned away, I just come back later. Generally it's to take pictures of a beautiful area, and pictures harm nobody.

If you're a person people want to be around, the PEV is mostly overlooked.

I hope it goes as well for you @John Montpetit.

Edited June 3, 2020 by WI_Hedgehog

[RockyTop]

5 minutes ago, WI_Hedgehog said:

Giving police a smile/nod/and wave lets them know you respect their job and are not intending to cause trouble.

If you're a person people want to be around, the EUC is mostly overlooked.

Very True! I have not had much trouble with police or park rangers. I respectfully show them the state codes and they leave me alone.  The real problem in my area is the rent a cops found in the downtown area. ..... I just ignore them. I have been waiting for the day when they call the real COPs. They probably have without any results. 
A large group of older people were having a retirement party / reunion in the park. They had rented a pavilion off the trail down by the river thinking that they could supply it using a golf cart. The park rangers would not allow the golf cart and said that they would have to carry everything down without it. They asked if the ranger could make a few trips with his golf cart.  ......  I was saddened by his response. I ended up making many trips on my EUC carrying coolers, drinks, ice and food.

I do believe that people will remember such acts and start to favor the EUC. 

 

[Will R]

35 minutes ago, RockyTop said:

I ended up making many trips on my EUC carrying coolers, drinks, ice and food.

I do believe that people will remember such acts and start to favor the EUC. 

 

This. This is the way to introduce people to EUCs. Through demonstrating it's practical utility, not through "my wheel is better than your esk8" or "it goes 47.9864 miles an hour, watch!" No sane government legislates against assistive technology.

[PLEASE_DELETE]

Deleted.

Edited March 18 by PLEASE_DELETE

[.....]

I do the same in my rural neighborhood. People are starting to recognize 'that crazy guy on that neat little wheel'. I make a point to go to the only grocer within 2 hours and ride regularly too. Being in normal street clothes and riding around while smiling, disarms the people and they don't view it as particularly dangerous. My wife tells me that people mention to her that they've seen a guy on a wheel thing, and she says its her husband. I've found that people enjoy curiosity and it reminds them of being a kid. The kids LOVE it as its  just plain neat. I must say tho, whenever Im geared up like a storm trooper, the perception is not near as inviting. People see me geared like crazy and they jump to assume its VERY dangerous and they more easily alienate me. Not to mention, a little bit of recognition and empathy is lost, once a face is hidden behind a helmet.  My biggest concern is how drivers stare as they come head on, and manage to steer towards what they are staring and confused by, winding with them passing in my lane head on. Out here, flip flops and sun glasses are the expected norm on dirtbikes, four wheelers and uncle Jim's contraption made of fence posts. Storm troopers are both 'rich' and intimidating... probably damn yankees that need go home. Us southern rednecks are an odd breed for sure. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go check my video of the local gas station. Covid masks aren't a seller around here!  Man i LOVE the south!

Edited June 3, 2020 by ShanesPlanet

[PLEASE_DELETE]

Deleted.

Edited March 18 by PLEASE_DELETE