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Can kids ride an EUC on the road in California


Goblyhoo

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it varies on the kid and the location. If you mean a kid that could otherwise be trusted on a bicycle, I dont see why not. Barring the cost and legalities. Can't forget to make em run around tho, as euc riding isnt nearly as healthy a choice as a bicycle or skateboard or roller skates.

 

Welcome to the nuthouse...:thumbup:

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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Google search: "California EUC laws"

First search result: 

"Unicycles are legal on the California roadways.

Whether they are EUc (electric unicycles) or regular foot-powered, they may go wherever bicycles are allowed. You are, however required to wear a helmet, and at least 16 years old to legally operate a unicycle on the road."

 

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I don't think most kids will have any problem riding an EUC. (If it isn't too big or heavy so obviously some model are better than others depends on the kids size and age). 

From a legal standpoint I can't answer this as it is in the US and I am in Sweden. But you need to consider these as a mopen in essens due to being motor powered. This means I wouldn't let a 5-10 year old operate it unsupervised. In case you have a kid that is responsible and almost an adult, it depends on the culture you live in. It is where I could add common sense do apply but what that means for different people is an open question.

I have seen videos of 4 year old that ride about, but with their parent(s). 

I would suggest that as an adult you need to be able to ride first yourself to understand what you are letting your kid do. And you need an understanding of what and EUC is and how it operates as this need to be explained to avoid accidents. This is fun to ride, but it is a complex machine to understand what you can or cannot or should not do. 

I would not necessary trust google, but it should be you local law enforcement/traffic regulator you should consult. Note: most duo not know of EUC at all which works to our benefits in general. But when accidents happens and other property is damages or people is injured is when it get complicated and expensive (from what hear about the US civil law system). 

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The statement of:

"Unicycles are legal on the California roadways.

Whether they are EUc (electric unicycles) or regular foot-powered, they may go wherever bicycles are allowed. You are, however required to wear a helmet, and at least 16 years old to legally operate a unicycle on the road."

 

is from the website of personal injury law firm 'Estey Bomberger'.  They have five offices in California.

http://riverside.esteybomberger.com/8-interesting-california-bicycle-law-facts-you-need-to-know/

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35 minutes ago, Goblyhoo said:

I'm thinking more in the terms as if anyone will care.

of course, someone will care. You can't do anything in America and it not offend someone. Letting a kid be a kid, is offensive to some. However, should you care that they care? People are offended by an mten moving by them at a blazing 2mph with a rider smiling at them. I would suspect that accusations of neglect or endagerment would happen eventually. HOw old a kid are we talking? VERY young and most will simply find it cute, with occassional anger of you endangering a child. Near middle age child, it will be viewd as fun and 'those pesky kids'. The normal 30yr old child living with mom and dad will likely only cause concern for the 30 yr old.

I would think that teaching a kid to responsibly ride a bicycle first, is a need. If the kid already understands how to behave on streets and in public on a bicycle, maybe THEN an euc. Make no mistake, an euc is not a toy, its almost like a little moped. Hell, one of mine goes FASTER than a moped. If i'd had a sherman at age 12, I'd probably be crippled or dead by now. Even the small eucs are enough power to break bones. Its not the euc to worry about, its the concrete and the cars and the mountainsides. However, with proper respect and supervision, many a tiny child can enjoy euc riding without serious injury or much worry.

Fwiw, Im an idiot who flies down my street nearing 45mph. I also ride on sidewalks slowly thru towns. So far, noone really cares. Those that do, are curious. I'd imagine a child is more approachable, so you will see less give a shit than I do, aside from how 'darling' it seems. Unless your kid us ugly of course. However, somehow noones ever seen an ugly kid?:D

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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17 minutes ago, ShanesPlanet said:

of course, someone will care. You can't do anything in America and it not offend someone. Letting a kid be a kid, is offensive to some. However, should you care that they care? People are offended by an mten moving by them at a blazing 2mph with a rider smiling at them. I would suspect that accusations of neglect or endagerment would happen eventually. HOw old a kid are we talking? VERY young and most will simply find it cute, with occassional anger of you endangering a child. Near middle age child, it will be viewd as fun and 'those pesky kids'. The normal 30yr old child living with mom and dad will likely only cause concern for the 30 yr old.

I would think that teaching a kid to responsibly ride a bicycle first, is a need. If the kid already understands how to behave on streets and in public on a bicycle, maybe THEN an euc. Make no mistake, an euc is not a toy, its almost like a little moped. Hell, one of mine goes FASTER than a moped. If i'd had a sherman at age 12, I'd probably be crippled or dead by now. Even the small eucs are enough power to break bones. Its not the euc to worry about, its the concrete and the cars and the mountainsides. However, with proper respect and supervision, many a tiny child can enjoy euc riding without serious injury or much worry.

Fwiw, Im an idiot who flies down my street nearing 45mph. I also ride on sidewalks slowly thru towns. So far, noone really cares. Those that do, are curious. I'd imagine a child is more approachable, so you will see less give a shit than I do, aside from how 'darling' it seems. Unless your kid us ugly of course. However, somehow noones ever seen an ugly kid?:D

Yeah my kid is 12 he is pretty responsible and goes biking with his friends. One of his friends has a Onewheel and he thought an EUC would be a good match so I am thinking about surprising him with one for his birthday. Also I might buy one for my self they seem fun.

Edited by Goblyhoo
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7 minutes ago, Goblyhoo said:

Yeah my kid is 12 he is pretty responsible and goes biking with his friends. One of his friends has a onewheel and he thought an euc would be a good match so I am thinking about suprising him with one for his birthday.

I'd say go for it. If he was prone to complete stupidity, he'd have shown it by now on a bicycle. By 12, i was hell on wheels on my bicycle, but I was well aware of how streets and lights and hills and other crap works. I'm a little jealous that a 12yr old is getting such an expensive toy for their birthday, but thats just my own personal hangup. If he's simply going onewheel riding with a friend, you can pick almost ANY of the current euc's and itll be faster and go longer than that OW crap. Even my 67v mten keeps up with a one wheel. If you're willing to spend a grand on a damn 12 yr old (I got $25 damnit!), just buy it and hope he knows how to tell his friends NO, and takes care of it. Whew, so expensive and if it breaks. Fwiw, my wife mentioned to me that my wheels 'look' expensive. Depending on what part of LA, you may want to include a small pistol for him to tuck into his safety gear...

12 is old enough for you to break out the whip. Buy him an euc and work that grand right back off his young back! Never mow again (wait california?)... umm  hell what do parents make their kids do in California? Can't do dishes, it uses water. Cant mow, it requires grass. Can't iron clothes, its uses electricity. Make him sort your rock garden daily?:blink1:

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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12 minutes ago, ShanesPlanet said:

I'd say go for it. If he was prone to complete stupidity, he'd have shown it by now on a bicycle. By 12, i was hell on wheels on my bicycle, but I was well aware of how streets and lights and hills and other crap works. I'm a little jealous that a 12yr old is getting such an expensive toy for their birthday, but thats just my own personal hangup. If he's simply going onewheel riding with a friend, you can pick almost ANY of the current euc's and itll be faster and go longer than that OW crap. Even my 67v mten keeps up with a one wheel. If you're willing to spend a grand on a damn 12 yr old (I got $25 damnit!), just buy it and hope he knows how to tell his friends NO, and takes care of it. Whew, so expensive and if it breaks. Fwiw, my wife mentioned to me that my wheels 'look' expensive. Depending on what part of LA, you may want to include a small pistol for him to tuck into his safety gear...

12 is old enough for you to break out the whip. Buy him an euc and work that grand right back off his young back! Never mow again (wait california?)... umm  hell what do parents make their kids do in California? Can't do dishes, it uses water. Cant mow, it requires grass. Can't iron clothes, its uses electricity. Make him sort your rock garden daily?:blink1:

This is cracking me up btw do you think a gotway nikola+ would be good capped to like 30mph? We can make him give me the euc better punishment.

Edited by Goblyhoo
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1 hour ago, Paul A said:

Kids can carry guns in America?

of course they can. Legally they can't as openly as adults. I dont know about on the street, but kids can definitely shoot guns with the folks on private lands outside of city limits. Doesnt really apply tho,  I was simply cracking a politically incorrect joke as per my usual.

 

@Goblyhoo uh... 30mph is seriously damn fast on an euc. My adult buddy rides a Nik+ and its a SERIOUS wheel that he uses on public streets for a work commute. I would think that something a little more tame would be fine. He's used to a 15-20mph bike and his buddy OW is 20mph maybe? I'd step down just a hair for his first wheel and maybe shoot for a inmo v8f or ks14d.  Seriously, my little 10" mten keeps up with a onewheel. Not that I'd say an mten is a great wheel for an only wheel, but it gives you some perspective. THe nik+ is what I would consider a big boy toy...  Also, dont fool yourself, he will unlock whatever you do, as soon as he leaves the house...

I have a recent vid of me and my buddy riding on a Nik and a Sherman. You wouldnt need watch long to get the gist of the speeds, and we weren't pushing it. My vid link is in my signature.

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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4 hours ago, Goblyhoo said:

This is cracking me up btw do you think a gotway nikola+ would be good capped to like 30mph?

Maybe I'm just old and totally disconnected by modern parenting but do you honestly think buying a 12 year old a $2000 birthday present is a good idea? Especially one that's capable of crazy speeds - 37 mph might not seem crazy in a car but just remember there's no seat belt on an EUC and the first thing that hits the ground tends can be your face. And it's illegal for your kid to ride. Do you have to take part in an arms race just because another parent has bought their kid a one wheel? Get him a bicycle like any other normal kid or perhaps get him a normal unicycle first and tell him you'll consider getting him an EUC if he masters that. If, by some miracle he does master it, then I'd get him a V5F - it's a smaller wheel but it's still faster and has better range than the one wheel.

Edited by mike_bike_kite
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He is not really going to ride on the road its more for bicycle trails with no cars on them I don't think anyone cares but like to go to starbucks or something 4 blocks away. He said the inmotion v8 would be good and once he mastered it he might step up to a bigger wheel. Also he knows how to ride a unicycle he has tried to teach me and failed.

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, Goblyhoo said:

He is not really going to ride on the road its more for bicycle trails with no cars on them I don't think anyone cares. He said the inmotion v8 would be good and once he mastered it he might step up to a bigger wheel. Also he knows how to ride a unicycle he has tried to teach me and failed.

Amazing. A 12 yr old boy says a $1000 wheel would be good enough until he can upgrade...:facepalm: 

Why dont you buy two of them and learn to ride with him?

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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I was thinking about that. I watched your video that looks really fast. The only reason I am considering buying him one is because he likes to go bike with his best friends family the problem is they are all bikers and he is not as good so its happened hat he has tried to keep up and gotten hurt and he said he still wants to ride his bike but sometimes just wants to chill with his friend on the Onewheel. He hasn't gotten a birthday present since he was 5. He just saves up the money has about 1400 dollars so he more just wants my approval. He is really into it he is always checking the newest models and looking at YouTube videos. Also he is getting himself a motorcycle jacket and full face helmet. I think he understands that it is no joke.

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18 minutes ago, Goblyhoo said:

I watched your video that looks really fast

Keep in mind that wide angle shots look much much faster than they really are, it's what I call an optical delusion.

I am firmly in the camp of "get it for him", "supervise", and as a parent know that getting hurt on a self balancing device is somewhat more likely than getting hurt on a mountain bike or skateboard... not a whole lot, but there should be clear rules and consequences. ATGATT, no riding in traffic is where I'd go. For me anyway, him choosing a V8F and having saved that much money is a very good sign... he's not wanting too much (yet).

oh... have him watch a few "how to fall" videos from the skateboarding content folks, and perhaps a parkour video on falling as well. a few practice tumbling runs in the grass etc. Most falls are forward, so learning not to catch yourself with locked elbows will go a long way towards minimizing injury!

Edited by Tawpie
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1 hour ago, Tawpie said:

Keep in mind that wide angle shots look much much faster than they really are, it's what I call an optical delusion.

I am firmly in the camp of "get it for him", "supervise", and as a parent know that getting hurt on a self balancing device is somewhat more likely than getting hurt on a mountain bike or skateboard... not a whole lot, but there should be clear rules and consequences. ATGATT, no riding in traffic is where I'd go. For me anyway, him choosing a V8F and having saved that much money is a very good sign... he's not wanting too much (yet).

oh... have him watch a few "how to fall" videos from the skateboarding content folks, and perhaps a parkour video on falling as well. a few practice tumbling runs in the grass etc. Most falls are forward, so learning not to catch yourself with locked elbows will go a long way towards minimizing injury!

I dunno, 40mph feels pretty damn fast too. I'd say its akin to maybe doing 60-70 on a motorcycle, in sensation anyhow. Low camera angles do look fast, tho drone footage also looks fast. Sadly, I cant get any 40mph drone footage, as the drone wont keep up.

Dont let him buy motorcycle gear. Its too heavy and gna be WAY too hot in LA. direct him towards mountainbike gear would be my suggest. That or like I did as a kid, cutoff shorts and a white t-shirt.:D

 

Edited by ShanesPlanet
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Yes, riding on bumpy grass is not easy.

Might be better for kids to stay off roads.

Can see from the video that the kid lacked a bit of situational awareness/experience when coming in proximity to others.

Especially approaching from behind another kid that was running, a kid on a scooter, open car door, narrow gap, etc.

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2 minutes ago, Paul A said:

Yes, riding on bumpy grass is not easy.

Might be better for kids to stay off roads.

Can see from the video that the kid lacked a bit of situational awareness/experience when coming in proximity to others.

Especially approaching from behind another kid that was running, a kid on a scooter, open car door, narrow gap, etc.

My kid is a bit older though and goes riding on a bike a lot.

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