Legal Status of EUC 2016

[Henrik Olsen]

What is the legal situation on EUC around the world right now... I working on a reply to our government about where I need all the ammo I can get... I know it's legal in documented legal in Norway, California and will be in Singapore this year. I heard somewhere that Belgium has allowed them, but can't find any links to support it.. Where else is it legal? Not being picked up by the police is not the same as legal. I needs to be official...

[Henrik Olsen]

Seems it legal in Finland (thanks to Tony Kresti): http://www.lvm.fi/-/lightweight-electric-vehicles-to-be-legal-in-road-traffic-796805

[Keith]

1 hour ago, Henrik Olsen said:

What is the legal situation on EUC around the world right now... I working on a reply to our government about where I need all the ammo I can get... I know it's legal in documented legal in Norway, California and will be in Singapore this year. I heard somewhere that Belgium has allowed them, but can't find any links to support it.. Where else is it legal? Not being picked up by the police is not the same as legal. I needs to be official...

It is covered fairly well here with respect to Segway which, pretty much, the EUC will fall under as well - although in some countries the law specifies 2 wheel self balancing vehicles

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segway_PT#Use_and_regulation_by_country

[Henrik Olsen]

@Keith  unfortunately not .. we have a trial period making segways legal now here in Denmark, but EUC are not included because of missing handlebar and bell...  this is what we are trying to change...

[OliverH]

On the European level there's a working group (Personal Light Electric Vehicle (PLEV)) on this issue. European Commission gave AFNOR the task to define a ISO 12100 Typ C standard for technical requirements and test procedures. National standardisation organisations like the German DIN is working as mirror boards to the AFNOR board.
At the time I only know, as street legal:

Finland
Luxembourg
France (with regard to a power walker definition)
Switzerland (tech. requirements are currently not to meet, so currently illegal), if someone manage to get type approval

It looks like that Germany is working on a national standard like Switzerland has done. After some countries started to make different national standards it will be a challenge to get them on the same level that a French EU is allowed to be driven in Germany or where ever in Europe.

[Vihtori]

Does anyone know how it's in the Netherlands, is it illegal or not?

[Bert08]

I can confirm that in Italy is not legal. Segway itself is specifying it at the end of their email communications

I'm translating from italian:

[...]the One, Mini Pro and the new Mini PLUS, which will be available shortly, are primarily intended for use by younger users and do not have any authorization for their use in public areas and therefore they will only be used on a private area in order not to incur unpleasant inconveniences [eg. fines up to 100 EUR].
The situation is different in reference to ours Ninebot Elite and Segway i2 / x2 units

[em1barns]

On 4/29/2016 at 0:21 PM, OliverH said:

On the European level there's a working group (Personal Light Electric Vehicle (PLEV)) on this issue. European Commission gave AFNOR the task to define a ISO 12100 Typ C standard for technical requirements and test procedures. National standardisation organisations like the German DIN is working as mirror boards to the AFNOR board.
At the time I only know, as street legal:

Finland
Luxembourg
France (with regard to a power walker definition)
Switzerland (tech. requirements are currently not to meet, so currently illegal), if someone manage to get type approval

It looks like that Germany is working on a national standard like Switzerland has done. After some countries started to make different national standards it will be a challenge to get them on the same level that a French EU is allowed to be driven in Germany or where ever in Europe.

You are missing Belgium, where monowheels are authorized explicitely by law, 18km/h on roads, 6km/h on pavement. There's even a next round of discussion to move max speed to 25km/h without driving permit or vehicle registration, and 45km/h with the latter. 

Even standard family insurances now include coverage up to 45km/h here for light electric vehicles (just got one), so the country is probably one of the most advanced in terms of law.

[WARPed1701D]

2 minutes ago, em1barns said:

You are missing Belgium, where monowheels are authorized explicitely by law, 18km/h on roads, 6km/h on pavement. There's even a next round of discussion to move max speed to 25km/h without driving permit or vehicle registration, and 45km/h with the latter. 

Even standard family insurances now include coverage up to 45km/h here for light electric vehicles (just got one), so the country is probably one of the most advanced in terms of law.

This is very cool. It's a shame other countries are lagging behind so much.

[Obly]

11 hours ago, em1barns said:

You are missing Belgium, where monowheels are authorized explicitely by law, 18km/h on roads, 6km/h on pavement. There's even a next round of discussion to move max speed to 25km/h without driving permit or vehicle registration, and 45km/h with the latter. 

Even standard family insurances now include coverage up to 45km/h here for light electric vehicles (just got one), so the country is probably one of the most advanced in terms of law.

Wow, Belgium has the best beer in the world AND the best EUC laws (how do they feel about combining the two together??)... sounds like paradise! 

[mrelwood]

On 4/29/2016 at 11:39 AM, Henrik Olsen said:

Seems it legal in Finland (thanks to Tony Kresti): http://www.lvm.fi/-/lightweight-electric-vehicles-to-be-legal-in-road-traffic-796805

Recap: Without insurance max 25kph and 1kW, bicycle laws (mandatory helmet, front light, reflector and a horn/bell). Non-bicycle walking areas allowed at walking speed.

For vehicles capable above 25kph or 1kW a traffic insurance is mandatory. Don't know wether one would be reasonable or practically possible though.

During my 2500km on an EUC and 2500km on a seated 2-wheeler, I haven't had a single encounter with the police. I always wear a helmet.

[Edward Greene]

Electric unicycles are classified the same as bicycles ie not legal in ny unless its a mobility device for the handicapped

[man-on(e)-wheel]

Forbidden in Germany.

Only allowed on enclosed (!) private property.

[Lex]

I heard that Denmark now has legislation for the EUC.
As my wheel has recently been confiscated by traffic police, I am now very motivated to do everything to get legal status in the Netherlands, a country infamous for its painfully slow bureaucracy.
I can use all the help and information I can get.

[Kael]

3 minutes ago, Lex said:

I heard that Denmark now has legislation for the EUC.
As my wheel has recently been confiscated by traffic police, I am now very motivated to do everything to get legal status in the Netherlands, a country infamous for its painfully slow bureaucracy.
I can use all the help and information I can get.

Confiscated!? That's ridiculous. Did they give you a warning first or just take it away? Surprising really, as Amsterdam has bicycles everywhere. Though I definitely think there's a bit of animosity of cyclists towards anyone using anything electric or electric assisted. It's just 'not the proper way to do it.'

[Lex]

2 minutes ago, Kael said:

Confiscated!? That's ridiculous. Did they give you a warning first or just take it away? Surprising really, as Amsterdam has bicycles everywhere. Though I definitely think there's a bit of animosity of cyclists towards anyone using anything electric or electric assisted. It's just 'not the proper way to do it.'

I was cruising at a leisure speed of about 18 km/h and an officer on a motorcycle stopped me and greeted me with the sentence: "I will confiscate that thing".
After 3 years of riding (making around 5000 km) without any problems (sometimes the police stopped me and we had a nice and open conversation) I had the bad luck to run into this adamant guy. I can expect a fine of € 240 and destruction of the wheel. Spend also 2 hours locked up in the police office. Germany has the reputation of a police state, but Netherlands is the real thing.

 

[Lex]

Quote

Surprising really, as Amsterdam has bicycles everywhere.

Amsterdam is the exception. Amsterdam is open and tolerant, and this is the reputation of the Netherlands worldwide, but it is wrong. The rest of the Netherlands is quite intolerant and conservative.

[Kael]

20 minutes ago, Lex said:

I was cruising at a leisure speed of about 18 km/h and an officer on a motorcycle stopped me and greeted me with the sentence: "I will confiscate that thing".
After 3 years of riding (making around 5000 km) without any problems (sometimes the police stopped me and we had a nice and open conversation) I had the bad luck to run into this adamant guy. I can expect a fine of € 240 and destruction of the wheel. Spend also 2 hours locked up in the police office. Germany has the reputation of a police state, but Netherlands is the real thing.

 

That's nuts.. Can you not appeal? Maybe take the story to a newspaper. Come at the angle that you're being environmental.

[Unventor]

@Henrik Olsen This might be a little overdued, but I am posting a link to you for the rules in Sweden at this current time (late april 2018) 

https://www.transportstyrelsen.se/sv/vagtrafik/Fordon/Fordonsregler/Cykel/

You need to read a bit down on teh page about electric cycles when it states the definition of selfbalancing electric powered transport e.g segways ect.

This clases the EUC to max go 20Km/h or have a max motor effect of 250 watt. Otherwise you need to register it as a moped. 

This should class you to go where you use a cykle. 

Do you have a link to how the rules/law is in Denmark. As I might take my Inmotion V8 to Cph in the summer time. I had hope to go about wisiting your EUC store, sad to learn it closed.  

[Nic]

This thread worries me. 

I have to admit that I wasn't aware of the issues with legislation. It didn't occur to me because these devices are on sale in many places (I got my V8 from Amazon) and I saw many you-tube videos of riders in UK and elsewhere riding their EUC on public roads. Now I am afraid to go out on mine in case the police stop me and I get fined and my expensive EUC confiscated and destroyed. I have seen police once or twice and they ignored me, but all it takes is for one police officer that doesn't approve, or who has had a bad day and me and my EUC will be toast. What a backwards country we live in where our legislation on vehicles hasn't changed since 1835.