US Postal Service is the latest company to crack down on hoverboard shipments

[Scorpus]

The United States Postal Service is the latest company to crack down on hoverboards, with a spokesperson telling CNET that they have banned all hoverboard shipments by air transportation "effective immediately and until further notice". The changes mean that USPS will only ship the devices via Standard Post or Parcel Select, which use ground transportation.

The reason why USPS has banned air shipments of hoverboards relates to their large lithium batteries. The volatile nature of these batteries poses a safety hazard while in the air, and considering there have been some reports that hoverboard batteries have caught fire or exploded, shipping companies like USPS are taking no risks in their transportation.

Some of the safety concerns have arisen due to the widespread availability of cheap Chinese hoverboards, which are manufactured without the same quality standards as known brands like Swagway and Razor. These cheap boards don't necessarily contain the same critical battery circuitry as their more expensive equivalents, which can lead to unregulated battery output, fires, and explosions.

One particular hoverboard produced by RioRand is known to be unsafe, and companies that sold the product, such as Amazon, have advised customers to throw them out to receive a full refund.

USPS isn't the only company to crack down on hoverboards. Delta, United and American Airlines all banned hoverboards as both carry-on and checked luggage last week, while Amazon has started to remove listings for the self-balancing two-wheeled boards over similar safety concerns. Another retailer, Overstock, refuses to sell them at all.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/63176-us-postal-service-latest-company-crack-down-hoverboard.html

 

[VitalyT]

Glad to hear people come to their senses. For some people it takes to crack the head open first, to let wisdom soak in, literally in this case.

 

[stewi0001]

Glad to hear people come to their senses. For some people it takes to crack the head open first, to let wisdom soak in, literally in this case.

As for head cracking, it's really the same safety issue as with a bike, roller skates, skateboard, and etc.

The main issue that the article is concerned about is lithium battery and a cheapo China manufacture did not follow the safety standard with the battery technology.

 

[Teko03]

Glad to hear people come to their senses. For some people it takes to crack the head open first, to let wisdom soak in, literally in this case.

Reading isn't your strong point...is it?

 

[cliffordcooley]

So instead of categorizing the shipment under special conditions, they simply ban it. I might would understand if it was the only item that need to be placed in the category.

 

[drjekelmrhyde]

So instead of categorizing the shipment under special conditions, they simply ban it. I might would understand if it was the only item that need to be placed in the category.

You don't want a plane coming down on your house do you? They are only banning it from air travel. Fedex, UPS, and DHL would sue the heck out the USPS if one took down one of their planes(USPS use them to ship freight).

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

And then USPS courier delivers your shiny new hoverboard to your door on his USPS owned hoverboard dressed in his USPS uniform with no safety gear...

 

[wastedkill]

Its a shame hovercars are such a big issue specially with the emissions that they lied about etc. Well atleast I've still got my hoverbike.